As said, is the dog interested in retrieving? You'll find people that get show labs and they show little interest in retrieving some times. You can teach them by making it fun.
6 months is just beginning and they learn better than small pups. I found with mine they learn at 6 month and 9 months, but once over a year or so, they mature and learn so much quicker and better.
You should start with the program and focus on the basics, retrieving for fun, and obedience. Sit, stay, hold and no. Many self trainers just go past these as they see what dogs DO, but ignore how steady some dogs are and take that for granted, but its important. Sitting still, not breaking and small things like this are hugely important. You're dog could have fantastic genes, but if he's running around and not staying still you won't shoot ducks.
Everyone talks about blinds and different drills, but I would rather have a dog half trained that will sit still until told to move, likes to retrieve and knows hand signals and NO. Simple stuff in the retrieving world, but its the basic of a good hunting dog for waterfowl, IMO.
Last edited by archeryrob; 01-25-2018 at 11:01 AM.