Dog training program/literature/website

[A3M0N]

Hey everyone, I'm not new to dogs. I had a well house trained lab/pit mix several years ago (sit, stay, leash trained, various tricks, house broken, the usual). We now have a lab mix, training time has been limited with kids and day jobs, you know how it goes. She is 2y/o and can sit and do a few things like catch treats, perfectly house and crate trained. I'd like to work more with her, get her more than just the usuals. I want some rock solid obedience, I mean like bird retrieveal training with the hope that we will both learn to hunt in the future.

I have been recommended to try this out: http://www.gundogsupply.com/smartwork-obedience.html

Anyone have any experience with this or have any thing else to suggest? Thanks!

 

[ChefJohnBoy-ardee]

I won't say it s too late but the hunting bit is so much easy when they are a pup.

That dvd would be a good start. Just remember to be consistent and most importantly have fun. Since the dog is older she may have some bad habits that need broken. It will be frustrating at times.

Have fun with the girl!!

 

[oakeshott]

I trained my own lab 11 years ago and used some of Richard Wolter's books. Great books though perhaps by now somewhat out of date. I don't think, for instance, that he includes the training techniques now made available with the use of electronic collars. STill, he's extremely good on many of the basics.

I would urge you, however, to find a reputable and experienced breeder of gun dogs in your area. Get some private lessons with your dog so that a truly knowledgeable expert can watch what you've been doing and catch any mistakes in your training before they're permanent. I did this with the breeder from whom I got my pup and it was invaluable. I went back to them at the 6 month mark, the 9 month mark and one more time at a year. I also relied on them to show me how to use the electronic collar rather than learn it on my own from a book. It's a powerful device but it can ruin a dog in the wrong hands.

And, since no decent thread at B&B is any good without pics, I submit the following:View attachment 324376

We'd gone for a morning swim and retrieving session just the other day. Nothing starts my day off better than the fresh, warm aroma of wet gun dog. If only Penhaligon's could put that in a soap.

 

[tinashubby]

Obedience is a good thing! My wife has participated in AKC obedience trials, and one year we had the highest scoring Frenchbulldog to achieve a CD title in the USA, and the next year we had the second highest scoring in the country with our other Frenchie. These scores were among the Frenchies only, and aren't real well known for their abilities in the obedience ring, but I believe the total number of dogs that got titles those years were between 50 and 100. Braggin' a bit...

Wife started with a simple basic obedience class for about 60 bucks for twelve weeks and taught herself from there.

She later got involved doing agility training with one of the Frenchies, and later our Standard Poodle.

She has had good results messing with clicker training, although she got away from it when she got into the trials. Key to training is consistency, and try not to ever give a command twice, dogs are smart and they will begin to respond to the second command rather than the first.

Since your pup is a bit older you may have an advantage.

We just got a 12 week old Brittany puppy that she has begun working with, it looks like she will be shown in both confirmation and obedience at this point. I'm also somewhat interested in doing some hunting, and she may make a good bird dog.

I'll check out your link-thanks!
Wayne

 

[A3M0N]

Thanks for all the advice! Unfortunately the professional trainer is not in the stars, we just don't have that kind of budget. I may not be able to teach her to hunt, but she'll get some good training anyway.

 

[petr]

I followed Water Dog by Richard Wolters

 

[ChefJohnBoy-ardee]

Obedience is a good thing! My wife has participated in AKC obedience trials, and one year we had the highest scoring Frenchbulldog to achieve a CD title in the USA, and the next year we had the second highest scoring in the country with our other Frenchie. These scores were among the Frenchies only, and aren't real well known for their abilities in the obedience ring, but I believe the total number of dogs that got titles those years were between 50 and 100. Braggin' a bit...

Wife started with a simple basic obedience class for about 60 bucks for twelve weeks and taught herself from there.

She later got involved doing agility training with one of the Frenchies, and later our Standard Poodle.

She has had good results messing with clicker training, although she got away from it when she got into the trials. Key to training is consistency, and try not to ever give a command twice, dogs are smart and they will begin to respond to the second command rather than the first.

Since your pup is a bit older you may have an advantage.

We just got a 12 week old Brittany puppy that she has begun working with, it looks like she will be shown in both confirmation and obedience at this point. I'm also somewhat interested in doing some hunting, and she may make a good bird dog.

I'll check out your link-thanks!
Wayne

Brits are super fun. Is it an American of French Brittany? They can be strong headed but are great dogs. I hope to always have one by my side. Such great personalities (plus they hunt!)


Cooper is MY second brit. I've been around them for all my life, all 30 years of it. My dad always had them. We had a female that was my 'babysitter'. Anyways, I learned a lot from my first brit and the second was so much easier (could also be he is so much smarter but I degress).

Thanks for all the advice! Unfortunately the professional trainer is not in the stars, we just don't have that kind of budget. I may not be able to teach her to hunt, but she'll get some good training anyway.

Even a single session can do a lot! Do you know anyone who hunts with dogs that can help you for a couple afternoons?

 

[A3M0N]

Oakeshott and petr, does the Water Dog book assume a starting level of training? Or does it start from the very beginning?

Chef John, after I get a better handle on the basic obedience skills I may spend a session with a pro trainer.

 

[oakeshott]

Oakeshott and petr, does the Water Dog book assume a starting level of training? Or does it start from the very beginning?

Chef John, after I get a better handle on the basic obedience skills I may spend a session with a pro trainer.

I can't recall if Water Dog does, but the book that preceded it, Gun Dog, certainly does. Also, feel free to PM me and I'll be glad to share my email and help you in any way I can, but keep in mind I'm just an experienced amateur and the difference between what I know and what the man and woman I bought my dog from know is both wide and deep.

 

[tinashubby]

Chef John- she is an American, I'll get some pics up. She is a bit of a challenge for me, I do not have much patience for puppies. Our "normal" K9 interstests have always been Bull breeds, they generally have a much lower energy level, with the exception of the Bull Terrier we had. Another challenge is that we do have to be sure our Bullmastiff doesn't get too rough with her, when he does get wound up things break...

 

[ChefJohnBoy-ardee]

Yeah... Brittanys are very high energy. Mine goes for at least a 30 minute walk a day. If he can run off leash all the better! The nice thing about 30 minutes of leash time a day is it is a lot of time to practice the basic commands.

 

[A3M0N]

I hate to bring this thread back up without any kind of update, but for those of you who have used the Water Dog book, does it require a shock collar or anything like that?

Well, I guess I could make a little of an update. Emma (the dog) and I have been working on some basic obediance recently. She will sit, stay, come, and follow around the back yard for treats. Shes already 2 years old so keeping her attention without a treat is tough right now. But with patience I'm sure she'll do great.

Here is a picture of her w/the kids. She's got this dry skin/bald patch on her neck we're working on, the vet said its not mangey, but just to keep an eye on it. We'll probably be making another visit soon.

 

[oakeshott]

Wolters doesn't deal with electronic collars. They may have been around, but would have been crude tools if they were.

 

[A3M0N]

Wolters doesn't deal with electronic collars. They may have been around, but would have been crude tools if they were.

Sweet, that's what I was hoping for. Thanks!

 

[Ski-Patroller]

She is really pretty. Looks a lot like our Chocolate Lab "Tilly".

Is she at all "Birdy" My first lab was a 4 year old Rescue and she was all about ducks. My current lab, who we got as a puppy, came from a breeder who specialized in hunting retrievers. Her dad was a field trial champion and her mother was a master hunter. Tilly is the least "birdy" dog I have ever seen. If it is not round, yellow and fuzzy, she is not interested. In all fairness I didn't plan to hunt her so I did not work on Bird training, but she certainly did not inherit any "birdyness"

I am a fan of Richard Wolters books and training methods. We also went to two classes with our local Petsmart. We had a very good trainer. I am a fan of electronic training collars if necessary, but our main use is for off lead recall. I really did not need it with either of our labs but it was more back up insurance when they were off lead. I wish I had one years ago when I had an Alaskan Malamute. I think it would have made a lot of difference in his training.

 

[A3M0N]

Thanks ski-patroller. We just went to a different vet today and they actually did tests and found out the patch on her neck is a yeasty type of infection. Should be all good in a couple of weeks.

She's never been around birds, but she loves to chase squirrels and bark at possums and such.