Tips on training a lab pup

[tikkabirddog]

I have taught my lab a few things of obedience such as sit, stay, retreive, lay down, unload and loading in my truck. I want to know if there is things I need to be working on right away or other things down the road I will need to teach. Anything helps.

[hdshot]

Heel, throw multiple dummies and use hand sighs on which ones to retrieve 1st, hide dummies to work with your dog to find them, dog holds dummy until you grab it, shoot the gun to make sure not gun shy, take your dog out in the field when legal and walk different directions and if your dog is not watching after one call run the opposite way hide and watch until dog starts to panic then call again.  Just don't walk in a straight line all the time with a young dog to teach them to watch you instead.  As duck hunters we lots of walking at night so if unsure how they will handle at night do some night walks in the field before everyone else shows up at the lot with their dogs on opening day.  As a recreation sport there are some things you might never break so deal with it since most owners just don't have the time to train that much with the dog. Good luck.

[tikkabirddog]

Thanks a bunch! I will start doing that.

[Roo]

I would be very careful about shooting the gun to make sure stuff. You can ruin your dog quickly and make it a very uphill battle. There is lots of information out there about breaking your dog into the gun.

[JJD]

Get a training book or video and read watch the entire thing.
Avoiding bad habits is much easier than curing them. The old ounce of prevention being worth a lb of cure thing.
Reading and understanding the entire program helps you avoid bad habits.

The guys who write most of these books have experience as pro trainers and know the best ways to get results fast, it's what they are paid to do.

Contrary to popular belief, not all dogs swim from the get go, introduce young pups to warmer waters and with care.  Pups who do not swim well can be helped with a bit of effort.   Gun shyness is one of the many things thats pretty easy to prevent but darned hard to cure.   

[hdshot]

Get a training book or video and read watch the entire thing.
Avoiding bad habits is much easier than curing them. The old ounce of prevention being worth a lb of cure thing.
Reading and understanding the entire program helps you avoid bad habits.

The guys who write most of these books have experience as pro trainers and know the best ways to get results fast, it's what they are paid to do.

Contrary to popular belief, not all dogs swim from the get go, introduce young pups to warmer waters and with care.  Pups who do not swim well can be helped with a bit of effort.   Gun shyness is one of the many things thats pretty easy to prevent but darned hard to cure.

One good way to get dogs swimming is train them with other dogs that love water.  If your dog hates to swim but loves to fetch get another dog to the swimming hole.  I never had a dog gun shy but they always hated fireworks.  Things I heard to cure gun shyness, unfortunately have to live out in the sticks, is if dog is gun shy put the dog in a pen start to feed then fire off a dove quail load.  No fireworks and would not use a cap gun even because those sounds are all different.  If dog leaves the dish take it away and try the next day and repeat if necessary and of course use some common sense on not starving them to death.  Basically your hoping the dog is so excited for feeding nothing bothers them to get them used to shots.   My grandpa said he had a gun shy dog once and would take the dog on walks near the trap range and would stop once the dog got nervous on the leash.  He said every time could get closer and one day could walk the dog up to the line and never was gun shy again.   

[ghosthunter]

The most valuable thing I ever taught my dog was stop and come on the whistle.
No mater how good of a Retreiver you have if you do not have control at any distance,you have nothing.

One of the best things I did for going in the dark is put a flasher on her collar.
Than you know where she is.
I like to walk out to my hunting area early and I let her run off steam on the way out.

When I get 50 yards from the truck I bring her to heal. Now she does it on her own.

You will get a few more years of hunting out of your dog if you keep weight under control and not allow jumping in and out of a truck. Use a ramp. Most guys don't. But that jumping in and out for years wears on their joints.

[Waldo84]

FInd a training program.... ie: Total Retriever Training by Mike Lardy, Bill Hillmann's DVD's, Smartworks by Evan Graham, Fowl Dawgs  volume of DVD's (probably the most affordable)... and follow it step by step.

All of the things mentioned by others are good things to teach your dog (except for the "Shoot your gun to make sure your dog isn't gun shy"... that's the worst way to gun break a dog). Having a structured step by step process and order of which to teach your dog will be your best bet at training your dog on your own. These programs are geared towards building a set of skills for your dog that you would be proud to bring to anyone's duck blind, goose pit or pheasant field... I kinda sound like an info-mercial, haha. 

Also look into local retriever clubs that have training days to get around folks who have experience and a passion for the "sport" of dog training.

Good luck.

[hdshot]

FInd a training program.... ie: Total Retriever Training by Mike Lardy, Bill Hillmann's DVD's, Smartworks by Evan Graham, Fowl Dawgs  volume of DVD's (probably the most affordable)... and follow it step by step.

All of the things mentioned by others are good things to teach your dog (except for the "Shoot your gun to make sure your dog isn't gun shy"... that's the worst way to gun break a dog). Having a structured step by step process and order of which to teach your dog will be your best bet at training your dog on your own. These programs are geared towards building a set of skills for your dog that you would be proud to bring to anyone's duck blind, goose pit or pheasant field... I kinda sound like an info-mercial, haha. 

Also look into local retriever clubs that have training days to get around folks who have experience and a passion for the "sport" of dog training.

Good luck.

How are you going to know the dog is not gun shy with out shooting your gun? LMAO!  I understand don't break them in with 3.5 inch hunting loads but instead start in non hunting environment with dove loads.

[EWUeagles]

The way I introduced my dog to guns was stated 150 yards from the gun and threw a bumper and then had a friend shoot then send the dog to the bumper. My dog was so focused on the bumper never ever noticed the gun shot. I kept moving 25 yards closer and repeat bumper throw. Next thing you know you are standing next to the shooter and the dog couldn't care less. Also heard people do this with food but my pup loves bumpers more than anything else.

[ghosthunter]

Dogs are not born gun shy.

Over zealous owners make them that way.

Get the dog nuts about live birds first.

[Waldo84]

How are you going to know the dog is not gun shy with out shooting your gun? LMAO!  I understand don't break them in with 3.5 inch hunting loads but instead start in non hunting environment with dove loads.
[/quote]

Seriously? Of course you have to shoot your gun... but telling him to shoot his gun to "find out" if his dog is gun shy has to be the worst advice I've ever heard. The way you find out if he will be receptive to gun fire is to slowly introduce the gun, from a long distance away (100 yards or so) while getting the pup excited about going after a bird or bumper.  Telling someone to "Shoot your gun to make sure they aren't gun shy" is like saying "throw your toddler in the lake to make sure he can swim"... For starters, you offered no indication on how far away he should be from his dog the first time he shoots.... should he just put the dog at heel and fire away? That's what it looks like you are telling him to do.

The process that  EWUeagles explained above is a good way to introduce gun fire.

Again, I go back to what I first posted... find a training program and follow the steps exactly. Those PROS know how to create great dogs.

[wildweeds]

Dogs can be born "noise sensitive" with extraordinary hearing ability, the same way people can be born blind as a bat and need glasses.However "Gunshy" is 100% manmade,poor presentation and execution of gun intro or no gun intro method of "Well he's 18 months old,LETS go HUNTING!" is what ruins a perfectly good dog and turns it into "Pet only", Birds are required,a helper is required,shooting from distance with a small gauge gun. Pistols/22 rifles,food bowls, and gun clubs are a real good way to increase the chances of gunshy.Also the dog has to be bold enough before one starts,the dog that is freaked out about every little thing needs more exposure to real world things before attempting gun intro.

[Jonathan_S]

  many dogs are born noise sensitive (gun shy) and improper introduction increases it.  Hounds have been easier for us to train in this regard than bird dogs ever were.  Of course once hounds are riled up the don't listen anyway 

[hdshot]

How are you going to know the dog is not gun shy with out shooting your gun? LMAO!  I understand don't break them in with 3.5 inch hunting loads but instead start in non hunting environment with dove loads.

Seriously? Of course you have to shoot your gun... but telling him to shoot his gun to "find out" if his dog is gun shy has to be the worst advice I've ever heard. The way you find out if he will be receptive to gun fire is to slowly introduce the gun, from a long distance away (100 yards or so) while getting the pup excited about going after a bird or bumper.  Telling someone to "Shoot your gun to make sure they aren't gun shy" is like saying "throw your toddler in the lake to make sure he can swim"... For starters, you offered no indication on how far away he should be from his dog the first time he shoots.... should he just put the dog at heel and fire away? That's what it looks like you are telling him to do.

The process that  EWUeagles explained above is a good way to introduce gun fire.

Again, I go back to what I first posted... find a training program and follow the steps exactly. Those PROS know how to create great dogs.
[/quote]

I'm sorry I didn't say a 100 yards and how come you didn't say that in the first place?  Is that to hard for you? How in the hell can you say worst advice when you talk out the other side of you mouth and say shoot the gun? 

You need to train yourself on how to carry on a human conversation.  If you want to add cool, but don't be a worthless jerk because I didn't write it up like a contract the way you would do it.  By the way people choose to give birth to their babies underwater. LMAO!   

[Waldo84]

Let me correct my statement... It is the worst advice I've ever heard for introducing a dog to gunfire . With something as serious as that, you might want to include a few of the important first steps. "Shoot the gun to make sure not gun shy" is pretty vague. 

You are quick to point out that I said "shoot the gun", you failed to mention that I listed some steps on how to "slowly introduce the gun". Also I mention more than once that the best way to go if he decides to train his own dog, is to follow a pro dog trainers program. Online advice is cheap, mine included 

I'm not going to touch the water birth comment, that just made me laugh.

[hdshot]

Let me correct my statement... It is the worst advice I've ever heard for introducing a dog to gunfire . With something as serious as that, you might want to include a few of the important first steps. "Shoot the gun to make sure not gun shy" is pretty vague. 

You are quick to point out that I said "shoot the gun", you failed to mention that I listed some steps on how to "slowly introduce the gun". Also I mention more than once that the best way to go if he decides to train his own dog, is to follow a pro dog trainers program. Online advice is cheap, mine included 

I'm not going to touch the water birth comment, that just made me laugh.

That 100% right I was vague as subject matter.  I believe the guy had enough knowledge to do his own research. If anyone was quick to point out it was you on ewu good advice but failed to act friendly like ewu.  Also you failed to understand people have different experiences.  Mine have been good by just going out for a walk and fire off light shell to see what the reaction is then graduate up to bigger shell when all is good.  I just don't believe a person has to make a big deal about it but a good thing to know before hunting because dogs are either going to be shy or not.  I have seen abused dogs in the field not be gun shy and just saw a friends young puppy not be bothered by fireworks and gun fire going off by the other campers. 

Here is a good youtube. He talks about balloons first before gun fire but then at the end of the clip one of his dogs is scared in thunderstorms. So if balloons are going to not make dogs gun shy then it should work on thunder as well.  So I call BS on balloons but used his gun method before and he starts with a 22 which is cool.

[wildweeds]

.22's are bad for a couple reasons,#1 is they create a sharp whir due to the rifling if using live rounds  that is undectectable to human ears but dogs hear it in the same manner as a silent whistle  #2 is a .22 produces a "sharp KRAAACK" wheras a shotgun produces a lower pitched "BOOM". I start with a .410 or reduced handloaded 20 gauge pushing a payload of uncle bens rice or birdseed.

Let me correct my statement... It is the worst advice I've ever heard for introducing a dog to gunfire . With something as serious as that, you might want to include a few of the important first steps. "Shoot the gun to make sure not gun shy" is pretty vague. 

You are quick to point out that I said "shoot the gun", you failed to mention that I listed some steps on how to "slowly introduce the gun". Also I mention more than once that the best way to go if he decides to train his own dog, is to follow a pro dog trainers program. Online advice is cheap, mine included 

I'm not going to touch the water birth comment, that just made me laugh.

 So I call BS on balloons but used his gun method before and he starts with a 22 which is cool.

[Jonathan_S]

For me it's always been linking the sound of a fired weapon to a dead animal  my dogs are addicted to it now

[follow maggie]

I love that Maggie associates "sit" with "stay"

[JJD]

I love that Maggie associates "sit" with "stay"

Stay is an unneeded command, sit should mean plant your butt and keep it there till commanded to do otherwise.
Get that and "here" down and a good portion of the battle is done.

[Lunatic Fringe]

One bit of advice I haven't seen on here is in regards to upland hunting.  One thing I have learned after training 3 dogs is If you plan on using your dog for pheasants or quail don't worry about hammering the heal command into them until after they have learned to roam out in front of you and hunt.  I have really hammered the obedience into previous dogs early on and then couldn't get them to hunt in front of me.  They would always walk next to me at heal.  I let my latest dog roam first then hammered the heal command after he had already learned to flush birds.  I now have a dog that will hunt upland or waterfowl.  It's a lot easier to teach a dog to heal than it is to teach them to run out in front of you.  My two cents.

[Bullistics]

I apologize if this a little off topic, but I had to put down my 15 year old black lab last winter and  I am  finally feeling ready to get another pup, so my question to you guy's is do you have any particular breeders you would or would not recommend?

[follow maggie]

I got Maggie @ Cougar Creek Labs in Arlington and couldn't be happier. Great house dog, and very good hunter

[ghosthunter]

I apologize if this a little off topic, but I had to put down my 15 year old black lab last winter and  I am  finally feeling ready to get another pup, so my question to you guy's is do you have any particular breeders you would or would not recommend?

Ireland Farms

[bronczilla]

I'm training my lab too, she is now 5 months old and doing great. I have been using Dokken training videos. Great stuff.