Best Retriever Training Books

D

dward

Active member
I have never owned or trained a hunting Retriever....but will in the future.
I am asking you experienced owners/trainers/handlers your opinions on say 'Your Top Three'' book choices.
It's time to start educating myself as i would like to train the dog myself
I plan to stick to traditional training methods...not a fan of shock collars.
Thanks in advance.
 
For the basics and for a new trainer I'd recommend starting with "The 10 Minute Retriever." It does a great job with making training fun and unstressful. This will get you through obedience and retrieving (I don't remember off hand how good their handling section is).

If you get more serious and want to really dig into stuff (handling and such) then I used "SmartWorks System" by Evan Graham...it's a lot pricier if you buy it (my dad gave me his copy to use). It looks like you can by a whole kit now with videos and such. I just had a ring bound book (wow, it's been about 8-9 years ago!!!).

Have fun!!!
 
Water Dog... Start with the obediance If you fail at that part, stop and go back... If you can't walk your dog or control it at home, you'll be disappointed in the field. If your dog will not respond to commands at home, it will not in the field...
I've been to field trials, hunting tests and out in the field. A obediante dog is a pleasure to work with.
 
Water Dog... Start with the obediance If you fail at that part, stop and go back... If you can't walk your dog or control it at home, you'll be disappointed in the field. If your dog will not respond to commands at home, it will not in the field...
I've been to field trials, hunting tests and out in the field. A obediante dog is a pleasure to work with.
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This x10. I have not dealt with trials or hunt tests but my dog is welcome EVERYWHERE with me because he is calm and well trained. The "hunt" training was also much easier because we started and focused on him obeying first
 

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Water Dog...
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Wolters, wrote more books about hang gliding then training retrievers......


10min retriever & anything written by Lardy
 
You might want to go to YouTube and watch some of Robert Milner's videos. He's been doing it a long time, and they way he handles the dogs-no mean stuff, positive reinforcement only-will give you more idea's. And then get the book he likes-Don't shoot the dog-it's about training in general. He has a web site also, send me a message and I will send you the url if you are interested. Forget about disciplining your dog, you don't need to. Think about putting the dog in a position to succeed. Forget negative, learn positive. The specific drills can be learned in any of the books mentioned, but watch how he interacts with the dogs, that is worth more to getting what you want. Good luck and have fun.
 
I have never owned or trained a hunting Retriever....but will in the future.
I am asking you experienced owners/trainers/handlers your opinions on say 'Your Top Three'' book choices.
It's time to start educating myself as i would like to train the dog myself
I plan to stick to traditional training methods...not a fan of shock collars.
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Do a little more research into the e-collars as well, they can be very helpful in training. If you have never owned or trained a retriever you will quickly learn why recall and control at any distance is very helpful.

I would recommend getting a complete program such as Mike Lardy's total Retriever Training. Most of these programs do use an E-collar
 
Thank you all for the recommendations,this helps.
Greg,I will message you shortly,I think you understand where I am coming from.
Tanner,I am willing to listen to the 'merits of shock collars'
but don't think I will change my mind.
Consider starting a separate thread on the subject.
I will read it.
Thanks
 
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You might want to go to YouTube and watch some of Robert Milner's videos. He's been doing it a long time, and they way he handles the dogs-no mean stuff, positive reinforcement only-will give you more idea's. And then get the book he likes-Don't shoot the dog-it's about training in general. He has a web site also, send me a message and I will send you the url if you are interested. Forget about disciplining your dog, you don't need to. Think about putting the dog in a position to succeed. Forget negative, learn positive. The specific drills can be learned in any of the books mentioned, but watch how he interacts with the dogs, that is worth more to getting what you want. Good luck and have fun.
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Just curious on how you use positive reinforcement in the following situations..

Dog breaks
Dog drops bird
Dog refuses retrive
Dog doesn't come when called
Basically any situation where the dog doesn't comply with a command...
 
Another thought on this - JOIN A RETRIEVER TRAINING CLUB - They are everywhere and inexpensive. A typical club like the one I used to belong to in SE Wis - Fox Valley meets twice a week - one week night and each Sat to train. The old hands can help you along - most clubs have access to good water and dead birds. Participating I a club will absolutely jump start your training knowledge and give your dog quality training scenarios. Besides doing an internet search check the HRC website to see if there is a club near you. Also look at RTF - Retriever Training Forum online and ask those members for name of local club............... Good Luck
 
David, I am not going to offer specifics, because I am not a professional dog trainer. What I will say is that I have dealt with all of those things using positive reinforcement. Those problems are easily overcome by putting the dog in a position to succeed, versus disciplining the dog when it does not. When I took the responsibility to see that the dog's failure to do something was not the dogs fault but my failure to help it succeed at what I wanted it to do, I started to figure out how to make the dog want to do things, instead of forcing the dog to do something I wanted it to do. That is way different approach to solving a problem. And un-training bad habits that one has unwittingly trained into the dog is much harder than dialing back the training regimen a little bit and letting the dog make a good 5 foot retrieve instead of a 50 foot retrieve, or whatever the issue of the day is.
 
David, I am not going to offer specifics, because I am not a professional dog trainer. What I will say is that I have dealt with all of those things using positive reinforcement. Those problems are easily overcome by putting the dog in a position to succeed, versus disciplining the dog when it does not. When I took the responsibility to see that the dog's failure to do something was not the dogs fault but my failure to help it succeed at what I wanted it to do, I started to figure out how to make the dog want to do things, instead of forcing the dog to do something I wanted it to do. That is way different approach to solving a problem. And un-training bad habits that one has unwittingly trained into the dog is much harder than dialing back the training regimen a little bit and letting the dog make a good 5 foot retrieve instead of a 50 foot retrieve, or whatever the issue of the day is.
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That philosophy is all well and good but it still doesn't answer my question... Please understand that I am not trying to argue with you... It just seems that a lot of people who put accolades on the "positive reinforcement training" are the same people that make disparaging remarks on force fetch and E collar programs... Yet haven't the slightest clue about them...

At some point you have to "test" your dog... I can set any dog up for hundred percent success all the time ...BUT, at some point you're not training anymore you're not building anything anymore... You stop progressing,you hit a plateau do you understand what I'm saying?

At some point the dog will make a decision to disobey you..that's what dogs do. If you command a dog to sit flop a live pigeon in front of him and he takes off... What are you going to "positively reinforce" there??

Everybody I've ever talk to in the positive reinforcement camp never answers a specific problem or scenario directly... They say the same thing you,have to set the dog up to succeed... Great, but at some point in order to take the next you can't...

What might take you a year or two to accomplish I can do in six months or less with a properly conditioned dog to the collar... And that dog will be as happy to do what I ask him as any other dog...

Just talking/discussing here, I'm not attacking anybody in any way...
 
I hope you can achieve the level of training that you are looking for. If your interested in positive only training check out Wildrose kennels.
Uklabs.com
They sell some books and dvds with the approach you want.
 
I see a lot of praise here for water dog did you know Richard had all his dogs pro trained and than wrote about it, hard for me to relate to someone who has it done for them . I always set my dog up for success but at some point they will fail even when you teach and train hard and that is when force of some sort is needed to make a correction and you will need to make a correction at some point.
 
I personally have not seen positive reinforcement training work to the degree of success I would like in my dogs. I friend of mine went this route for almost two years then got a pro that showed him how to properly use an e-collar. I will date myself here - but back in the 70's you had two ways to train - cookies or tennis shoes. You either give the good dog a cookie or run down the bad dog and give him a swat. I used a third method. Ring of washers on a key ring. If the dog needed a correction at distance I threw the washer ring at the offending canine.
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I had one dog that required almost no pressure and I sold him for being too soft. I enjoy the fire breathers - the dog that kicks mud on the judges when he leaves the line like a rocket
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At some point in time the dog trained with positive reinforcement has to decide what is better - the treat in your pocket or the cat he wants to chase across the road. Invariably he will blink you off at the wrong time.
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Just my opinion
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