Toning Dogs

I start my pups when they are 4 or 5 months old putting a handle on them. I use a 75' ski rope with a snap on the end. We'll just go for a walk in a pasture and I will let the pup go to the end of the rope and every so often I will call him and tone him to come in. If he does not come in, I will give him a light bump and tone him. I will also give a tug on the rope to give him a general idea. Once he is in, I praise him while I am toning him. Only takes a few times and he knows what the tone means. Not a lot you can do with pups that age so that is when I start putting a handle on them. JMO but if you wait until you are in the woods to start toning them, you are way behind. If the dog wants to ignore you and you shock him he is liable to leave the country not knowing why he is being shocked. That dog is simply looking to get away from whatever is shocking him. I also do what Cracker does on his bulldog. If a hog breaks before the bulldog gets there, I want him coming back and a tone is all it takes after they get shocked a time or two. There is always more then one way to skin a cat but this is what works for me and the older I get the more handle I want on the dogs. lol If I am ready to go home I will tone the dogs out or if they are headed off the property or towards the highway they will get toned back. I agree it is one of the best tools going for the dogman.