new here and need training advice with lab puppy

[mmoose]

hi , im new here but im very excited to find this forum. i just got a new lab puppy. he is 7 weeks old . he seems very smart. he already can sit , and come on command using a whistle and voice and hand signals. i have been reading the book " gun dog" and it is very helpful.
my questions are this....he seems to have absolutly no interest in playing fetch. i know he is young but all the books i read seem to say that a lab puppy should live to play fetch from the get go. i understand that this game is essential to his becoming a good upland dog. ok question>>>>> should i be concerned or will his desire to play fetch be more apparent as he gets a bit older???? i try to play with him just as the book says, i act playful and excited, twirl the dummy around him until he seems to be dying to get hold of it then i toss it a cpl yards. he chases the dummy but will not bring it back and sometimes just doesnt seem at all interested.
also does anyone have any suggestions on how to get him to stop biting our hands everytime we touch him. he is getting better slowly but my fear is that i will somehow ruin him if everytime he comes near me i am forced to disipline him for biteng.. i try to clamp his muzzel firmly and say NO but he can be very stubborn and i usually have to stop playing with him becouse he can get very wound up.
anyway, thanks in advance for any advice and i am sure you will be hearing from me often. look forward to getting to know some of you here.
BTW.... anyone here in central oregon????[

[TreestandEd]

Ive been in your situation, the best advice I can give is consult a AKC pro trainer(THAT HAS SUCCESFULLY TRAINED a FC) even if it cost some $$$$. Mine calls it training the trainer
Best $ I ever spent on him

One thing I did learn from him was to let pup be a pup from 0-1 and keep things simple.

As for bitting my pup was BAD. It was something he had to grow out of and he did.

[Varmint Al]

mmoose,

Let's see some more of the puppy pictures, please. How is the crate training going?

There is a forum for Labs. I was checking some on the training help and maybe they can help you. Here is the URL: http://www.lab-retriever.net/board/

Good Hunting... from Varmint Al

[BENOUTHUNTIN]

You need to let the dog be a puppy right now. If he doesnt' want to fetch wait until he is 4 months old and try again. My puppy just turned 5 months and is finally interested in fetching. Thank goodness. I was starting to think that I needed to find a new dog.

[Ezzy333]

At seven weeks I would be happy if he could walk. Start worrying when he is seven months. For now play with him and let him tell you when he is ready to start retrieving or any other activity. He has to be a pup first and learn what is in this big wonderful world.

Ezzy

[bigbuck270]

My lab is 9 weeks old. We have had her for 2 weeks and I feel your pain. She loves to chase the kids and nip at all of us. Her and I play alot and when she tries to bite me I wrap her lips around her teeth so she is actually biting herself and I tell her "NO BITE". She is doing very good. I can now stick my hand in her mouth and she usually will not bite it. As for fetching. I use any small toy. Ones that squeek work really good. I toss it maybe 3 feet and say "FETCH" As soon as she grabs it praise her and keep praising her as long as she has it and is walking back to me. As soon as she turns away I stop the praise and take the toy. We can only do this 5 or 6 times and then she wants to move on. I actually read a book last night that said to use a string and if the dog grads the toy gently pull it back to you so the dog comes along.

I am wondering how to train her to pick up a sent. We walked trough the woods sunday and she was off the leash. She didn't travel very far away and had no intrest is sniffing the ground. I am sure it will come. Have you read anything on that subject?

Good Luck!

[Doc E]

Buck and Moose,

SLOW DOWN and quit worrying. Your pups are babies!!!
Attention spans in pups are shorter than your little finger. A lot of "genetic brain switches" turn on at different rates. Now is the time to bond and enjoy the puppy days that will be gone far too soon.

It's like you are expecting a 3 year old kid to look at a math book and immediately have a thirst for quantum physics.

[bigbuck270]

Doc,
You are right, I am just excited. Everything I have read states that labs can be real good upland dogs. The saying goes "you cant teach an old dog new tricks" and I dont want to miss the boat here.

[losthwy]

Get some good reference material. The Wolter's books are... let's just say there are some good material out there. 10 Minute Retriever, Working Retrievers, Lardy's 3 video set, Jackie Merten's video "Sound Beginnings" (VERY good for the first few months) are some. Join a local AKC or other club and get with some people who have trained dogs before and train with them.

[TURKEY FAN]

Boy, if your pup is doing hand signal and all that other stuff then fetching is the least of your worries son Everyone has given you good advice so far, i have been through 3 labs all different colors and one english pointer. I tought mine to fetch by getting them in a hallway were that cant go anywhere and just roll the ball back and forth with them, and they eventually come along, as for biting they are teething so they need plenty of chew toy. Never play tug 0f war with your bird dog, that is very bad. Your pup will run after the dummy when you throw it, but wont bring it back because he dont know what u want him to do, this will take time and hopefully you dont have to do the forced retrieve like i did, that is not pretty for your dog and once you start you cant stop. So dont sweat it, it already sound like you have a dog that wants to please you and wants to hunt. For scent they sell it at the pro-shop or u can order it online and dab some on your decoy pheasant or quail and drag it across the ground so they know the scent they are looking for, i hope this helps.