August/September 10

One on One
Fix It or Fine-Tune It?
by James Keldsen
Photo by James and Victoria Keldsen

epending on your location, hunting season is either upon you or will be shortly. Whether it is dove season, early waterfowl season, or upland season, now is the time for which we have all been waiting. The dogs are itching to go, we’ve dusted off the guns, and we’ve hopefully have found all of the holes in our waders. It is high time to shoot some birds for our retrievers.

As the season gets underway, you might notice that your dog is not performing to your expectations. Maybe he has a problem that isn’t a big problem, but the signs of trouble are there. And we all know what happens when we ignore problems and hope they go away – they don’t. The little issues tend to grow into bigger issues until we can no longer ignore them. So, avoid the larger, looming problems by addressing them now when they’re small. In the long run, you will be glad you did.

When problems surface, the best approach is not to immediately jump in and attack the obvious sign. Problems tend to peek above the water like icebergs. The real issue is below the surface, and if you do not deal with the whole picture, you may find your boat taking on water where you’re not expecting. Take a good long look at the issue that’s bothering you and make certain you are putting your effort where it will pay off best. Look at the performance or behavioral problem from many different angles. Don’t accept the first thought that comes to you; instead, look harder until you are certain you know the real cause.

When you believe you have a good understanding of the underlying cause of your dog’s behavior, try to isolate it. See if you can eliminate as many variables as possible until you know you have the exact cause of the issue. When working on dog problems, it’s not enough to know what is wrong – as it is normally quite obvious – but we have to determine why the problem is happening. For example, your dog continues to bark excessively in the kennel (a definite problem). But the real question should center on why the dog is barking. Is the dog hungry, dehydrated, or in pain? Is another dog in heat? The cause of the issue directs the appropriate course of treatment.

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