Members' Best Pup Training Tips

[Dadbear]

Below is a photo of Sadie. She's 11 weeks old and sharp as a tack, as well as a real sweetheart. Here's my question : "If you could give one or two of your best pieces of advice in training a retriever puppy, what would it be?" I know I can always learn new things, and I'm sure lots of us on this site could benefit from all of the wisdom and years of experience that members have raising puppies into quality hunting dogs and family pals. Let's see what'cha got!

[jackelope]

consistency.

i'm not a trainer.

[GoldTip]

This may seem to simple,  "Patience."

[NW-GSP]

short training sessions, my 5 month old gsp will retreive to hand and do water retreives, I have trained one other dog and like jackelope said consistancy. get some books cause they helped me alot

[RC3]

Its already been stated but be patient and constant positive reinforcement.


When they do what you want them to really ham it up and let them know they are doing good.

Give a command once and don't keep saying it if they don't comply, but if they do it right lots of praise.

I believe the most important command a dog can know is COME or HERE, in my opinion.

Well there's lots more but there's my opinion on a couple of things.

[whacker1]

Yes, what the rest said.  I didn't do a good job training our dog, and am slowly working some of the training now, but much more difficult at an older age.

But showing improvement.

[walt]

consistency.

i'm not a trainer.

and dedication, work on a little bit every day.  I'm not a trainer either.  Mine is a year and half old and the first I have trained myself and she is on her way to being the best bird dog ever to take the field.   

[Smokepole]

I trained several good labs.  I learned for me not to drink too much coffee before field work.  A dog can smell your mood, believe it or not.  If you are a little uptight, it won't go well.  Consistency is what I was going to say also, but it's already been said.  I used both positive and negative tones of voice to help the dog understand what I wanted.  Mostly positive, but I will say NOT! when the dog is going at it wrong.  At the end of each training session lots of praise and a bisquit would always make it fun.

I don't have a pup now.  My dogs are all trained up, but I look forward to the next pup.  So fun to watch them learn.  Enjoy it while it lasts!

[rainshadow1]

Good stuff!

Consistency, Consistency, Consistency. Can't be over stressed. Many examples... Don't discipline for something one day then not discipline for it the next. Same EVERY time. (Or vice versa, not discipline then discipline.) Same with commands, same commands for the same actions, and follow them through to completion, every time, without fail, even if the phone is ringing or you gotta pee or whatever. Follow through. Same EVERY time.

Agreed about being alert to you dog's attention span, especially when young, but again, make her finish out a task before you quit... EVERY time!

There's alot to be said about making the dog a part of the family. You can accomplish a TON of obedience training, and mental and emotional sharpening, just around the house and around your ankles. Just be SURE to get the rest of the family on board with the consistency thing. They HAVE to, or they'll undermine your work. Make it clear. For instance, when she's called, she comes on over... every time, without compromise, even if the caller is busy, or has their hands full, or has something to do, or somewhere to go... even if they have to stop what they're doing and go drag her over, when she's called, she comes, PERIOD! Never compromise. Consistency! Everyone on board will maker her an absolute  gem, and give you a mountain of pleasure and bragging rights in the field. Anyone undermining your work by slacking on that could make her non-chalant, and make her a pain in the butt to handle in the field.

Don't let anyone BS you into the wussy attitude that uncompromising discipline is too tough on the poor doggie. Quite the opposite, Sadie will love you for it, and she'll be a razor to handle and love every minute of it!  

[RPM]

lots of good tips take something from  all of them and be open minded. i've been playing with dogs most of my life and i'm still learning. good luck and have fun  some thing for everyone to remember my son has been working his lab pup on horns. she been doing well until this last weekend he was complaining she was'nt picking them up like she had been. i asked him how old she was now, he said 20 weeks. we opened her mouth it was all bloody she's loosing her baby teeth and her mouth hurts. so now she gets a little break from retrieving.

[Dadbear]

  Excellent advice, fellas... Thanks.  I really appreciate it. Please, anyone else feel free to chime in.

[jeff100]

I agree with everyone's suggestion on the 'come' command, it's a key command that is the foundation for all other training in my opinion.  But here's something else that I've found to be almost as important to me....teaching the pup to kennel in their travel crate on command.

When I get a new pup, I also get a new kennel crate for the pup.  At first I use it for the pup to sleep in at night.  I buy the crate sized for when the pup is full grown and put a cardboard box in it to take up all the extra space when the pup is small.  I want just enough space for the pup to lay down otherwise he/she may soil the kennel crate.  As the pup grows larger, I replace the cardboard spacer box with a smaller box.

Every night I gently put the new pup in the crate and say 'kennel' as I put him/her in and close the door for the night.  I do this every night.  Also during the day if I put the pup in his/her crate for a nap.  Within one or two weeks (depending on the pup) this becomes routine. 

By doing this, the pup is confined at night and learns he/she is safe at night in their kennel crate.  They learn to associate the command 'kennel' with going into their kennel.  Eventually I place the pup at the entrance of their kennel crate, and say 'kennel' and they walk right in and lay down to go to sleep!  I keep this up for months, until the pup no longer sleeps in their kennel crate at night, which for my dogs is several months at a minimum...

For me the kennel crate is a key tool for house training the dog at night to not defecate or urinate inside the house.  Of course I make sure they have had plenty of opportunity to relieve themselves before being confined all night.  The kennel crate is always open during the day, and if the pup feels threatened (is in trouble with breaking the rules), he/she knows they can run to the kennel crate and that becomes their safe zone.  I NEVER pursue them into their crate to discipline them.  If they make it inside their crate, they are safe from any further pursuit or discipline.

As I start traveling with the pup, taking the pup into the field, (after they get a little larger/older) they start traveling in their kennel crate.  By now the pup will kennel on command.  I never physically force them into their crate.  At this stage, if they won't go into their crate for whatever reason, we don't go.  I've never had much of a problem with this though.  I might throw a biscuit into the crate if I have to, but that's as close as I get to forcing them into their crate.

After a couple of trips, they learn to associate kenneling in their crate with going to have fun.  By the time hunting season comes around, you will have a dog that kennels in their crate effortlessly, going out AND coming home.  After you see others wrestling with their dogs and yelling at their dogs trying to get them into their crates, you'll appreciate the time and effort you put into this!

That's my training tip of the week!

[tlbradford]

Consistency and Patience as mentioned above.

I start with the discipline commands: come, heel, stay, whoa.

Short but daily training sessions, with ample rewards and praise.

As soon as they can obey the discipline commands, get them in the field as much as possible.  I want them to learn that even though mice are running around, or that they may scent a rabbit or deer, that my commands rule above all else.  If you are going to hunt them around other dogs, expose them to obeying you in a hectic setting as soon as you can.

[bigdave]

"Don't let anyone BS you into the wussy attitude that uncompromising discipline is too tough on the poor doggie. Quite the opposite, Sadie will love you for it, and she'll be a razor to handle and love every minute of it!"

Rainshadow....would you come give parenting classes at my school?
There are a lot of parents who need to hear that message.

When my 2 yr old is acting out I'm pretty strict, and I always tell my wife "My kids had better obey at least as well as the dog". 

Dave

[gasman]

Jeff100 hit it righ ton the head.

This method worked well for Hemi and will use it oon my next pup.

[groundhog]

Some great advice from everyone. I like to start off using a bird wing in a clean sock. I play with the pup with the sock until the pup is very interested. I then take the pup to a long hallway and throw the sock to the far end and say fetch or whatever command you want to use. The pup will go get it and it has no where to go but straight back to you. Praise and pet the pup.  Tell the pup to sit (push on its butt) and throw the sock again. Eventually work the "stay" command in and hold the pup by its collar for a few seconds before releasing and saying "fetch". It won't be long before your pup will be fetching, sitting and staying on command. Do this no more than 15 minutes per session. Pretty basic stuff but it works very well.

[tlbradford]

Jeff100 hit it righ ton the head.

This method worked well for Hemi and will use it oon my next pup.

+1 and don't forget to toss one of your t-shirts in there with your scent on it.  It helps calm the dog and gets them used to you in a hurry.

[Wayne1]

Never teach then give a comand you can't enforce if needed

[rainshadow1]

"Don't let anyone BS you into the wussy attitude that uncompromising discipline is too tough on the poor doggie. Quite the opposite, Sadie will love you for it, and she'll be a razor to handle and love every minute of it!"

Rainshadow....would you come give parenting classes at my school?
There are a lot of parents who need to hear that message.

When my 2 yr old is acting out I'm pretty strict, and I always tell my wife "My kids had better obey at least as well as the dog". 

Dave

I do use that principle with my kids! Mine are 3 and 5 and it's working well! They DO love me for it. I say "Yes" as much as I possibly, possibly can, so my "No" means something!  I'm also careful about too many rules, so the truly important ones leave a wrinkle on their brains! Then they obey, period. No matter how much of a hassle it is for me. Dog training was a good primer for kids, but when they start thoughtfully negotiating, then you've reached a whole new level!

[Intruder]

1.  Lots of short fun sessions... daily.  You can't make up for missing 2 weeks of 10-15 minute sessions by going 2 hours. 

2. Start with the basics... name, come, sit/stay.  You need to have control of the dog before you do more advanced stuff.

3. 90+ % is positive reenforcement (voice/tone, praise, snacks).  The negative reenforcement needs to be very measured.  Again your voice/tone are key.  Body language, general dominance is often all that is required. A firm grab by the scruff can be just as effective as a smack.  Not saying never smack em just make sure as you get firmer and firmer that the dog really knows why he's being corrected.

4.  If you get frustrated, end the session.  But try to do something easy so the dog can end on a good (+) note. 

[rosscrazyelk]

I find that playing with the dog and get him tired then work with him for 15 min. they seem to listen better that way.