Dog Training?

[youngyoda]

What is the best road to take when training a bird dog. The wife and I just recently (2mth ago) got a Golden Ret. pup. She is 5.5 months old now. We are currently in basic obedience. Once this is done (approx 6wks) what is the next best actions to take in the training. She has already picked up some of the basics from us but I could use some insight from other dog owners. I would like to take her duck and upland hunting.

First Day

1579

Thanks
Josh

[Dirty]

You are starting off right. Firstly, get the basic obedience stuff down. Sit, Stay, Heal, and Come. Once that is all mastered, then move on to the other stuff. The most important thing it TIME . Every night you have to spend time to train the dog. I would get some wings or live birds and let the pup chase them or chew on them a little. We used to chase all kinds of birds with our dogs when they were puppies and they loved it. We also used to let them chew on wings and smell ducks. Once they have been condition or introduced to birds, then move on to the retrieving part. There are quite a few really good dog people on the site and I would look to them chiming in. Marc has recently been working with his Chessie and probably has some really good pointers.

[Marc]

A lot of good advice and tips in here. This was the book I used to get my Chessie ready for his Junior Hunters and on track for his first season of duck hunting. The key is consistency and train every day. I try and spend at least 10-30 minutes a day most times I spend an hour walking/training.

http://www.gundogsupply.com/b10mirehowto.html

The best advice I can give you is join a retriever club where you can get help and guidance from people of all levels of experience.

[Jimbo]

Welcome to the site, youngyoda. As has been suggested, get a good training book or video and read or watch the whole thing a time or two. You didn't mention your hunting expeience level, but for dog training purposes, it is better to know what the finished product will look like so you know what you are working toward. Dog training is a series of small steps linked together.

[youngyoda]

A lot of good advice and tips in here. This was the book I used to get my Chessie ready for his Junior Hunters and on track for his first season of duck hunting.

Do you know a Canadian source for this book? Exactly the kind of thing I was looking for.



You didn't mention your hunting expeience level, but for dog training purposes, it is better to know what the finished product will look like so you know what you are working toward.

This is a road block. I'm not a very experience duck or upland hunter only a couple of outings and none with a dog. I've watch tonnes of short instructional video's on what it should look like.

I would like to find a someone in the duck world who has a trained pooch just to watch them in action as this is non existant in my circle.

Also if anyone know of a good retriever club in the local (mid/north island) area please inform.

Thanks again.

[Buck]

I would also suggest not throwing any sticks for the pup the last thing you need is a dog bringing back a stick and not a bird after along search.Do you want a pointer or a flusher?

[youngyoda]

probably more of a flusher, and agreed no sticks. She's not really interested in retrieving sticks anyway. Loves stuffies, balls sometimes. I think the transistion to bumpers with be easy enough. I would love to get my hands on a wing. I didn't save any.

[lineofsight]

You may want to talk to Shane at Reliable, one of his pups went through a pretty intensive school here (weekdays just the pup, weekends pup & owner), may be able to put you in touch with the school who can refer you to people/schools in your area.

[Marc]

Contact Anne Everett, she's been training Golden's for a long time and these people know dogs. She'll probably put you in connection with the salt chuck retriever club and the Pacific Rim Retriever cllub as well that she is a part of.

http://www.headsupdogtraining.com/about_heads_up_kennels.php

Marc.

[fowl language]

if money is an issue i would suggest you read a richard woolters books on dogs available at cabelas,its a real down to earth training book which is easy to understand....fowl

[Jimbo]

At 5.5 months of age and with duck hunting season right around the corner, you might want to focus on a couple simple things. You need to expose the dog to increasing noise levels in preparation for shooting over her.
You need, at the least, a bird wing or better yet a whole dead bird. Have her hold it, carry it around, maybe even do a simple retrieve in the yard. Hopefully a local HBC member can come up with something for you there, or buy a pigeon or shoot something yourself.
As long as she's not gunshy, and is willing to pick up a dead bird, you can build on that.

[Marc]

I have some left over training ducks from last fall if you needed one. You'd have to come down and pick it up.

[youngyoda]

Thanks again for your generosity and advice guys. I'm not going to rush her into the guns. We are making lots of noise around the house getting her used to noise and not concerning herself with them. She is still grasping the basic obedience so I don't think I am going to push her to hunt this season. She's still having a little trouble with the swimming thing also. She will be fine for the first couple laps across the creek then, all is lost and she is paddling with front paws only. I know this is normal, she shows tons of potential. We have to just keep working her.

I haven't yet had a chance to contact Anne but I will definatly do that thanks again Marc.

Third class of obedience tonight!

Josh

[Islandeer]

Look up Evan Graham on the Net. He is the Guru of Retriever training, his manuals are all you need, focus on his basic principles. Heads Up Kennels uses his approach as well, though Anne Everett now has her own program.

Now is the time to continue the training.

[youngyoda]

Graduated from Basic Obedience Monday Oct. 3. She finally got the big cookie..Ha Fired of an email to Anne hopefully we can get started on working out some of the kinks