Gun Dog Forum

Considering I am picking up my lab pup next weekend, I wanted to start a thread to hear everyones tips for starting their dogs off on the right foot. It will be good to hear the "I would have done this/that different" types of opinions and what everyone has experienced that you can't learn in a book.

Thanks again in advance.

Cheers,
Justin

I'm also interested as I'm also picking up my GSP pup next weekend!

my pup is a year old now, but i would have got 2 instead of 1!

Congratulations on the new pups. 1. Have fun 2. Have patience 3. Have a training program 4. Set realistic goals 5. have fun (can't say that one enough) good luck and happy hunting

Socialize, socialize, socialize - to everything! Pup goes absolutely everywhere with you guys. Crate train from the minute you pick him up. Don't make the basic retrieving mistake of taking things from the pups mouth as soon as it brings you something - praise him and let him hold whatever he's got before you take it away - don't grab at his "prize." Let him learn to be alone (crate) and make sure you crate him some when you're in the same room so he can get used to being restricted when you're around as well as when you have to leave him.

My next goal is to be such a good puppy raiser with the next one that I don't have a single potty mistake in the house - I know I can do it, I know I can do it!

I don't know if this applies to a lab, but I wish I shut up more with my pup on happy time walks when she was younger. I think I called her in so much I limited her range a bit.

Socialization is key, and definitely time in the crate with and without you.

Don't play tug of war with the pup or you risk the chance of developing a hard mouthed retreiver.

Consider using feeding times as a beginer to whoa training, and feeding in the crate helps with crate training. I've had my wirehair pup for 1 week today and the potty training has been excellent. As said by others take the pup everywhere, around kids, other dogs(in a limited way) and as many people as you can. And take LOTS of pictures, they grow up really fast.

from day one on , don't make any request of the pup, that you are not going to follow through on.

Make sure you understand the basic concepts of dog training and then train a few minutes every day.

Jumping on people. What I did is have my wife put the leash on before I came home from work. Pup was so excited to see me I made sure to stand on the leash so she couldn't jump up as I pet her. Glad I did, she is 60lbs now and hasn't jumped on anyone.Keep it fun

Thanks for the information everyone. Keep them coming if you still have them. Crate training tips would be great as thats my first training activity to tackle.

Congratulations on the new pup.
Here is a video of how we start them.

http://vimeo.com/m/56924329

Have fun

Brad Higgins
Higgins Gundogs

Let the pup be a pup and socialize
cc

I just got my GSP pup 3 weeks ago. He's fun but he HATES the snow that is still out there, he hates the cold. And since he is in the fear stage I try not to push him into liking the snow to much at this point. I hope thats the right approach?

So far Im doing with mine what people have said to do with yours, let them be a pup, do simple things like teach them to go to the bathroom outside (obviously haha) and teach them their name and "come". Also I do a LITTLE bit of whoa training, he always follows me into the kitchen and watches me do things so when he is standing in a good "Whoah" postion I say "Whoa then repeat that after a few seconds if he stays in the postion then Ill give him some "Good boy"s and he seems to be beggining to get the concept. But I wont do anymore whoa training than that until hes a bit older, im hoping that with doing it every so often like I explained it might come a little easier to him when it is time to do it full out because he will know a little bit what is expected instead of going at it completely new.

Thats about it for me so far, Im going to wait until the snow is melted and by then he will be ~6 months old, and that is when I will introduce him to birds, water and the gun, then I will step back from that and go on to whoa training and more.

Some very good tips above. I wouldn't worry too much about him not liking the cold right now. He's just a little pup. My buddy's GSP's have no problems with cold and snow because they know that it means birds! For right now just train the dog in expected household behavior, and, as RoostersMom said, socialize, socialize, socialize! I take my pups everywhere I can. The more they see and come to understand, the more well adjusted they are. It builds confidence. Take your pup for walks out in the type of environment where it will be expected to hunt when it's mature, but don't place any demands on it at first. Let it explore its environment at its own pace. You want to make it fun for the pup. If it wants to point butterflies and grasshoppers, that's OK! Believe me, your pup will get over that. If the dog is "birdy", it won't matter what the temp is. Just don't get in a big hurry, push the dog too hard, and turn it off.

As I sit here with my new pup screaming in the next room in his crate I can say confidently... BUY EARPLUGS AND A GOOD BOTTLE OF BOOZE.

Use the hallway retrieve it seems to work the best. And when it gets time to work him on dead birds if he drops it never pick up the bird ; just walk away and say nothing they have an amazing memory If you go pick up the bird for them they will expect it from that point on. Even if you have to leave the bird in the field, though my bet is he will run back and finish the retrieve after you have walked away.

Grant

Big bloc wrote:Jumping on people. What I did is have my wife put the leash on before I came home from work. Pup was so excited to see me I made sure to stand on the leash so she couldn't jump up as I pet her. Glad I did, she is 60lbs now and hasn't jumped on anyone.Keep it fun

Good idea. I usually get them to not jump on ME but transferring that is tough with other family and friends. Good way to help that.