Ed,

I'm the guy that said it, and while you may not agree, i'm not wrong in my opinion. To maintain proficiency and to build on that proficiency, you do not drop back to a level lower than the dog is able to perform. It would be like a distance runner, practicing hundred yard sprints to stay in shape. In the end, nothing is gained. Keep in mind I was talking about a trained dog, not a dog in basic training. Unless a problem is so severe that returning to basics is the only way to correct it, I still say you return to that point in a task that the dog is able to perform correctly, and proceed upward from there. I agree a dog learns through repitition. Once learned, and with adequate in-service training that conditioned response does not become weaker, only stronger.

DFrost

Jose,

During the intial stages of my training I concentrate on the response. All my drug dogs have aggressive response except for the 3 legged one. He has a combined passive/aggressive response (he sits then scratches). The dog actually modified it himself, because he lost his balance when he scratches standing up). In the beginning of training I use probably the same techniques as most trainers. You can bury it sand and gravel, I use a scent board that is 6 feet high and make the dog reach up and actually play tug of war to get his toy, or whatever the reward is. I also use scratch boxes in the beginning. I have use cardboard boxes and literally have the dog tear the box apart to get his reward. The objective to that portion of training is not so much teaching the dog an odor, which he is learning by the way with scented articles, but to develop the intensity i am looking for in the response. The key, for me anyway, in maintaining that intense aggressive response is when making the switch over from the dog retrieving his reward, and the handler producing the reward for the dog. I do that simply by placing the reward with the target, in a manner that the dog can get to it(the reward), without getting the substance. It may seem like a lot, but after apporximately 100 to 150 trials, the target will be placed without the reward, I keep it at that point, as the dog locates and responds, the reward magically appears, well ok it isn't magic but when done correctly, the dog is concentrating on the area, and the reward is thrown to that area. There can be some confusion at this point, and you may alternate a few trial where you plant the reward with the target and then trial where the trainer throws the reward. Only after this step in training can be completed 30 consecutive trials, with the reward being thrown by the trainer, is it time to move to the next step. It may be difficult to understand exactly what the process is, but as you can see, in the beginning, it was the response that was developed. Learning the odor at that point was secondary. this has allowed me to condition dogs to give extremely strong aggressive responses for the past 30 years. while all may not agree with it, all I can say is, that is the fun part of dog training. The different roads to success that are available.

Good Luck, and thanks for the kind words

DFrost