Saguro Lake(dog training info)

[tjhunt2]

I don't know a whole lot about training a dog and was wondering what your ideas were of the e-collar training? I read a few articles on the enternet but was wondering if any of you have any good training tips for me. I plan on using Lexie for mostly dove and duck hunting. She house trained by 12 weeks and now has learned sit, lay down, stay, and needs more training on her heeling. I took her for her first real swimming lesson yesterday at Saguro Lake and she blew me away. Here she is on her first retrieving session. She never hesitated to swim out to the dummy and bringing it back. She is 15 wks old.

 

Lexie's first retrieve

 

She is pretty tired after around 2 dozen retrieves

 

She slepted all the way home

[The Coues]

That is very cool all my dog can do is bark!! I Think!!

[deserthntr]

if i was you, this is what we do with pointing pups, well atleast me, but i forget the e-collar there first year/season. let them just have fun, if they mess up oh well, and be careful with the dove hunts with young pups. all the shooting going on can be hard on them and they may go gunshy, so make extra sure they are TOTALLY fine with guns, and they like to hear gun shots go off. but i would let her just run and have fun, if it means you get less birds. if she listens to your comands then you should be fine. and the way i intro'd my gsp to it was just starting off with the buzz and when she was used to that work your way up. never use more than the vibrate unless you cant get their attention. it shouldnt be a teaching/punishment tool, just to break their attention and get it on you... unless you use the smith silent command system then you can use the e-collar to be used for commands

[tjhunt2]

Thanks deserthntr. Sure wouldn't want to make her gun shy. I will take that advise serviously.

 

TJ

[bonecollector]

TJ nice pics of Lexie at work. Looks like she's starting off pretty good. Thanks for sharing.

[Andy]

I am not an expert but I think that training/retrieving everyday for 5 minutes is better than longer periods of training time less frequently. And there will be days where the dog is not as focused I feel it is best to just call it a day. If I feel myself getting upset I stop with the retrieving/training for the day.

[Guest 300ultramag.]

Get a whistle. this is the most useful tool to help her find downed birds. As far as them being gun shy its never too early to get em around guns, just dont be a dummy about it. Take her out, leave her in a kennel walk a 1/4 mile and let off some rounds. Do this a couple times. Then head out on a weekday during dove season. Walk your 1/4 mile but this time down some birds. Then let her out and test her nose. Reward her big time for finding birds. Not snacks, but verbally... get her pumped up! ( im certain she will link the shotgun sound to the birds) Then the next time out, let her wander on her own. once she gets a good distance from you, down a bird. She should come running back towards you. Walk towards the bird... let her find it... and then teach her "drop it". Good luck!

[elmergoo]

You got you a female yellow lab-no training needed. They already speak our language.Seriously start with just retreiving a ball.Say BALL roll it 4'- to 5' foot in front of you, just work with her. when she figures that out(and she will) give her a treat. Do that about 10 minutes a day while throwing the ball out farther and working on DROP which means for her to drop the ball, again another treat. Once she has that she will speak your language. Work on her retreiving single syllable words like- "ball" "bone" "bird" and "beer". Labs were bred to naturally retrieve, probelly why she naturally brought back your bird. I have owned 2 female labs that have done the same for me with no training.Once you get the dog to know what you want by letiing them sniff it in your hand they will bring anything back. Once you keep working with them a little bit every day and learn the language you could get them to tie your shoes. My lab can do some incredible stuff when it comes to bringin me a beer. In a ice-chest or a refridgerator. I can put one beer in a 12 pack of mixed soda-pops and she brings the beer back every time now I gotta work with her to close the door or lid.Shows you why they use them for drug sniffin dogs. Again work first with just the ball routine after that no problem. Labs will want to dig and you have to keep them mentally entertained or they will get into trouble because they are a very smart dog.Trust me I have been frustrated. Congratulations on a beautifull pup and the sky is the limit with a dog like that

[elmergoo]

TJ couple more things. I start out my dogs with a pellet gun in the back yard with turtle doves or whatever bird. Set up a bird feeder and every evening get your dog to sit next to you, shoot the bird and have her retreive it. That is the hardest part.Getting them to settle down and not bust out before you shoot takes practice. Then they dont know what to do when the bird is shot and flopping all around, good times. Have fun.

[tjhunt2]

Thanks again to everyone for your advise and pm's. I especially like the idea of the beer retrieve from elmergoo. If I could only get Lexie to master that it would definitely take some relief off the wife.

 

Thanks 300ultramag for your advise and glad to see you back on here.

 

Sounds like you might have a little experience with the dog training and I agree on the short training periods starting out. Thanks Andy!

 

TJ

[elmergoo]

After I got her to retrieve a tennis ball I started her out doin the same thing with a full beer can. Rolling it 4 to 5 foot out in front of me saying "Beer" -"Beer" .Like I said single syllable words.The beauty is a lab has a soft mouth and wont even puncture a full beer can.With practice,time, and patience she will know what you want her to retrieve and where. Bird-Ball- Bone- Beer then work on it from there.Good luck and good times.