Training Lab for Fowling?

[longshot]

Hello everyone, been a while since I have been on here. I recently picked up a healthy 8 week old female chocolate lab from a reputable breeder.. and I cant help but be excited to train her for waterfowling. She already follows me down to the barn and gets really excited when I shoot the pigeons and theyre floppin all over the place. I have been doing lots of research online, but was just looking for some input on age and the order of events to train her. I was thinking of having her first fully complete obedience school first, then move onto retrieving? Or are there bird dog trainers that can tackle both. I feel like having her complete obedience school first might be the better choice as its more gradual, but I am not well educated on the subject.

On a side note there are TONS of geese this year so I am stoked for this season!!

Thanks! Longshot jr.

[Foxton Gundogs]

http://members.shaw.ca/schrc/

[fowl language]

I have read Richard woolters gun dog and it helped me. jim will know of a good trainer close by that is probably on his list

[GoldNGun Retrievers]

There is a training day in Swallowfield in Chemainus for the Saltchuck HRC club and Pacific Rim HRC club on July 19th, great opportunity to check that out. If you would like more info pm me.

[lorneparker1]

I can only tell you whats worked for me so far.

Get a system and follow it, and enlist some help ( people with dogs that are doing things) Training is about a balance between boring obedience stuff and fun retrieving stuff. I cant say I would pay a trainer to do it for me, although I have paid a few bucks along the way to have access to places to train and people to help. Im not a fan of "sending my dog away" but to each there own.
I started with the Bill Hillman puppy system
Used evan graham for force fetching
And everything after that has been Mike Lardy. I have done all the training my self, but I have had some really key people to lean on and wouldn't have gotten nearly as far as I have without them. Salt chuck Retrevier club will have some of those people

[Foxton Gundogs]

Start play retrieving asap to get the instincts going. Summer is prime to get your pup in the water with you, don't force, encourage. Obedience is best taught young and on a daily real world level. Sit/stay, come and down are the important ones. I never teach a gundog to heel, a gundogs place is questing infront of you not behind, I use the command "with me" and allow the dog to move within the parameters of the leash but not wander. Training yourself creates a bond you never get when you send a dog off to be trained. Like Lorne says pick a system and stick with it. Good luck, have fun.

[labguy]

There is a training day in Swallowfield in Chemainus for the Saltchuck HRC club and Pacific Rim HRC club on July 19th, great opportunity to check that out. If you would like more info pm me.

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This is a great place to start if you live on the Island. Lorne and Foxtons advice is excellent as well.

[longshot]

Awesome thanks for the advice everyone! I will be looking into all of those things. And yeah I don't really want to send her away for training. I can get her to sit and come already, which I figure is pretty good for having her for a week. She is a pretty bright puppy. And I will definitely be up at chemainus next sunday to check that out, so if any of you guys will be there maybe shoot me a PM to meet up for a bs?

Longshot jr

[lorneparker1]

If its windy and I cant fish I will most likely be there