Dice, a four-year old German shorthaired pointer, stops on command just inches from the live pigeon in Ron Burda's hand.

There is only one thing this champion-sired dog wants more than to fetch and hold the fluttering white bird and that is to please Burda, his owner-trainer. Although Burda tempts him, when he says "Leave it," Dice obeys.

"All his training -- and it's in his blood-- tells him to fetch, kill and eat the bird, but I've given him a command, so he won't touch it. He understands I'm not to be challenged," says Burda of Vogel Hund Kennels and Training Academy in Wellsburg, W.Va. At a recent demonstration at Gander Mountain in Washington, Pa., Burda shared insights from his three-plus decades of developing well-behaved canines at the facility he owns with his wife Deb, a former veterinary technician.

Teaching dogs entails teaching their owners, too.

"There are no bad dogs, just bad training," says Burda, who grew up in Scott Township. "Most dogs have more ability than the average person will ever need. I've had only two dogs in 35 years that wouldn't make good bird dogs."

He's "14 for 14" in curing dogs of gun shyness, he says. "That's the most challenging problem and almost always the result of inappropriate owners. All those myths about how to get a dog used to gunshot, like banging pots and pans together when they're puppies or tying them to the bumper of the car at the shooting range ... wrong! The only way to treat gun shyness is to make a dog's desire to catch and kill greater than his fear of loud noises."

Burda has 20 acres for training dogs in pointing or flushing. Owners can come for an evaluative hunt or a series of sessions, or they can board their dogs with Burda for what is typically a 10-day training period. Burda works with all breeds and teaches basic obedience, too, and will travel to clients' homes.

He owns seven German shorthaired pointers, a breed he favors for its versatility in hunting both waterfowl and upland field birds. Dice, whose American Kennel Club title is Vogel Hund Gambler, is the fourth of Burda's dog to achieve AKC master hunter certification; several have utility titles from the North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association.

The Burdas occasionally breed dogs for sale to selective owners in an industry he characterized as "buyer beware."

"A well-bred dog is easier to train, so find the best breeder you can," he says. "Don't be impressed by a bunch of ribbons on the wall. Do research into the dog's background."

Although Burda says you really can teach old dogs new tricks, puppyhood is the best time to begin training.

"That first year [or] year and a half is very important," he says. "We'll work one-on-one with your dog, but you need to follow up at home with what we tell you to do. All it takes is 20 minutes of your time, every other day."

Burda uses both positive and negative reinforcement and emphasizes that corrections should always be humane.

"There's never a need to hit your dog, and screaming is for amateurs," he says. "We correct dogs the way they learned from their mothers from the time they're born. We look them in the eye and we growl," he says, snarling and going nose-to-nose with Dice, who dips his head in submission.

Electronic collars can be effective, but are too often misused, Burda says.

"The only time you should use a shocker is to get a dog off-area, off-game or off-action, like wanting to stop counter-surfing for food. They're just one tool."

Burda demonstrates how gentle pressure applied with hand or lead (known as point of contact) followed by audible or visible cues gets Dice to follow commands.

Burda is also big on rewards, getting Dice to leap for joy by giving him hugs, treats, and a "Good boy!" or two. He also makes it clear that Dice and the rest of his pack are family pets, even sharing the Burdas' king-size bed.

"Dogs that sleep with their owners make better hunters because it reinforces the bond they have with them," Burda says.

Although Dice moves through his paces -- coming, staying and retrieving toy ducks -- during a break in the action he mingles with his audience, sidling up to a family that reaches out to pet him.

The father in the group, Brian Myers of Forward Township, says he plans to use Burda's tips with his six-year old black Labrador retriever, Jackson.

"I got him from the pound when he was six months old and trained him myself by going to seminars like this and reading books," he said. "I took him out a lot. He's a waterfowl hunter. But now I want to get him into pheasants and grouse."

According to Burda, it is typically easier the other way around.

"It's hard for young dogs to stay in a duck blind for hours," he says, "whereas in field work, they get to burn off a lot of energy, although doves are tough because the feathers come out in the dog's mouth and it's still hot at the time of year you're hunting them."

In any case, Burda says, proper training does both dog and owner a favor.

"No dog is perfect. But 80 percent of dogs like having a job to do."

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