By Tracy Overstreet
tracy.overstreet@theindependent.com

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Independent/Scott Kingsley Tom Dokken shows off his retriever, Rookie, during his presentation at the Heartland Events Center for the Mid-Nebraska Boat, Sport, and Travel Show. Dokken is a well known dog trainer from Minnesota. Independent/Scott Kingsley Dog trainer Tom Dokken answers questions from Galen and Chris (right) Winkler following his presentation at the Mid-Nebraska Boat, Sport and Travel show at the Heartland Events Center Sunday afternoon. Dokken's presentation covered basic tips to train your hunting or house dog. Click Thumbnails to View

The three-day show closed Sunday night at the Heartland Events Center in Grand Island.

"Don't say a command if you can't back it up," was a tip Lori Armstrong learned and will use on her house dog.

She also got tips after the seminar on how to keep her dog from jumping up on people.

Tom Dokken, owner of Oak Ridge Kennels of Northfield, Minn., took questions after having conducted an hourlong seminar that covered basic obedience and showed off some new technology for retriever training.

"You start training your puppy the second you pick it up from the breeder," Dokken said.

That's not when you get the dog home, when you load it up to take it home or even right after you've written the check for the animal it's literally from the second you set a hand on the animal, Dokken said.

He explained how to put a little pressure on the puppy as it begins to squirm and how to release the pressure as the puppy settled down. After it settled for 10 seconds or more, it could be set down to play with littermates.

That early use of "pressure on/pressure off" technique cues the puppy that the person is in charge and that the puppy must conform in order to get what it wants to play.

Dokken then explained how to work that early training into sessions with a choke chain. When properly placed around a dog's neck, the choke chain can be used to apply the pressure on/pressure off technique.

"I didn't know there was a right way and wrong way to put on a choke chain," audience member Tammy Beldin of Grand Island said following the seminar. "It was interesting."

The choke chain training then leads to training with the latest technology in shock collars a collar with eight different levels that can operate from 400 yards to two miles away.

Dokken said that seven to 10 years ago, he never included shock collars in his training seminars because shock collars were only offered at one level hot.

Now the level can be matched to the level of correction any dog needs no more, no less.

"Dogs are a product of your ability to teach," Dokken told the audience.

They watched intensely as Dokken's own 3-year-old male, black lab, named Rookie, jumped off the speaker's platform to retrieve a training decoy. The audience and Rookie were equally intense as Rookie stopped in mid-run, turned and took hand signals from Dokken to track a "dead bird" in the imaginary water.

"Come" is the most important command, Dokken told the audience as Rookie ran back excitedly and released the decoy on command.

Jerry Ross of Grand Island said watching Dokken with Rookie reminded him of Golden Retrievers he had in the past. He's been thinking of getting a dog again.

Beldin, who attended the training with Ross, hoped the seminar would serve as major encouragement for an upcoming purchase.

"Now I get to get a dog?" she said, questioning Ross.

He nodded.

"Yay!" Beldin cheered.

Dokken quashed a myth that a hunting dog has to stay outside and can't be a house dog with the family.

"He is my family dog, my hunting dog and my traveling companion," Dokken said of Rookie.