RE: Looking for a descent Retriever
 

I live Down around Valliant it not to far from idabel . You might know the well known Red Slough . Its dry lol But anyway the dogs i have they dont really have the drive i dont guess . You can throw a duck and they will go after it awsomely but all theyll do is smell it. They dont really care. I am not looking for a bad A$$ dog or anything just one that wil retrieve when a duck is down and come back. But i dont guess ill find one.

RE: Looking for a descent Retriever
 

the chocolate to the lake to day and messed with her some . But it wasnt good . I had a couple duckd from this mornin that we had left and . I took and threw one out there and she ran out there like a pro but she would just smell the duck . I dont know what it is .

RE: Looking for a descent Retriever
 

Get the book.."10 Minute Retriever" by John & Amy Dahl

RE: Looking for a descent Retriever
 

duckhuntn 101 It is because your dog needs to be force fetched, it is all about training you really need to get some information on training retreivers. Sorry to say, it is not about buying a dog and they automatically know what to do.

RE: Looking for a descent Retriever
 

You dont need to spend $1000 to get a decent retriever. You could pay $5000 and if you dont train it you might as well have a pomeranian. The best grouse dog i ever had was a $50 Golden Retiever. One of the better Waterfowl dogs i have hunted with was a lab/golden. You can get a pup with good hunting lines for under $500.

RE: Looking for a descent Retriever
 

You've got 2, I'm sur eone of them has the instincts but YOU have to bring them out. Check the internet for videos on training them. You can have 2 pets or 2 hunters. It's up to you. Training a dog isn't difficult just time consuming.

RE: Looking for a descent Retriever
 

1) your dogs will hunt if you teach and work with them - but you have to know how to teach them
2) go to the library and get - the books "water dogs"(a series of books)they are a step by step Rx for getting your dogs to where they need to be
3) You have to be willing to spend either the time ---15 min 4-5 times per day is required or spend the money and send them out and get them trained.

RE: Looking for a descent Retriever
 

All dogs have it!!! It just takes an owner to bring it out in them. Take one of those dogs of yours and trian it. They are only a year old they have plenty of trainability in them. If your lookin for a trained dog you are gonna be payinalot more than 1000 bucks for it.I don't think I could ever trade off one of my dogs even if I was gettin a big name dog for them. WCL

RE: Looking for a descent Retriever
 

Its pretty clear that you don't spend much time with your dogs if you are so willing to just give them up. A trained dog, that has no attachment to you, and no desire to please you, is basically an untrained dog. Period. Work with the dogs you have. Retrieving is bred into most dogs, and espeically labs. It doesn't take much to have a decent hunting dog, but it does take WORK, EVERYDAY, BY YOU!

My golden I got for a song since I did a big favor for the breeder, I got the pick of the litter male for $350. The pick of the litter female went for $1350 at auction, and all the other dogs sold for $650. Dutch is great, but only because I work with him, and have been everyday since he was 8 weeks old. He just hit 15 months, and has already picked up close to 100 birds in the field.

Here we are in the summer time, minding the gators and the mosquitos, but even if its only for a few minutes each day, its got to be something.

RE: Looking for a descent Retriever
 

I was given a choc lab as a gift. A soon as she could run wihout falling down, she started retrieving anything I'd throw in the yard - except a duck. She'd run to a fresh kill & nuzzle it but not pick it up. This went on for 2 years & one day my wife said to shoot & then throw the dead duck out in my pond. It worked. She made a perfect retrieval!! &has FROM THEN ON.She's still restless & has to be tied down until it's time to retireve, but that's my fault for not working with her enough.