Posted: 10/30/2007 7:31:55 AM EDT
| Got a black lab pup that I would like to train to hunt ducks/dove. She already retrieves great and loves water. Any direction I should take or where to start with her? |
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I found the book "training the hunting retreiver" a great help when my knucklehead was still a pup. How old is she?? +1 on the pics. ETA: link to another thread about starting pups. |
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She is 7 months old now. Zoe Will get more pics at lunch today. |
Try www.copperstate.homestead.com/ We took our pups out for introduction to birds and gunfire last year at Mormon Lake. 
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| +1 on Richard Walters, and getting your dog introduced to actual that is real birds is the way to start. Just give the pup a fresh killed pheasant, grouse or pigeon to play with then substitute a dead bird for a retrieving dummy. Then when you start the dog on ducks have a good supply of rocks on hand to throw at the dead ducks so he knows where to go to make the retrieve. You also NEED TO HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL of the dog while you are shooting, keep him on the leash until you want him to make the retrieve. Later he'll learn not to move until told to. You might have to throw a lot of rocks to the downed bird the first time out but he'll get the hang of it quickly after the first retrieve. Make sure the dog is dried after working especially if it is cold. Keep it fun! |
Have you started with noise? When I bring a new retriever pup home, the first training I do is to start shooting a cap gun while he's eating. She can be the slickest retriever in the world but if she's gun shy she'll be no good for hunting. |
Game Dog by Richard Wolters is another good book. Probably the most useful thought you can get about training is to start discipline training as soon as you can. I actually start discipline training shortly after the puppies are weened at maybe 5 weeks, and don't miss a single opportunity for discipline training if you can help it. The biggest problem is usually other family members spoiling/ ruining your training efforts. So if you can't get everyone involved in the dogs training you might as well save your money for professional trainers and call it a family dog. Just my .02. |
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Quoted:
What is the oldest that you can start a lab? For what? It takes about 1.5-2 years to get a well bred, tractable dog to finished stage with some titles, given that training starts at 7 weeks and is consistent and done well. You can take an older mutt from the pound and get results that are acceptable to you in a few weeks. Depends on the dog and your expectations. Dogs older than 7 years old should be vet checked first and hunted / trained with judiciousness. They are more prone to injury, just as a 60 year old couch potato would be if he went from the couch to the Boston Marathon. |