When is it best to train a dog?

Admittedly, I trained my first few dogs on the job; all they knew prior, was coming when called and a stop – no more. And they all turned into honest, reliable mainstays working on steep hill country.

That is, until I was at a dog trial and had a discussion with an elderly gentleman regarding his dog training methods and mine. I was adamant my 'natural' method was better than his use of rope, pole and stock whip. I had no idea who I was talking to – the late, great Gary Brennan.

Cutting a long story short, I spent a couple of hours with Gary and he showed me four of his 'breaking in' steps. The next day I started training a young Heading dog doing everything I had been shown.

Bill quickly became a top mustering dog, far quicker than if he had been trained on the job.

I was blown away by Bill's achievements and have trained dogs using these principles ever since, however I have changed, tweaked and added many things, all designed to make the lessons easier and kinder on the dog.

Regardless of the method you use to train dogs, the more they know and the more they understand, before going to work, the easier and less confusing it is for the dog and the more successful he will be with the instructions you give.

But I have been wondering in the last few years whether we are doing our working dogs an injustice with stringent training.

Yes, it certainly makes the job with stock more efficient when the dog is beautifully trained, but unless we learn to keep commands to a minimum, we can stifle an intelligent dog's brain, creating a living robot, never knowing if the dog actually has any prowess.

In the 'old' days virtually everyone trained their dogs on the job, and the dog's ability soon became apparent. If it continually ran in the middle of the mob, used its teeth too often, cut stock off and appeared to be brainless, the dog's life was cut short.

Dogs with good conformation, staying power and the ability to be in the right place at the right time, doing the right thing with little or no training and very few commands were the dogs we bred from.

Size, colour, coat type, noise and style were not priorities – intelligence and nature were. Now we seem as obsessed with our dog's trialling bloodlines as we are with the latest gadget from high-end brands.

I confess, I used to be sucked in by the 'names' but thankfully I snapped out of it a few years back; but I am now questioning the 'training obsession' many have.

Yes, the results can be impressive to bystanders; dogs can be placed anywhere and controlled to the point of perfection but I have seen too often, these highly trained obedient dogs, standing gazing into thin air and allowing mobs to get away.

It isn't the dog's fault; from an early age he has been taught to obey commands – or else, so when his handler is preoccupied and fails to command him into action the mob is no longer under the dog's control.

Consider for a moment, if today's dog wasn't so highly trained would he have made the grade years ago? Would he be a thinking instinctive mustering dog with uncanny ability? Are we breeding the brains out of our mustering dogs with our training obsessions?

• Anna Holland is teaching people dog training. For more information www.annaholland.co.nz or Ph. 06) 212 4848 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.