New Labrador Retriever Puppy - Where to start gun traning?

[coopdacoop]

Hey All - I stumbled upon this forum and thought it could be a great place to learn from people who are much more experienced than I.

A little about River the yellow lab - shes 9 weeks old and we live in Brooklyn, NY. We can get out to long island and upstate NY on the weekends. My question is this - where should I start to train the puppy to be a great retrieving dog? Is there a sticky for this already? Are there good resources that I should be reading? Rules of training? Trainers that people recommend? Sorry if this is a re-post - I'm brand new to this site.


Thanks all!
Pete Cooper

[gonehuntin']

These forums are not for a total beginner. What you should do is order the Smart Fetch total program form Evan Graham, it's the most thorough program out there for retrievers. Then, when you have a question, you can get clarification here or from Evan. Thing is, this is a very involved topic. Books are written on it. Get the program and follow it before you make some major mistakes with the pup. Hopefully you spent a bunch of money on him and got him from a top kennel.

[khaselow]

HI

Welcome, you've found a good online resource here.

Lots of beginners and experts for sure.

Congrats on your new puppy.

Good news is you have time to figure it our together. For now, I imagine you will be focusing on basic obedience, house training, socialization, play fetching, and just getting that pup out in the woods/fields/water. Keep it all positive and fun.

Further resources: lots of great books for retrievers at the library as well as DVDs. Would be good to connect with a dog training organization such as NAVHDA or perhaps something similar just for retrievers.

best of luck and enjoy

Kent

[Eric]

. What you should do is order the Smart Fetch total program form Evan Graham, it's the most thorough program out there for retrievers.

Get the program and follow it before you make some major mistakes with the pup. Hopefully you spent a bunch of money on him and got him from a top kennel.

Actually, the program is called Smartwork (SmartFetch is just one part of it).
Get the entire package (books and DVDs) and follow them precisely.

[gundogguy]

These forums are not for a total beginner. What you should do is order the Smart Fetch total program form Evan Graham, it's the most thorough program out there for retrievers. Then, when you have a question, you can get clarification here or from Evan. Thing is, this is a very involved topic. Books are written on it. Get the program and follow it before you make some major mistakes with the pup. Hopefully you spent a bunch of money on him and got him from a top kennel.

+1 You must have a plan and then work that plan! What type of hunting or performance work did your breeder do with their Labradors. That is really the 1st place to start then depending on that situation a plan can be formulated. It is always best to at training as holistic activity and not a series of band-aid applications. Train the whole dog not just parts.

[MSU Aggie]

Pick a retriever training program, I too like Smart Works, and follow it to the letter. Find a local retriever training club and join. For now work on crate training and basic obedience. Play a little fetch but don't expect anything from him yet.

And don't forget, HAVE FUN.

[Timewise65]

A lot of good comments above. I have had retreivers for over 30 years and have worked with many good pro's who have helped me learn how to train and when to seek help from Pro's on training.

As far as where to start the best two training DVD's for Retriever Puppies for my money is Training a Retriever Puppy by Bill Hillman (Who also has a good complete program for training a retriever), and Sound Beginnings by Jackie Mertens. You can purchase these on line simply by doing a search on the titles.

Also, you can sometimes find used ones for sale on the Retriever Training Forum (RTF), which is like this forum, but focused on Retrievers. This site has a mix of Pointers, Flushers, and a few posts on Retrievers.

Good Luck and have fun

[crackerd]

And what you really want to do before investing in a program or dropping into the Mariners Inn off Marine Park for advice (and firehose puppy bumpers, of course) is get through to Sue Carpenter at Rhumbline Retrievers out on 'Guyland (L.I.) about training - phone number is at the bottom of the website http://www.rhumblineretrievers.com/OurDogs.htm.

MG

[tailcrackin]

Agree with Timewise65 comments. Bill Hillmans puppy video, and Jackies sound beginning's, are priceless in my book. Very good, way of doing things. Thanks Jonesy

[polmaise]

To the OP , Best advice I can offer is the piece listed below .I never wrote it but I keep it on my pc for reference . Going by the post ,I could be wrong ? but I guess you just want a good dog who happens to be a Retriever! and as it's a 'Gun Dog' you happen upon this site >? So...before you get all hooked up on 'Programs' from experts that will probably be way above your head (No dis-respect) I reckon you start with getting some plan to have a good dog first ?.....and that by the way also requires plenty work !!!
Start here with your 9 week old bundle of Fur , then come back when all that is done ? Then 'If' you want to go further in ''Gun Dog'' stuff , You at least have a dog (and your own abilities with it ) to 'Start any program ' ! AND BELIEVE ME It just gets better and hugely more complicated for the owner than the dog
Good luck with your pup .

" Socialization is most critical for young dogs from 4 weeks to 4 months. However, maintaining your dog’s socialization is a life-long process. Your dog needs to be exposed to all sorts of people, environments, and different looking dogs. Socialization is accomplished by gradually allowing your dog to investigate different looking people, children, environments, objects, and dogs. It is critical that the
dog is exposed to new stimuli on a voluntary basis and not forced to interact with beings or objects s/he is afraid of.

4week-16 weeks = Socialization• During this period, puppies need opportunities to meet other dogs and people.
• By four to six weeks they’re most influenced by their littermates and are learning about being a dog.
• From four to 12 weeks they’re most influenced by their littermates and people. They’re also learning to play, including social skills, inhibited bite, social structure/ranking and physical coordination.
• By three to five weeks they’re becoming aware of their surroundings, companions (dogs and people) and relationships, including play.
• By five to seven weeks they’re developing curiosity and exploring new experiences. They need positive "people" experiences during this time.
• By seven to nine weeks they’re refining they’re physical skills/coordination (including housetraining) and full use of senses.
• By eight to ten weeks they experience real fear -- when puppies can be alarmed by normal objects and experiences and need positive training.
• By nine to 12 weeks they’re refining reactions, social skills (appropriate interactions) with littermates and are exploring the environment, spaces and objects. Beginning to focus on people. This is a good time to begin training.
• Most influenced by "littermates" (playmates now include those of other species).
• Beginning to see and use ranking (dominant and submissive) within the pack, including humans.
• Teething (and associated chewing).
• At four months they experience another fear stage.

It is possible to accidentally force socialization on a dog. One way to do this is to cue a dog to touch something they are afraid of, or to use food to force them to go close to the being or object they fear. Proper socialization is force free and completely voluntary on the dog’s part. Many of us make the mistake of giving strangers food and basically forcing our dogs into a vulnerable position. Just wait, patience is a virtue. Let the puppy /dog figure this out for itself. Stand and talk to a friend sit on the ground let the puppy just experience this in its own time. If it’s a footing problem you can certainly toss food around on top of the floor but don’t force the puppy to “Get IT”.

Socialization is much more than just exposing your dog to your family and dogs and maybe a few kids in your neighborhood, this is a good start but not nearly enough for most dogs/puppies. Socialization is taking the dog/ puppy everywhere you go exposing the dog/puppy to hundreds of people young and old alike and all kinds of dogs. You want your dog/puppy to meet many unfamiliar adults, young old in wheel chairs using crutches real life events school yards with lots of yelling and screaming kids, and
dogs of all different sizes and colors. This socialization will need to continue throughout most of the dog’s life. An under-socialized dog is more likely to bite and or become stressed in unfamiliar environments and situations. Here is a schedule to follow.

The Puppy’s/ or Foster Dog’s Rule of SocializationMake sure all experiences are safe and positive for the puppy. Each encounter should include treats and lots of praise. Slow down and add distance if your puppy is scared!

By the time a puppy is 12 weeks old, it should have:
(If your puppy or foster dog is over 12 weeks start right away with this socialization guide.)
Experienced many daily different surfaces: wood, woodchips, carpet, tile, cement, linoleum, grass, wet grass, dirt, mud, puddles, deep pea gravel, grates, uneven surfaces, on a table, on a chair, etc......

Played with many different objects: fuzzy toys, big & small balls, hard toys, funny sounding toys, wooden items, paper or cardboard items, milk jugs, metal items, car keys, etc.......

Experienced many different locations: front yard (daily), other people’s homes, school yard, lake, pond, river, boat, basement, elevator, car, moving car, garage, laundry room, kennel, veterinarian hospital (just to say hi & visit, lots of cookies, no vaccinations), grooming salon (just to say hi), etc....

Met and played with many new people (outside of family): include children, adults (mostly men), elderly adults, people in wheelchairs, walkers, people with canes, crutches, hats, sunglasses, etc….

Exposed to many different noises (ALWAYS keep positive and watch puppy’s comfort level – we don’t want the puppy scared): garage door opening, doorbell, children playing, babies screaming, big trucks, Harley motorcycles, skateboards, washing machine, shopping carts rolling, power boat, clapping, loud singing, pan dropping, horses neighing, vacuums, lawnmowers, birthday party, etc…

Exposed to many fast moving objects (don’t allow to chase): skateboards, roller-skates, bicycles, motorcycles, cars, people running, cats running, scooters, vacuums, children running, children playing soccer, squirrels, cats, horses running, cows running, etc…

Experienced many different challenges: climb on, in, off and around a box, go through a cardboard tunnel, climb up and down steps, climb over obstacles, play hide & seek, go in and out a doorway with a step up or down, exposed to an electric sliding door, umbrella, balloons, walk on a wobbly table (plank of wood with a small rock underneath), jump over a broom, climb over a log, bathtub (and bath) etc....

Handled by owner (& family) many times a week: hold under arm (like a football), hold to chest, hold on floor near owner, hold in-between owner’s legs, hold head, look in ears, mouth, in-between toes, hold and take temperature (ask veterinarian), hold like a baby, trim toe nails, hold in lap, etc…

Eaten from many different shaped containers: wobbly bowl, metal, cardboard box, paper, coffee cup, china, pie plate, plastic, frying pan,™Kong, Treatball, ™Bustercube, spoon fed, paper bag, etc......

Eaten in many different locations: back yard, front yard, crate, kitchen, basement, laundry room, bathroom, friend’s house, car, school yard, bathtub, up high (on work bench), under umbrella, etc....

Played with many different puppies (or safe adult dogs) as much as possible.

Left alone safely, away from family & other animals (5-45 minutes) many times a week.

Experienced a leash and collar many different times in lots different locations.

It is important to understand that there is a large genetic component in socialization training. Breed rescue volunteers have seen dogs chained in backyards that had no socialization that display gorgeous social behaviors toward all dogs and people. But you see many hardworking trainers that spent many months socializing their pup only to have the dog grow up to repeatedly bite humans.
Most of a dog’s brain growth occurs from 4 weeks to 4 months this is the most critical time and when socialization will make the biggest difference.

Once the brain’s growth stops, it becomes far more challenging to “change the wiring”.

At birth a puppy has essentially all the brain cells it is ever going to have during its whole life time. If the puppy brain has essentially the same number of cells as the adult brain, how can it grow ten times bigger? The answer is that brain growth is almost entirely in the connections between the cells. Of all the brain cells present at birth, a huge number are not connected or wired together.


Working owners may be too tired when they come home to take the dog to the park or to have guests over. Families with small children may be too busy. But the end result is that since the puppy doesn’t meet many people outside the family, she begins to distrust anyone not in her magic inner circle. This is normal for wild canids, such as wolves, who live in small, tight-knit family groups and reject outsiders. But it’s a sure failure
for domestic dogs, whose behavior can signal their fates. The kindest thing we can do for dogs is to help them extend their concept of "family" to encompass any and all friendly people they meet. Even working people can do this by dealing with socialization proactively. We call this technique the "Rule of Many." From the age of 4 weeks until 2yrs, a puppy should meet many new people every day. Everyone he/she meets should give the puppy treats, or play with its favorite toy and as much variety as possible in terms of size, age, color, and personality type should be represented. The puppy should also go 7 new places every 7 weeks (or at least one new place a week), and the places should be as different from each other as possible, such as a lake, a park, a shopping mall parking lot, the vet’s office, a pet store, etc. And don’t stop there!

These recommendations are minimums – the more people and places your puppy/dog experiences, the more well-adjusted she’ll be as an adult.
Keeping track of the people your puppy meets and the places she goes can be fun for young children and will ensure that you meet your goals. Be sure the puppy is put on her own four feet for these introductions and visits; holding her in your arms can send her the wrong signals and prevent her from experiencing the world on her own.

The wonderful end result is that, by seven months of age, a puppy whose owners have followed the Rule of Sevens has met at least 196 new people and has gone to at least 28 new places! This lucky puppy will feel relaxed and happy around all types of people and at home almost anywhere. Best of all, whenever she meets someone new or goes to a strange place from now on, she’ll tend to assume the best, rather than the worst. For the next 12-15 years, she’ll truly be a companion to her family.


Whether socializing, play training, or just hanging out around the house, being consistent with your dog will make a big difference in helping you achieve your goals with your dog."

...
Then the Gun Dog Training starts

[Irishwhistler]

And what you really want to do before investing in a program or dropping into the Mariners Inn off Marine Park for advice (and firehose puppy bumpers, of course) is get through to Sue Carpenter at Rhumbline Retrievers out on 'Guyland (L.I.) about training - phone number is at the bottom of the website http://www.rhumblineretrievers.com/OurDogs.htm.

MG

X2 on this advice. Sue is affiliated with the L.I. Retriever Field Trial Clun and she produces some great dogs with very consistent performances in the Hunt Test arena. She would be a great resource for you. Good luck with the new pup and enjoy the ride!

Cheers,
Irishwhistler