Puppy training help

[john32189]

I've got a 6 month old black lab / collie mix that I'd like to start getting ready to pick up birds next season, does anyone have any tips on where to start?

[decoy241]

Yep. Pick up Water Dog by Richard Wolters. Great book

[john32189]

I'll have to check it out, thanks.

[JimG]

Probably not what you want to hear, but I'd recommend finding a nice home for the mixed breed pup and buy a new pup from well bred proven field bloodlines. Lab, Chessie, Golden, etc., one of the popular retriever breeds, or even a GSP, which can work well as duck dog. You want a pup with FCs, AFCs, MHs, SHs, on the pedigree after the dogs' names. If all you see on the pedigree are CH's in front of the names on the pedigree, move on to the next litter, no matter how cute the pups are. You might be able to turn this pup into a hunting dog, but you are starting out with the odds stacked against you because you don't know how much lab you have. You are also starting 4 months behind schedule. You get pup at 8 weeks and start training at 8 weeks plus one day. Get that Wolters book and he tells you to get the pup at 49 days old....7 weeks, and training begins immediately. It's not serious stuff at that stage, obedience (OB) and fun retrieves, acclimating to decoys, acclimating to gunfire, crate training. But training begins as soon as pup arrives home.

[Moe Greene]

Thats some solid advice by JimG, but I'm pretty sure at some point unlike him your suppossed to actually shoot some ducks over your dog......

[JimG]

Nice to know that my hunting prowess, or lack there of, is legendary.

Moe Greene.....cute handle.

[Moe Greene]

Guess if you don't have a master hunter from champion blood lines then your dog won't retrieve birds.

[falcon]

While what Jim says is true it doesn't mean that a dog such as your own can't be trained to retrieve birds if it has the desire to do so. Dogs that Jim is describing are the very best but not all of us need that. Another issue would be can that mix breed handle cold water retrieves. Early season ok but into Dec may pose a problem but I don't know. Is this the first dog you've ever trained too hunt? If so you might be starting out behind the 8 ball with a mix breed but if the dog already demonstrates a retrieving instinct you could be ok. Depending on the book you get not all of the time tables for the different lessons to be learned by are gospel. Like humans dogs learn at different levels. Be patient. A couple things. Don't skip obedience training!! If your dog can't sit still in a duck blind you'll spend more time attending to it than watching for birds. If you can start finding out if it's gun shy or not . Don't go and let off a 12 gage blast right next to the pup for it's first lesson. When it's feeding time give pup it's food and stand back about 30 or 40 yards and slap to short pieces of 2x4 together to simulate a loud noise. If that doesn't phase pup move a little closer and do it again till you can do it right over the pup. Once that's done you can now bring her to a club somewhere and have your dog stand back from a trap squad and see how it does. Again see if you can move closer till your right next to the shooters. If your mix breed can handle this your well on your way. Next would be to introduce it to birds. That's the next lesson. First see if your pup will retrieve it's toys and then the gun noise. If it can do these few things then you'll probably have a duck dog much to the dismay of JimG's higher stand. I love to break Jim's balls.

[lalbee3]

All that bull You want a pup with FCs, AFCs, MHs, SHs, on the pedigree after the dogs' names. don"t mean SQUAT..Most likly he has a collar on them and frys them every time they do somthing worng. I have 2 chlt. and none of FCs, AFCs, MHs, SHs, on the pedigree never had a collar on them little training and love to get the birds for me. It's all in time spent working with it. But then again if your looking to spend $$$$. Rember all work and no play never makes eather one of you happy..Best times huntin with my son and dogs ducks or no ducks..
Then again if the dogs don't get the bird I can always send the kid...

[retired1]

My 2 cents = Jim knows his stuff when it comes to dogs and has offered some solid advice here. When you speak of spending "Big Bucks $$$$" when it comes to buying a dog, that should be the least of your worries. The cost of properly caring for and training that dog over it's life time is huge compared to whatever you pay to get a good dog. Don't skimp when it comes to getting the dog! Start out with the odds in your favor rather than having them stacked against you.

[jhthomp1]

If the dog seems eager to play fetch with a tennis ball or something similar, I'd say you could train him to fetch a bird. Work on basic handling skills now, first. Walk at heel, stop/sit on a whistle, stay, hold etc. Basic skills needed in a retreiver. After those are mastered work on the retrivals. Get some bumpers, duck wings, etc. Denials to me has been the single most effective training tool, a retriever wants nothing more than to retrieve, and 75% of the bumpers you throw during training should be picked up by you, while he watches. It will make him a much better/steady dog in the blind and will also make him want the retrieval more than anything. Retreives = rewards. Wildrose Kennels has put out some great dog training videos...all non-shock collar stuff. I've found them very helpful.

http://www.wildrosetradingcompany.com/m ... y_Code=dvd


Good luck!