Keys to Preventing

Boredom in Training
By Cynthia Zimmermann
www.workingdogworld.com wdw@nctc.com
Photo: The 2011 Get Real Tour Seminar with Cynthia
Zimmermann in Kirchheim, Germany May 20-22, 2011. Irina
Meier and Indio von den Golan-Hhen (Digo), then VPG 1 go
tracking with Cynthia and interpretor, Alexandra Grimm. Digo
completed his VPG 2 this summer with 96-94-95a.
Cynthia lives in Southern
Kentucky with her husband
Gerry and their five dogs.
Her business, Working Dog
World, encompasses the
training and mentoring of
dog/handler teams in sport,
Police K9 and MWDs. She is
currently training three
young female Malinois. Two
were imported from
Germany as puppies: Fury
vom Adlerauge, IPO 3 and
G'A vom Drachenherz, IPO
3, both four years old. Fury
and G'A now work in all
aspects of Police K9 patrol
and narcotic detection as
her demonstration dogs. Her
youngest at one year,
Ka'Blooey, is from her most
recent breeding through her
kennel vom Z mal. She is being trained in explosives detection and
all other aspects of Police K9 work as a demonstration dog as
well. Her retired competition dog, Visage, is now 11, her teammate
through 5 World Championships, both Belgian Worlds where he
came in 7th as well as FCI and numerous Nationals, lives happily
in the house and still trains with her every day. For more
information, please visit her website at
www.workingdogworld.com.
There was an article a few months back that I read and felt
was quite relevant. It has been changed somewhat to
encompass all disciplines of dog training, but overall, the
message was one I felt the need to share. I receive quite a
few emails and phone calls regarding problem dogs and
handlers. I enjoy sharing my experience with others and look
forward to helping out my fellow trainers. The most
concerning issue to me is one where a team gets into a
"training rut." I work at my canine facility where all I do is train
dogs all year long: my own five dogs as well as teams from
within sport, Police K9 and Military Working Dogs from
throughout the United States and Europe. I train one-on-one
private sessions as well as seminars, and also offer
video/telephone conferencing when the team cannot be
where I am at any given time. It is a fast paced life with a
variety of types of training, so getting into a rut is uncommon,
but it does happen. No one is exempt from common training
setbacks. Canine training occasionally falls victim to
"routineness." A stale, over-played training routine can arise
for a variety of reasons. It may be due to a lack of experience
or creative people, or a lack of organization within your
training group or club. Regardless of how it comes about,
routineness can be prevented.
Common Problem, Origin Unknown
When I talk with other trainers, it is not surprising to learn that
many of the same obstacles are the same the world over, such
as boredom in training. I am not talking about training in general,
but referring to maintenance training: training the teams do once
the dog is titled, or certified and on the street.
There are a lot of teams and units out there for which the
"mundane" training day is not an issue. I applaud those units,
trainers and handlers. The purpose of this article is to highlight a
potential problem and assist teams that have fallen into a rut by
providing some insight and guidance. I am not pointing a finger
at anyone in particular (training directors, handlers, supervisors)
because if boredom comes into play, everyone is responsible.
Boredom can be a disease that is very detrimental to your
program if not promptly identified and corrected. The thing about
boredom is that is just kind of sneaks up on you out of nowhere,
and you can rarely pinpoint where or when it started.
Vary Who, What, When, Where and How
Everyone I meet within any discipline of canine training is on a
busy, fast-paced schedule, with a full plate of things to fit in
before day's end. Everyone therefore has a basic "routine" that
they follow and it is very easy to fall into an arduous, boring daily
sequence if you are not paying attention. For example:
- 0700: Get dog(s) loaded up in car, drive to training.
- 0730: Send away toy is placed out at same place on same
field, or training aids are planted in same building in same
place as last session.
- 0800: Training: same dogs, same problems to overcome,
same handlers, same rotation as last training day, same
instructor or training director on the field.
- 1200: Lunch. Location, same as last training day. Same
people telling the same stories.
- 1300: Same protection routine, run with same helper. Same
building used for searches or same field used for tracking
with near the same track as last time.
Bam! That's your training day. Sound familiar? Yuk! For new
people, this may still be exciting and cool, but for the veteran
handlers, maintenance training can easily become mundane,
boring and torturous. It may seem like every training day is
becoming more painful than the last. I offer a solution: plan
ahead.
Suggestions to help you vary your training.
- Split the training field in half with a team leader on each half
of the field. Vary where the long down or the send away is.
Assign fewer handlers to that particular day so each team
gets more individual attention. Work in flights.
- Change up the people you go out on the field with or the
person who lays your track. Use a hat with everyone's name
in it and have people pull partner names at random. Some of
these other people may have exceptional or different insight,
motivation, creativity, or morale. Spread these people
around!
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- Park in a different place. If you've trained long enough, this
one should make you laugh!
- Carefully plan out your training days. Constantly alternate
the types of training you do on a rotating but random
basis. If you find yourself lacking in creativity here, use the
pull it out of the hat method here as well.
- Work with other clubs or units in your area. Alternate using
each other's fields, buildings, helpers and club members.
This also helps to keep current on issues as to what is
going on in your area/unit.
You will always get the best training if you plan ahead and
keep mixing it up both for yourself and for your teammate.
The five basic types of training
- Known training area and/or known finds: This is good for
addressing any issues in a controlled known environment.
- Unknown training area or unknown finds: This tests the
team's ability to overcome training issues and problems. It
also builds handler confidence.
- Scenario based: The team is given a mock situation and
asked to react how they would in competition or on the
street. This follows the "train the way it can happen"
philosophy. Let your imagination run free. There are
numerous situations to choose from in all phases of sport
and in real life scenarios on the street.
- Competition: Set up a mock trial with an alternating judge.
Have them give scores and critiques. For K9s, set up a
timed event to see which team can get the most unknown
hides in an allotted timeframe. It is not only an excellent
confidence builder and motivator, but also a learning
experience for everyone involved.
- Classroom: Never underestimate the power of the
classroom. On most days, I begin here without the dog. I may
give the handler "do/do not" to maximize points in
competition or one of many "things that have happened to me
in competition" topics and how to train and show your dogs all
of the things they may encounter.
Other topics include changes in K9 case law, canine first aid,
and changes in rules for competition. Handlers always need
to be refreshed and kept current on many things. It is the only
way a handler can go forward and be a leader within their
team.
Keep in mind that you can incorporate any one of these
approaches or a combination of them within a single training
day. Within these five basic types of training, instructors and
training directors can prepare handlers for competition, the
street and annual certifications while keeping the training
interesting and fun for the handler and the dog. There is nothing
worse than being able to predict in advance what you will do the
next training day and where you will do it. We didn't get into dog
sport or K9 for that. If we wanted a predictable and monotonous
existence we would have never gotten our first dog. By sitting
down with your club or unit, soliciting ideas from everyone and
planning upcoming training days in advance, you will help
improve your program's overall training regimen. It has been my
experience that when I was included in the construction and
planning of my training schedule, it gave me a sense of
ownership and pride in my program, and kept me motivated. All
the best on your journey and may you never know what is about
to happen in training.
IPO Trial (RKNA)
May 26 & 27, 2012
Victoria, BC, Canada
Contact: Jane Mitchelmore
250-888-0106
victoriarottweilerclub@shaw.ca
Judge: Mike Hamilton (UScA/SV)
Apprentice Judge: Martin Leggett (RKNA)
Trial Helper: Nick Vannerom (Belgium)
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