Pro Trainer Jennifer Broome, Quinebaug Kennels, recently hosted one of Rick Smith's seminars. She shares some of what she learned below.

While the Smith Family is best known for their bird dog accomplishments and for the development of the Wonderlead, Rick now devotes significant time to Foundation training -- something many of us seem to slack on.    

At the seminar, I handled my 8 year old German Shorthair who qualified for 2015 and 2016 Versatility Nationals as well as my 7 year old field trial Lab. We started with 17 dogs (from Weims and GSPs to Labs and Brittanys) complete with temper tantrums, barking, hole digging, whining and pouting.  

Rick demonstrated how all of their antics and pouting were wasted energy that did not allow them to follow our leadership and learn. We quickly learned how to put a figure 8 rope muzzle on them to stop ANY unwanted behavior.    

Sit Means Sit

After initially fighting sit, along with pouting and defiance, my girl started to come around with very little pressure. What used to take 3 to 4 on the e collar to enforce a good sit was now being cued with a low to medium 1. Plus her sits were quicker, more solid and respectful than I had ever known her to do. Could it be no more loopy sits on blinds? Instead of vocalization when I really enforced her sits, now I got respect and compliance. From my truck to the holding blind to the mat she almost scooted her way at heel she was so concerned to SIT! 

Sit now really meant sit....sit quickly and stay still, no noise, no creeping, no crowding your space, no movement even with birds, ducks calls, shots and other dogs. It has only been a week since I started using Rick's methods and I already feel that my two Labs have changed their tune.