Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Dole
I had a Radio Ranch Rottie back from 90-96 then lost her in the divorce. First dog I owned that wasn't a bird dog and a lot harder to train.
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Exactly.
I finally figured out that bird/sport dogs listen/learn because they want to. A high drive working dog is going to listen/learn because he realizes its in his best interests to do so. The desire to please w/ a sporting dog is orders of magnitude higher. Once they understand what you're trying to tell them, they'll move heaven and earth to get it right.
With working dogs, they'll understand what your saying and still kinda think "eh - why the **** should I do
that?" So you have to be insanely consistent with enforcement/incentive and over time they'll stop questioning the 'why' of it and settle into a really good equilibrium. And at that point I find them easier to train than sporting dogs because they have better focus and a better attention span.
I didn't necessarily think one was any harder than the other once I understood the necessary distinctions in approach. But man, they really couldn't be much different.