New dog owner.

P

Paul W

Well-known member
Have a 10 week lab pup we got at 9 weeks, curious on resources for training or an order of things to work on. we're getting pretty good at basics sit, down, kennel, come, etc. I am curious on when and how to work on the actual retrieving of things besides dog toys, and when to start working in wings or whatever. any book or video recommendations welcome. Family is on board and sticking with the commands we are using. This is my first "real dog" with a job, so I don't know my head from a hole in the ground - and everybody online/youtube/whatever has a different opinion than the next expert.

and if anybody has any duck wings to send me in the mail... [;)]

Thanks guys. I know a lot of you are the type of retriever owners that I would like to emulate.
 
as a new first time owner- you might want to look for a retriever training/hunt test club in your area - training with other folks and dogs has some advantages

there are many dozen good books and some DVDs that I have liked-

Richard Wolter's books - Gun Dog, Water Dog etc, are old classics with simple progressing steps that would still work

I'd have to dig out the other books I like to give you titles and authors

I also like Retriever Journal Magazine- many training articles in there
 
Smartworks is a good program. Another oldy but goody is Waterdog by Richard Wolters. At this young age basically all training programs emulate each other. Your biggest job right now is making training fun for the pup. Start now with simply banging his metal feed pan just prior to feeding( early start to gunfire). Get his basic good citizen commands going. Start his retrieving in a narrow space such as a hallway where they can,t run by you with a simple rolled up piece of carpet, etc. You can even introduce a light check cord in those narrow confines. Object is to not let them run by or around you and return to hand. Make it fun. Tons of praise on each thing done right. Your about to embark on one of the most rewarding efforts you,ve undertaken. Online Freddy King has some very good training videos. I especially like his Force breaking approach but that's a long way down the rd. for you. (After puppy teeth gone).
 
A puppy didn't happen if you don't share pictures with us!!!!!!!

jus sayin
 
Firstly....puppy photos please.

I trained my first dog/lab starting 5 years ago and would recommend Smartworks and Lardy. I used the Graham DVDs and the Lardy book and did basics under the watchful eye of some very accomplished amateur trainers. A few of those guys have now started to use the Hillman methods for young dog work and have been happy with the results. Prior to connecting with the group I also read the Dokken books, 10 minute retriever by the Dahls and British Training for American Retrievers by Barlow. The books provided some good information but the Evan Graham and Mike Lardy DVDs really provided a better system and progression for my dog and me.

I would highly recommend reaching out to a local retriever club. Without the help of my local club, Niagara Peninsula Retriever Training Club, I would have a house pet. Multiple members went above and beyond to help with basics and foster my interest in training. I swore up and down I wasn't interested in field trials or tests and did not see the importance in a lot of the things they told me early on. But the guidance and advice went a very long way and I am overjoyed with what I was able to accomplish as a first time trainer.

Be patient with your dog and enjoy the puppy time. This was my first year hunting over the dog I trained and decoys I carved and it made every hunt that much more enjoyable.
 
Thank you all for the input! we are getting pretty good at the basic commands, and VERY interested in things that smell like ducks (we do fetch outside with duck wings.) Returning to hand is going to be the big one. I can tell most of what's needed for a good duck dog is built In, just trying to make sure I do my part so that he and I can both succeed without every hunt being a debacle of yelling and chasing and all the other nonsense I've seen in others I've hunted with in the past. [;)]

will try to get some pictures up here!
 
The 10 minute Retriever by John and Amy Dahl.. Constancy and repetition is the key ... This is the best advice "training with other folks "

 
I am helping my son train our first retreiver ( a Chesapeake) She is 3 years old and with the help of our local club (Navesink River Hunting Retreiver Club) she was introduced to birds in the off seasons and we assumed the hard part would be bringing back the ducks. Well she is good at it will take casts on land and in the water can do blind retreives. I would like to mention an overlooked part of the training patience. A retreive will take 1 to 10 minutes but that bird was a 30 minute to 3 hour wait in the blind. so while it is still a pup work on it sitting quietly and patiently with you. start with a minute or three working up to 15 minutes and more by the age of one year.
 
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