Lab pup

[pupper]

Last week my wife and I brought home a 6 week old lab retriever.

I was wondering when should I start training it for duck hunting and how?

should I put it through a school or read a book?

what books and schools do you recomend?


Justin

[zaconb]

http://working-retriever.com/

http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/index.html

Gun Dog" By Richard Wolters- easy to understand
!

Anything by Wolters, get the videos or DVD's, much better to watch how it's done

Hep Pup, Fetch It Up! The Complete Retriever Training Book by Bill Tarrant also great and easy to understand.
Remember 6 weeks is YOUNG!!! Still just a baby, be gentle with that pup, and good luck!!
Rick

[yellowlab]

if you have a friend with a older experienced dog, run your pup with it. the pup will learn more from the old dog in one season than you can teach it in year.simple case of monkey, monkey do.

[Greenhead]

I totaly agree with yellowlab! But the most basic book I could find that helped when I started out was,
Training Your Retriever by James Lamb Free
GH

[craigchaplin]

Most of the training tips i got were from books also.....got a few videos as well. Most important thing is to put in the time and be consistant. I also used an electronic collar with my dog......worked great and i highly recommend it.....just have to know how to use it properly which i took a course on from a proffesional dog trainer. Went to him fer basic obediance with it and adapted his methods with the collar to apply to hunting training. Its also much easier to "force fetch" train a dog with the collar. Good luck.......and enjoy it, its supposed to be fun too!

[000buck]

Start your dog with .22 short rounds right away a gun shy dog is usless DO NOT GO STRAIGHT OUT AND START CRACKIN OFF 12 GU. but start him gettin used to it now.

[Johnnybear]

Gun Dog" By Richard Wolters- easy to understand
!

Anything by Wolters, get the videos or DVD's, much better to watch how it's done

Hep Pup, Fetch It Up! The Complete Retriever Training Book by Bill Tarrant also great and easy to understand.
Remember 6 weeks is YOUNG!!! Still just a baby, be gentle with that pup, and good luck!!
Rick[/quote]

What he said .
Introducing the gun to your dog can be tricky. I took some advice from an old timer and started at the gun club on trap days. Just park a couple of hundred yards away to start with the window rolled down a bit and get them used to the sound. Then every other time park a little closer, then a little closer etc. until your dog is comfortable enough to bring out of the vehicle (on leash of course) so that they can see whats making the noise. Stay about 50 yards away and next time if your dog is ready stand right behind the firing line.

This system worked really well for my dog. He just loves shotguns and the smell of gun powder!!!

Time training and consistancy is the ticket. I am new to the dog training thing too and wish I could get out more. Got the basics down but could do better(me not the dog, he's got it in him for sure).

[pupper]

Thanks for all the helpful advice

I already ordered a book called: The Labrador Shooting Dog by Gould, Mike

I hope its a good book

Justin