dog training ?

[Ben2Cold]

How long does it take to train a dog ? Is a lab the best choice ? 

[mallard79]

I got my chocolate lab out on her first hunt at less than 5 months old. She wasn't completely trained but steady on the shot until released to retreive.  She is the only dog I have trained for hunting so I wouldn't say it is normal.  Some might frown on how soon I took her out but I was comfortable with her abilities.  It takes a ton of time and comitment to get a finished dog but it is worth it in the end.  Good luck>

[Copperwood]

A trained dog is a lot different from a good trained dog. IMO, a year of dedicated (Good) training, almost everyday, will result in a duck dog that will do everything any hunter could ask for. It is not easy but there is nothing better than working a good gun dog. But all of this is expectations. And IMO of course lab is the best retriever.  Why pick a kia when you can have a Bentley?

[high country]

pick a dog that naturally does the things you want it to do. if you want it to bring things to you, labs are a great choice, if you want it to piont birds...not so much. training can be done pretty quick and easy, if you are good and the timing is right.

[Ben2Cold]

Thanks for the input I guess working with a lab 1-2 hours a day for about 9-10 mounths should be enough training so the dog knows what I want him to do.

[CP]

I’m no expert but my  :

A young dog’s attention span is about 10 to 15 minutes.  You’d do better if you spent 2 or 3, 10-minute sessions a day than a single multi hour session.

[Ellensburg]

I’m no expert but my  :

A young dog’s attention span is about 10 to 15 minutes.  You’d do better if you spent 2 or 3, 10-minute sessions a day than a single multi hour session.

Very true. I start my dogs as early as possible. 8-10 weeks old, and I start with 5-10 minute sessions a few times per day. I gradually work up but it is not a science. It depends on the dog. If the dog is acting bored with training, stop. If the dog is craving more, by all means keep on practicing!

My dog is now 7 1/2 months old and he can do a 30 minute session with no problem and he has already been hunting for 2 months. He can go chase pheasant with me for 3 hours+ and never lose interest.


A well trained bird dog is one of the most rewarding things in this sport. Good luck.

BTW- What are you wanting to hunt and what do u want your dog to do?

[Stickerbush]

its a continuous process for sure. If you get your pup in the spring at about 8 weeks, and train consistently (4-6 days a week) until fall then by then the dog will be around 6-7 months old and could be ready to hunt. But probably not as hard as a full grown dog. I would choose the dog based on what you want to hunt for. I havent hunted with many different dogs but for waterfowl I think lab would be best. They can handle the cold if you get them acclimated to it. Make sure to expose the dog to all the aspects of a hunting scenario, like cold weather, sitting still in a blind, boats, repeated gunfire, live birds is crucial and of course retrieving.

[bighorns2bushytails]

i think labs are great choices. they can do upland and waterfowling.  they handle the cold well and are natural born hunters.


training should start around 12 weeks or so and should pry be between 10-20 minutes tops.  of course some dogs will be able to go longer, some shorter.  you should be able to gradually increase the training sessions and expand on them as the dog get it down.

i had my 11 week old pup out for 4 days just recently and although she didnt do any retrieving she did great in the duck blind.  she made her first swimm, was exposed to gunfire for the first time and handled the really cold temps well. 

before getting a dog i highly suggest getting some training material and reading it over.  do it before you get the dog so you can have a routine lined out.  consistancy and patience are the two most important things.  its a big commitment but like the others said its very gratifying to see your dog out there working.


--bh2bt

[Ben2Cold]

thank-you I will try to find more info. on dog training before I do anything. I thought training for an hour or two was the standard amount of time.

[lokidog]

There are some training books that I thought were good by Dave Wolper, "Water Dog", "Family Dog" and a couple of others.

I think the biggest thing is just spending the time with them, being consistent, and knowing what you  want at the end.  There are often trainers that will work with you a bit as well.

Good luck and have fun.

[SnowDog]

"Water Dog" by Richard Wolters is very outdated. Get yourself one of the newer complete training programs rather than just a book. I'd reccomend "Total Retriever Training" by Mike Lardy or "SmartWork" by Evan Graham. These two programs are a complete system with flow charts, updated training info, and they have DVD's available as well.

Starting with a complete training program will save you a ton of time and money. The benefit is avoiding teaching bad habits and then having to spend time fixing things later on. Don't ask how I know this

Cheers!
SD

[lokidog]

"Water Dog" by Richard Wolters is very outdated. Get yourself one of the newer complete training programs rather than just a book. I'd reccomend "Total Retriever Training" by Mike Lardy or "SmartWork" by Evan Graham. These two programs are a complete system with flow charts, updated training info, and they have DVD's available as well.

Starting with a complete training program will save you a ton of time and money. The benefit is avoiding teaching bad habits and then having to spend time fixing things later on. Don't ask how I know this

Cheers!
SD

Good advice, it's been about 10 years since I had the dog training dilemma.

[Stickerbush]

I recomend the book "The 1o minute retriever" by John and Amy Dahl. Its a fun and easy read and has drills and timelines to base your training on. It goes by the method of around ten minute training sessions every day. If you are going to be using the e collar you might also try the tri tronics book, bothe are pretty cheap on amazon