caw_walley_eye

I have two dogs. A 14 month lab cross retriever and a 10 week old german shepard.

I would love to train both to be retriever bird dogs for ducks and geese.

The retriever is gun shy(runs under the truck when we shoot clays) and won't fetch the Grouse training bird for me when I toss it, but will for the 4 year old?!!!! Can I train him to fetch and bring back a goose or duck?

I have to admit I may have freaked him out a bit playing by throwing him into the pond on a hot summer day, but other than that he listens and obeys VERY well. HELP!!!


The 10 week old shepard is well behaved and listens pretty good for a 10 week pup. I realise I didn't exactly choose a sporting dog that time but I figure a shepard is a reliable, loyal, and obediant breed so I must be able to teach him to retrieve a goose, no? HELP again!!!

underdog

My advice, you probably won't like. If you want a good bird dog, buy one with the best hunting pedigree you can to maximize your chance of getting a good dog.

Attempting to train curs and non-hunting dogs to be something that isn't in their genetics is a low-probility deal. The best bird dogs come pre-programmed and all you have to do is teach them a few manners.

AlaskaMagnum

underdog,

I have to disagree here on the shepherd. I think a German Shepherd dog would make a decent bird dog. They have a very high prey drive, high intelligence, easy trainibility, and a good nose and are plenty tough enough to take advanced training in stride. Schutzhund training is not easy, and by no means any less intense than a good hunting dog training program.

I think the shepherd would lack in marking ability, but would excell in tracking. I do not think it would be a waste of time to train the shepherd and do not think it is beyond the dog.

mag shooter

My 2 cents: Take the retriever out walking, playing just gooffing around, take your gun but don't fire it. Let him associate fun and playing with you and the gun for a while before you try to fire it. May take a few weeks. Once he seems comfortable with everything fire your gun once while you are out for that day. next day play, no shooting, next day fire one or two, and so on . Once it becomes a game to him , he should handle the gun-fire o.k. I wouldn't take him for extended clay shoots. Same goes for the training bird, make a game out of it, take it on those play sessions. The shepards are indeed a smart breed, but I wouldn't have a clue as to how to train it for retriever work.

BTW that's a Jack Russel in the pic for my avatar, not a treeing breed, but the best squrriel dog I have ever had, she will tree her heart out.

Good luck

losthwy

Solid advice. No disrespect intended, but from I read in your post I would doa lot of reading and research to become more knowledgeable on dogs, breedsand dog training.