What Handlers need to know

Handlers today are very mixed in opinions. There is the progressive one that have done the theory and know how they want to train but lack the stock sense and there are the ones stuck steadfast to the old ways, great stock sense but high fail rate. Then there are the schoolies, the ones that change from one method to another depending on the next school. I guess we are all trying to find that perfect way. For me now, I know at Kaden’s we have found a method that works for us and we may tweak it a bit here and there, but the foundation of this training will suit us to a T.
 
If I could give out advise it would be finding what you want from your training, what you believe is the way you should work and train your dog’s then find an Instructor you resinate with and stick to that. As a handler we must have the knowledge to train, the ability to assess our dogs and ourselves, the ability to make a plan, the confidence to deliver it and the capability to do what we are training.
 
Here at Kaden’s it was this that sent me on a search for a way of training I could finally believe in. Having the ability as a handler to be prepared in every way and to know I don’t need sticks, rakes, pens etc to achieve a result, that my position, timing and ability to read stock was the key to teaching my dog to do the same, to showing him the direction to take, to be able to bring out what was  naturally in him and refine it so we could work together, in partnership.
As a handler if you are equipped with all this, go into each training session confident, the dog needs to feel that from you. Video as much as possible and assess your work thoroughly and be careful to fully break it down. If you can do this then you will be able to move forward knowing that your dog has a great understanding of what you have taught and is in a good space to learn the next step.