Battling Daylight

[bradsonger]

Hi everyone - I'm bringing my puppy, Duke, home on Oct. 8. At this time of year in Pennsylvania, daylight is in shorter and shorter supply. I work a typical 9-5 so field training will need to occur on weekday mornings/evenings, and weekends. Thanks to the lack of daylight, weekday field training can't happen during the winter months. What should I do in the winter to warm Duke up from daily spring training sessions?

Thank you!

[Ridge-Point]

What type of dog are you getting and how old is it?

I am going to assume it's an 8 week old pointing breed. If that is the case then you don't have to do much of anything but bond with him and let him be a pup. Teach him manners and take him for walks. Play some fetch. Just have fun.

Puppys are good for about 5-15 min of training before they get bored. If you drill that dog every night for 45 min, he is going to get really bored.

You can finish a bird dog on the weekends, you don't have to drill them every day. For some things it's nice to work them multiple days in a row, but not always.

[bradsonger]

Hi Ridge-Point - I should have been more specific. It will be an 8-week old Lab (English, male). I said "field" training because there's not much water where I hunt so most of his work is going to be dry retrieves and flushing. Does this change anything about your advice? Thanks so much for the response.

[Ridge-Point]

I have zero experience with lab puppies. From what I understand you can do more obiedience at a young age. I would still keep the sessions short. Everything else I would think is the same. Lots of fun and socialization.

[bradsonger]

Make sense. Thank you... Anyone out there have any advice specifically for a lab?

[ezzy333]

Do your best at keeping the pup in good shape and don't let it get too heavy. English Labs tend to be shortlegged and have a hard time handling a lot of upland work and it gets worse for them if they are allowed to carry too much weight. Otherwise let the pup be a pup and spend some time teaching the manners you want it to have and enjoy.

Ezzy

[bradsonger]

Thanks, Ezzy. Yes I'm going to be extremely conscious of his diet throughout his lifetime. I'll make sure to be especially attentive during early development. I want him to be active and healthy for a long time so proper nutrition will be key. Thank you for the insight!

[Neil]

Train at night, the dog can see just fine, and you will learn to see better than most think.

I do it to escape the heat, but if it is work that keeps you from training, do it after dark. Retrievers are easy, you can do 90+ percent of what you need to do, pointing dogs are only a little harder.

Do remember what was said about short sessions, that is how he will best learn. Train him for 5 - 10 minutes, go watch TV, then train again, repeat and repeat. You can and should do 5 sessions an evening, keeping it fun for you both, not just hard skills, but fun stuff, too.

Neil

[bradsonger]

Neil, thank you! This is pretty awesome news. Now that I think about, there actually are some distant light sources that will go a long way after my eyes adjust. Originally I wasn't even going to give night training a try, but I'm going to now. You mentioned I can do 90% of daytime activities at night. Do you have any examples of what can't be done at night? Also, do you have any pointers to make nighttime training go a little better?

[Neil]

Brad,

Since I think it is about 90%, it will be easier to tell you what I can't do at night, and that are those things that require immediate ecollar correction at a distance, such as pushing on "back", or burning off of a multiple mark, distant "hup", or a slight correction on a distant blind, etc. Most any training I can do up to 40 feet (length of a check cord) I can do at night.

You are going to be pleasantly surprised how well you can see with a full moon or how much light a "dusk to dawn" light gives off.

Man's fear of the dark is not always logical.

Neil

[surferdave]

If you are getting an 8 week old. I wouldn't worry too much about solid obedience training for a while. E-collar conditioning can wait till at least 6 months. A lot of training on a small pup should just be 5 minutes a couple times a day. Much of it can be done inside your home. If they get bored, it's time to call it quits. Early retrieving down hallways where they HAVE to bring the object back to you. Don't be in such a rush, in building that strong retrieving drive, less is always more for young pups. Don't overdo the retrieving, steadying, just let them have fun.

[Neil]

If you are getting an 8 week old. I wouldn't worry too much about solid obedience training for a while. E-collar conditioning can wait till at least 6 months. A lot of training on a small pup should just be 5 minutes a couple times a day. Much of it can be done inside your home. If they get bored, it's time to call it quits. Early retrieving down hallways where they HAVE to bring the object back to you. Don't be in such a rush, in building that strong retrieving drive, less is always more for young pups. Don't overdo the retrieving, steadying, just let them have fun.

YES

I was answering generally, not for this specific pup.

Wait.

Neil

[Ruffshooter]

Man's fear of the dark is not always logical.Neil

I see dead people. And really what about the vampires?

[bradsonger]

If you are getting an 8 week old. I wouldn't worry too much about solid obedience training for a while. E-collar conditioning can wait till at least 6 months. A lot of training on a small pup should just be 5 minutes a couple times a day. Much of it can be done inside your home. If they get bored, it's time to call it quits. Early retrieving down hallways where they HAVE to bring the object back to you. Don't be in such a rush, in building that strong retrieving drive, less is always more for young pups. Don't overdo the retrieving, steadying, just let them have fun.

YES

I was answering generally, not for this specific pup.

Wait.

Neil

Thanks guys, this is really great. I feel infinitely better about bringing my pup home in the Fall now. I think I know as much as I need to for now. If anything else comes to mind that I can't easily research and answer myself, maybe I'll DM you for advice?

[mediocre]

I live in Iowa, have a 2 yr old lab and have worked diligently with his training starting the day he came home, which was in mid-August. You have many options for training in the shorter days during the fall/winter months.

I agree with most in that the vast majority of your training can and most likely should be done inside or in the backyard. Don't skimp on the obedience. I used to do a 10-15 min. session in the a.m., another during my lunch break, take him for a walk in the woods and fields, then another session while he was tired afterwards. This is how mine learned sit, lie, stay, and come to voice, hand and whistle commands. It doesn't take long if you're consistent and persistent. Once he gets larger and starts to pickup on the retrieving game you can take him to a baseball field. After the snow flies and everything is coated in white it's really easy to see your dog in an open field, especially if he's black and there's a full moon. I'd keep him on a check cord though. If training is really coming along they also have glow-in-the-dark bumpers on sale right now at <http://www.gundogsupply.com/lucky-dog-g ... jumbo.html> when it's light out they can be treated as any other white bumper. I have a couple I use right now when it's getting dark at 7:30 and I'm just finishing things up.

Honestly if you don't already have another dog the hardest part of training at night or during the winter is socialization. That's what weekends and off-leash dog parks are for.

Good luck. Can't wait until I can have another puppy to train. My first has been a blast.

[ZMan079]

Braasonger,
What part of PA are you from???

In addition to what the others said, I would also look into group training sessions (obedience) that maybe held by places Petco, etc.,

Additionally I would try you get my Ducks in a row as far as defining the end goal for your dog and choosing what training program you are going to follow to get there. Make sure rest of family is onboard with the plan as well . To eliminate confusion you should be the dogs only trainer. you want to also make sure that once the dog is somewhat consistent if others want to be involved that they use the same comands that you used in training.


I like the idea of the glow in the dark bumpers, going to have to get sone of them......

Hope this helps,
ZMan079

[Neil]

That's what weekends and off-leash dog parks are for.

I find that shocking!

There is no way I would take my dog to a dog park. When I think of all the bad things that can happen, dog fights, breedings, fleas, desease, etc.

Except to honor them, my dogs are taught to ignore all other dogs, and all people other than me.

Hunting dogs do not fall into the dog whisper stuff.

They have an important job to do.

Neil

[Ryman Gun Dog]

Neil,
God bless you sir! I agree with every word you wrote, in the above post.
RGD/Dave

[bradsonger]

Hi Everyone - Somehow I stopped receiving notifications of new posts. Sorry for the drop-off in participation.

Just an update: I brought the pup home on Oct. 8, named him Knox. 2-weeks later, via short and fun training sessions, he's consistently obeying sit/stay/come and now I'm building up his retrieving drive with treats after retrieve, drop, then sit. Today and yesterday has been awesome with retrieves - 5 or 6 long throws in a row before he runs out of gas.

I should be doing more with the whistle because he respond to it, but my conscience is getting the better of me since the training field backs up against town homes. I don't want be known as "that guy with the whistle", but I'll probably end up living with that label anyway.

I have a few videos on my phone of Knox in the act, but here are some photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/bradsonger/Knox02#

FYI, Game Dog has been my Bible, and I'm thinking of getting Fowl Dogs 2 (already have disk 1). I know I shouldn't muddy the water with too many guides/manuals, but do you have any other suggestions?

Thanks, everyone. I've appreciated the help.