How to train

[irishevox]

Got a Golden 5 years old trying to get him to retrieve ducks, never trained him.... he is form a champion blood line of hunting dogs.... now here is the thing I received a dummy duck last year from the HUNT-WA gift exchange and he will go out in the water to get it and bring it back no problem I did that through the summer with him and he loved every moment.  I never really brought him out to actually go hunting and not 100% sure if he is gun shy.... so... what do ya'll think?  how should I go about training him or is 5 years old to old to start?

[Dhoey07]

Start with a .22 with blanks.  Have a partner stand 50 ft away, you throw the dummy, he shoots a blank, wait till the dummy lands and give the dog his line to retrieve.  Gradually move the shooter in closer, if the dog doesn't react weirdly to the gunshot, then work up to a 12 guage.

[irishevox]

i really don't have an open place to do that though.....  any recommendations for that?

[Dhoey07]

pheasant release sites, wildlife areas, state lands.  Anywhere that you can legally shoot

[vandeman17]

if you have a hunting buddy, bring the dog but plan on not hunting. Just sit a ways away from your buddy while he hunts and see how the dog reacts to the shots. If no issues from a good distance, move a little closer. Each time there is a shot, talk to the dog and get him excited so he knows its a good thing. If all goes well, you can eventually move up and sit right next to your buddy while he hunts/shoots and go from there. When done, take a dead bird and do the throw and gun shot routine.

[irishevox]

I will have to try both.  Hmm good thinking and I will bring to to pheasant release sites a lot of people out there not hunting

[JBG]

I'd also give the dog some food while the shots are going off, even before throwing a dummy. A great training book is "Ten Minute Retriever"

[irishevox]

I will look it up.... yeah with him being 5 I didn't know if he was just a lost cause

[Happy Gilmore]

If he doesn't have interest in live birds I'd probably skip the pain and frustration you both will end up experiencing. If he has interest in birds and you can make a game out of it then, try to have some fun working with him.

[irishevox]

he loves ducks when I bring them home when I get home and I set them on the floor so I can prep the cleaning space he picks them up and brings them to me..... So maybe it's in his DNA

[Dhoey07]

It's never too late

[Happy Gilmore]

he loves ducks when I bring them home when I get home and I set them on the floor so I can prep the cleaning space he picks them up and brings them to me..... So maybe it's in his DNA

thats good. usually dogs which have had cold birds/frozen/thawed for training only need a little help with warm or live birds. It happens alot with people just starting in training who don't have access to live birds and train with bumpers all the time. If the dog likes whole birds and will pack them around you're one step ahead. You need to get him some live birds shackled up and teach him to pack around warm feathers. If he gets crazy about the live bird, hopefully you can get him exciting and jumping around when you're carrying it then, think about a blank pistol in the distance and toss him his prize. Associate bang with feathers ALWAYS in the beginning. (assuming your dog like birds) this goes for any and every breed at any age. taking a dog to a gun range, banging pots and pans while they eat, slamming doors, yelling bang and all the other odd ball junk is just background noise without creating any associations in the dogs brain. all training is conditioning. If you dog won't get in the water or is scared of gun fire, doesn't like live birds it's 90% of the time your fault for improper conditioning and your training methods and timing. 

[irishevox]

he loves water!  like stated before I used the duck dummy and tossed it in the water and he would bolt after it bring it back and then drop it at my feet and sit and wait for the next throw.  I can get him to stay until I direct him to go and get it some times I did it with his back facing where I threw the dummy and he would retrieve it it would take him sometime to find it but he always found it.  I guess the gun thing I am not sure about... and then putting him on live birds.... I think I will have to get started on that soon I know he will not be ready for this season but I know I still get him started with the gun training.

[Happy Gilmore]

he loves water!  like stated before I used the duck dummy and tossed it in the water and he would bolt after it bring it back and then drop it at my feet and sit and wait for the next throw.  I can get him to stay until I direct him to go and get it some times I did it with his back facing where I threw the dummy and he would retrieve it it would take him sometime to find it but he always found it.  I guess the gun thing I am not sure about... and then putting him on live birds.... I think I will have to get started on that soon I know he will not be ready for this season but I know I still get him started with the gun training.

you never know. he might surprise you. consider taking up to a trainer for a day. Probably charge you $50 or so for some time and a bird. Be worth the time and get some direction in person. Pat Murphy in Monroe, Conway Kennels in Conway, Butch Higgins by Vancouver, Ryan Fortier in Ellensburg covers everywhere pretty well.

[irishevox]

HMM I will look in to some of them... the ones that a closer to me and maybe get him a day or a few classes.