Old dog, new tricks?

[Waterdog]

Hey All!
I've got a 3 year old lab who will bring back anything he's told to. He's got champion lines, but I've never taught him to bring back ducks (my phone, car keys, newspaper, shoes, beer, but not ducks). Is he too old to learn to hunt? He loves the water and is VERY focused. He's also gun-shy. Can he be broken of that? I haven't hunted in almost twenty years, I want to start again and I'd like to be able to hunt with him.

[sisu]

Personally I think you can get him to retrieve anything...ducks, upland birds etc. Just get the wings first then add a frozen body and keep using that until it gets to smelly to use(I use them and then re-freeze if they have not thawed out too much)
The gun shy thing is a problem. I'd start with him in the car or truck with either you or someother family member he feels comfortable with. Take a 22 and discharge it about 20 feet or so from the vehicle having the person he is with comforting him and then rewarding him for being a good boy, IF he is not scared throw a dummy or wing and have him retrieve it after you shoot(releasing him from the comfort of the vehicle. Gradually work on this till you can have him outside with the 22, "other" person, dummy and treats. Once you are at a point he is comfortable with the 22 then go back to starting point again and add the shotgun (much louder report) and go through all the steps again. If this all works you might have a hunting partner. (I am not the best person for writing instructions on the internet as I can't add my voice inflection, analogies, etc, so I might have missed a hell of a lot of instruction, so all you other people out there please add things I've missed or if you believe I am out of line on my advise please fell free to tell it like it is.)
Good luck. Sisu

[tlbradford]

Sisu, I think you nailed it right on the head.  I have also taken a pup to a local trap shooting range where you can start way back and get closer to the shooting line if the dog is handling it well.  Definately start a gun shy pup out with a pellet gun or .22.

[Waterdog]

Thanks guys, you've been a big help. I think I'll take a trip to the range today and see how he does. Where would I get wings and a frozen duck? I have no duck gear yet (other than a semi-willing dog), I'm working twords next season. I hear rumor you can't hunt ducks with a 30-06.

[sisu]

Thanks guys, you've been a big help. I think I'll take a trip to the range today and see how he does. Where would I get wings and a frozen duck? I have no duck gear yet (other than a semi-willing dog), I'm working twords next season. I hear rumor you can't hunt ducks with a 30-06.

Ask on this site who lives near you that harvests ducks and/or upland birds, then see if you can meet them to get a few wings. Hell, I have lots of wings if you were here I'd give them to ya. As for a frozen body see if one of the hunters has a greenwing teal. They are small don't take up a lot of freezer space etc.
Hope all works out for you. I really miss my partner hunting if he needs a day off. Got to convince my wife we need another lab so I can rotate them day on, day off.

[Hermit]

I have a 200 pound Newfoundland. Great dog. He was a stray, had a ear torn off and was in poor shape when I got him. He's smart and loves cold weather and water. I lost a cripple in the flats one time so I drove home and got him. I wanted to see if he could find it. I put him close to where the bird went down and his tail and ear went up and off he went. He went into a beautiful point, so I eased up to the spot and the duck flushed. I shot. Moose wheeled around, jumped into the water swam the slough and was cowering in the back of my truck when I got back. Now he won't go anywhere with me if I have a gun. So I'm the proud owner of a 200 pound fishing dog.

[hogsniper]

Me and my best friend got dogs outta the same litter...i shot shotguns around mine as a puppy and played alot of fetch with it..my buddy didnt shoot around his until it was about 2 and the thing is deathly afraid of guns..So he has a nice yard dog and we use mine for hunting.....i dunno what to tell ya. I dont know if a dog can be broke or not but good luck with it...I think some dogs are just that way..Just my opinion...Justin

[Waterdog]

I worked with Jack a little today. I clapped a a couple boards near him while I threw his bumper. Other than a couple of flinches he did ok. He didn't seem to like the noise but wanted his bumper bad enough that he tolerated it. I'll keep working with the boards till he's comfortable then I'll work it up to a .22. We'll see how it goes.