Training Lab Pups
11-18-2006, 01:40 PM
#1
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: North Dakota
Posts: 959
Training Lab Pups
My Parents just picked up two male lab pups for free from my friends dad...the male had papers and is a brute with a big block head, and the female is a nice sized black lab w/out papers.
I don't really care a whole lot about the paper deal, both parents are healthy and the pups are as well.
So far we have gotten them to figure out that when we take them outside they are out there for a reason..Buck (my dog) does his deal right away, and Charlie (my parents dog) seems kind of whiny and wants to be picked up right away, but usually goes right away if he has to.
My question is, would it be possible to train both dogs to duck hunt with me? At first I was just going to train Buck, but started thinking that it would be really cool to have 2 that I could take with me..probably a very hard task but I just thought I would throw the question out there.
Also does anybody have any recomendations for books or videos that would help the process out?
I don't really care a whole lot about the paper deal, both parents are healthy and the pups are as well.
So far we have gotten them to figure out that when we take them outside they are out there for a reason..Buck (my dog) does his deal right away, and Charlie (my parents dog) seems kind of whiny and wants to be picked up right away, but usually goes right away if he has to.
My question is, would it be possible to train both dogs to duck hunt with me? At first I was just going to train Buck, but started thinking that it would be really cool to have 2 that I could take with me..probably a very hard task but I just thought I would throw the question out there.
Also does anybody have any recomendations for books or videos that would help the process out?
11-19-2006, 11:04 PM
#2
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: PA.
Posts: 5,195
RE: Training Lab Pups
take 1 out at time..time will tell..
yes, there are tapes out on training..1 is called GUNDOG,other WATER DOG..1 is more towards ducks..
main thing is to teach OBEDIENCE..hunting will come later..take your dogs around as many noises you can..first time i shot over my dog he was 9 months old..he had pheasant in his mouth that i shot..
now, if i grab my shotgun,he almost tears it out of my hand..he takes my hat to truck,then runs back and gets my boots,my coat..
if he smells my barrel, he jumps up to my face..
THAT is dog that wants to hunt..i really did nothing but make sure he listened,i got him around birds ..
i had him hunting rabbits at 6 months old..i really think that got him going good..i used a rechargeable spotlight and went out at 9 pm,yes 9pm at night where i knew there was rabbits..rabbits were in grass eating..i would put spotlight on rabbits and say,RABBIT..he would run and then chase them in dark..
after 2 weeks he started using his nose to track them..people cant believe how fast he learned to hunt..
that spotlighttraining did it..
i also took him out in blizzards, high wind, lightning/thunder,rain..now, i have a TOUGH dog that is not afraid of anything we get into in woods like storms ,coyotes,bobcats,bears etc..
hope things work out, get a SPOTLIGHT and try ole sproulmans training..
yes, there are tapes out on training..1 is called GUNDOG,other WATER DOG..1 is more towards ducks..
main thing is to teach OBEDIENCE..hunting will come later..take your dogs around as many noises you can..first time i shot over my dog he was 9 months old..he had pheasant in his mouth that i shot..
now, if i grab my shotgun,he almost tears it out of my hand..he takes my hat to truck,then runs back and gets my boots,my coat..
if he smells my barrel, he jumps up to my face..
THAT is dog that wants to hunt..i really did nothing but make sure he listened,i got him around birds ..
i had him hunting rabbits at 6 months old..i really think that got him going good..i used a rechargeable spotlight and went out at 9 pm,yes 9pm at night where i knew there was rabbits..rabbits were in grass eating..i would put spotlight on rabbits and say,RABBIT..he would run and then chase them in dark..
after 2 weeks he started using his nose to track them..people cant believe how fast he learned to hunt..
that spotlighttraining did it..
i also took him out in blizzards, high wind, lightning/thunder,rain..now, i have a TOUGH dog that is not afraid of anything we get into in woods like storms ,coyotes,bobcats,bears etc..
hope things work out, get a SPOTLIGHT and try ole sproulmans training..
11-20-2006, 12:04 PM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Colville WA USA
Posts: 1,974
RE: Training Lab Pups
If you are a newbie trainer, get the "10 Minute Retriever" by John and Amy Dahl. If you follow the book page by page, chapter by chapter, you will end up with a couple of dandy hunting dogs.
ONLY train one dog at a time. You can train both dogs in the same day, just not at the same time. (Until you get into honoring situations -- later on).
Gun Dog and Water Dog are severely outdated when compared to modern training programs.
.
ONLY train one dog at a time. You can train both dogs in the same day, just not at the same time. (Until you get into honoring situations -- later on).
Gun Dog and Water Dog are severely outdated when compared to modern training programs.
.
11-21-2006, 07:30 AM
#5
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location:
Posts: 52
RE: Training Lab Pups
I hunt with two labs in the field and sproul is right, seperate them, train for Obediance first...this one is important, if your dog is obediant no matter the situation your chances of having an obediant field dog are a lot better.
Play with wings and birds too, the first part of bird-dog is BIRD. Most of all have fun with it, keep your temper in check and realize consistancy is the key. There's tons of literature on dog training out there, try a magazine to start with...Gun Dog& The Retriever Journal are great magazines and indespensible to me.
I personally take all training advice with a grain of salt. I take what I need to train the dog the way I want the dog trained and leave all the whooy.
What really helped me in the begining was reading about pack mentality, realizing what alpha behavior was and adjusting our lives to take the alpha role.IE no dogs on furniture, no door crashing, crate training, waiting at meal times for release...etc.
Good luck!
Play with wings and birds too, the first part of bird-dog is BIRD. Most of all have fun with it, keep your temper in check and realize consistancy is the key. There's tons of literature on dog training out there, try a magazine to start with...Gun Dog& The Retriever Journal are great magazines and indespensible to me.
I personally take all training advice with a grain of salt. I take what I need to train the dog the way I want the dog trained and leave all the whooy.
What really helped me in the begining was reading about pack mentality, realizing what alpha behavior was and adjusting our lives to take the alpha role.IE no dogs on furniture, no door crashing, crate training, waiting at meal times for release...etc.
Good luck!
