Weird training tactic?

[Ceifer]

I was out earlier walking my dog at the local woods.
I could hear a gundog whistle being used ahead of us and noted it being used almost constantly. As I came out of the woods into a clearing I saw to my right there was a bank down that has recently been felled and up the other side the woods start again. The constant whistling was coming from there and I wondered if someone had lost their dog in the woods. But as I looked closer I could see two spaniels that had been tied to a tree and a person about 20 meters ahead of them using the whistle. Both spaniels were whining and calling. The guy kept using his whistle and appeared to have several other dogs loose running about

I decided to walk round that way just to see if everything was alright but by the time I got there he’d gone.

is this some kind of training technique for something? ? I can’t figure out what he was trying to do.

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

Being a numpty? Why use the whistle (3 pips for recall) and not allow the dog to recall? Very odd.

 

[Roxylola]

Its supposed to build recall drive in bogoff dogs. I looked at it at one point for baddog (minihound) but I didn't bother in the end

 

[CorvusCorax]

My guess is building frustration/drive. I'm not a gundog person but restraining a dog from a thing it wants/a place it wants to be is a way to build frustration/drive and increase speed.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

My guess is building frustration/drive. I'm not a gundog person but restraining a dog from a thing it wants/a place it wants to be is a way to build frustration/drive and increase speed.

TBH, I think most gundogs would think 'F..... you then' and ignore the whistle in future. That is what he was training them to do.

 

[FestiveG]

Its supposed to build recall drive in bogoff dogs. I looked at it at one point for baddog (minihound) but I didn't bother in the end

I would have thought it would have the opposite effect. I'm pretty sure if we'd done that with the rotters, who had solid recall unless they spotted something more exciting?‍ that it would have taught them to ignore the whistle all together. The labs have good recall and it would drive them nuts and do nothing to encourage it.

 

[Roxylola]

I would have thought it would have the opposite effect. I'm pretty sure if we'd done that with the rotters, who had solid recall unless they spotted something more exciting?‍ that it would have taught them to ignore the whistle all together. The labs have good recall and it would drive them nuts and do nothing to encourage it.

Yeah, its frustrating for them. I've accepted our "I'll come when I'm ready" recall for so long now I don't remember fully the ins and outs.
Thinking a little more I seem to remember it was at least partly geared to pretty much break their spirit. You restrain them, call them, get angry that they don't come type thing. So not just building drive but actually telling them off for not coming ?

 

[Ceifer]

It wasn’t very nice to watch ?. I’m glad it’s not a common thing.
My spaniel unfortunately has occasional ‘deaf’ moments but we have to constantly work on trying to be one step ahead. I could never do that to him

 

[CorvusCorax]

TBH, I think most gundogs would think 'F..... you then' and ignore the whistle in future. That is what he was training them to do.

It's purely a guess and I did said it's 'a' way. We train restrained recalls but it's a two-person job. One person holds the dog and owner runs off calling it. Then after a few seconds, release the dog when it is really focused, owner throws a massive party for dog.
I also build drive for food, ball, dumbbell etc by holding the dog back for a few seconds before releasing or kicking object/bowl just out of reach then release/party.
I do use a back tie sometimes for the above, but not for recalls as there's no way of rewarding it without going back to the dog and....that's not how recalls work
Again I'll wait until a gundog person tells me I'm barking up the wrong tree with my guess

 

[Nicnac]

Local dog walker with far too many dogs who he has lost control of? As he manages to catch them, he ties them up one by one?

 

[GSD Woman]

I've done restrained recalls such as described by CC. But the dogs get to come to the owner, not strain and fight being tied to a tree.

 

[Clodagh]

Local dog walker with far too many dogs who he has lost control of? As he manages to catch them, he ties them up one by one?

That’s my guess.

 

[Indy]

It's purely a guess and I did said it's 'a' way. We train restrained recalls but it's a two-person job. One person holds the dog and owner runs off calling it. Then after a few seconds, release the dog when it is really focused, owner throws a massive party for dog.
I also build drive for food, ball, dumbbell etc by holding the dog back for a few seconds before releasing or kicking object/bowl just out of reach then release/party.
I do use a back tie sometimes for the above, but not for recalls as there's no way of rewarding it without going back to the dog and....that's not how recalls work
Again I'll wait until a gundog person tells me I'm barking up the wrong tree with my guess

That is a similar to what you do when training for mantrailing

 

[twiggy2]

Or he was working the other dogs and the 2 tied up were supposed to be ignoring the commands.
Just a guess and not how I would approach it.
Out collies have different commands for the same actions, so a double pip of a certain may mean away to one and 'should' mean nothing to the rest as you don't want everyone doing the same thing in the same place

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

It's purely a guess and I did said it's 'a' way. We train restrained recalls but it's a two-person job. One person holds the dog and owner runs off calling it. Then after a few seconds, release the dog when it is really focused, owner throws a massive party for dog.
I also build drive for food, ball, dumbbell etc by holding the dog back for a few seconds before releasing or kicking object/bowl just out of reach then release/party.
I do use a back tie sometimes for the above, but not for recalls as there's no way of rewarding it without going back to the dog and....that's not how recalls work
Again I'll wait until a gundog person tells me I'm barking up the wrong tree with my guess

Now that makes far more sense. I can see that with excellent timing and 2 people, it could work but as described by OP, it just sounds counter-productive.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Local dog walker with far too many dogs who he has lost control of? As he manages to catch them, he ties them up one by one?

I guess this is correct! Most 'professional' dog-walkers that I see out and about have far too many dogs to be in control of any of them.We walk ours over lunchtime to avoid the lot of them.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

Now that makes far more sense. I can see that with excellent timing and 2 people, it could work but as described by OP, it just sounds counter-productive.

I would call the original method described as down right animal abuse frankly! But yes, when CC describes the method using two people it makes sense.