Hunting & Fishing Good Dog Training Books?? We are getting a pup

[Six Feet Under]

Gents,
Im about 3 weeks my wife and I are getting an english chocolate lab pup (when the litter is ready). To tell ya the truth, I have never really trained a puppy before-or not known what the hell I was doing. I want to train the dog right, not by scarring the shit out of it.. I was just looking for some good books or videos I guess to help out. Of course I would want to do basic commands etc before I got into the hunting side of it.. You guys know of any good books or dog training vids? Thanks

 

[O_W]

Re: Good Dog Training Books?? We are getting a pup

Richard Wolters has a series that is by far the best. There are even DVDs now of his books.

Family Dog, Water Dog, Game Dog all are great.

 

[fdkay]

Re: Good Dog Training Books?? We are getting a pup

War and Peace.

When the dog misbehaves, hit him with it.

 

[ColoWyo]

Re: Good Dog Training Books?? We are getting a pup

Smart Work
Smart Fetch
10 minute retriever

 

[Six Feet Under]

Re: Good Dog Training Books?? We are getting a pup

thanks guys- I will need all the help I can get

 

[Laser1]

Re: Good Dog Training Books?? We are getting a pup

+1 on Richard Wolters books. Remember to keep it positive and set the dog up to SUCEED....every time....not to fail so he gets reprimanded. If you can afford it, it will be worth the money to have a pro train him for about 3 months at about 7 or 8 months old. While it won't be cheap, you will get a better product at the end of the day and he'll be ready to hunt. Quick story about idiot hunters. I was hunting opening day of dove season. This big named lawyer had a pup out of a national champion trial dog named "Timex". He was really talking the dog up. First group of birds came over and people started shooting. The pup took off because he had never been acclimated to the noise of the shot. The lawyer wouldn't go look for him due to his gunshyness and was going to leave him out to die. It took me 3 hours, but I finally found that pup under a multifloral rose bush trembling. The idiot never acclimated the pup to the noise of the shotgun. I gave him the pup back and told him how to break it to shot. Never saw the guy again. Rattle those metal feed pans and make lots of noise when feeding the pup.

 

[Guy Montag]

Re: Good Dog Training Books?? We are getting a pup

New Skete Monks have some excellent books, I'd take a look at them as well.

Congrats on the new choco, you're in for a real treat, but do yourself a favor and take the dog for training.

It will give you a good base to build on.

Most dogs learn a lot faster than their owners, it's hardly unusual for the handler to need more "training" than the dog.

 

[tiNdvenTFHwMdqKW]

Re: Good Dog Training Books?? We are getting a pup

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Guy Montag</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Most dogs learn a lot faster than their owners, it's hardly unusual for the handler to need more "training" than the dog. </div></div>

+1 It's harder to train yourself than the dog. Be consistent.

 

[The_Duke]

Re: Good Dog Training Books?? We are getting a pup

I gotta disagree with the waterdog recommendations. There are far better modern,updated and complete programs out there, especially if your considering using an e-collar or force fetch. I would look into bill hillmans stuff for puppy work and the smartwork or fowl dawg programs for more formal training

 

[tlsmith22]

Re: Good Dog Training Books?? We are getting a pup

I recommend water dog by Wolters as well...been training companions for 20 yrs with it...never had to use an e collar and I have trained my dogs...unset the pups up to succeed and build confidence in them. If they have heart, they will do anything to please u.

 

[ncboiler]

Re: Good Dog Training Books?? We are getting a pup

http://www.amazon.com/Good-Dog-Training-Successful-Behavior/dp/1578601533


Simple and easy to read. My better half is a vet and we used this for our Golden and it worked like a charm. Highly recommended.

 

[DirtyDave]

Re: Good Dog Training Books?? We are getting a pup

I have heard good things about Wolter's stuff, havent used any of it though.

I have Tom Dokken's Retriever Training Book and really like it.
http://www.amazon.com/Tom-Dokkens-Retriever-Training-Developing/dp/089689858X

 

[snowdin5000]

Re: Good Dog Training Books?? We are getting a pup

I have a really good book over at my bench room that I will get out and in the morning and as far as when getting one for hunting you are going to want to pick the the best one for that as a puppy. One tip is when looking at them as puppies clap your hands not super loud. Also get a can some with rocks in it and toss it out there you will want the pup that gets curious. The biggest part it slowly to guns start with a 22 from a distance. These are really just basics I could go on and on but I will get the title of that book in the morning.

 

[Six Feet Under]

Re: Good Dog Training Books?? We are getting a pup

Dang.. Thanks for all the response. I want to read a couple books on training the dog. It would also make sense to take the dog to a trainer too so I could learn too. It would depend on how much money a trainer would be... I will check into that. The dog will be around gun fire for sure. So I will have to learn how to break her in.. And water.. We made sure we are getting a good blood line. She is one of them in this litter. We are picking her up Sept 22nd, so I better get on it.


DSC01037 by walkerohio44, on Flickr

 

[The_Duke]

Re: Good Dog Training Books?? We are getting a pup

A pro retriever trainer will typically run anywhere from 450-700 a month. When introducing to gunfire I ideally like to have some live birds (assuming the pup has been introduced to live birds) and play a simple game of fetch while somebody maybe 100 yds off is shooting a shotgun. Have that person move closer and closer until they are next to you and the dog (still playing fetch). Slow and steady normally does it for water intro. Really, the best thing you can do is get a program and follow it with the help of a trainer, at the least jus get a program. Read it/watch it several times before working with your dog, it will cover a lot more than can be said on here

 

[ggmanning]

Re: Good Dog Training Books?? We are getting a pup

Wolters books are what I have always used..Gun Dog and Water Dog. I fire a 22 pistol just before feeding my dogs off and on until they are several months old and haven't had a gun shy dog yet. They will naturally associate the gunfire with something good. I rarely use a collar but they have their place and do wonders with some situations. Just be consistent and don't ask the impossible of your dog. Work them in stretches that fit their attention span and build up from basic to the complex. Work a little something with them every day. The vast majority are dying to please and you just have to learn to communicate with the dog.

 

[tlsmith22]

Re: Good Dog Training Books?? We are getting a pup

I totally agree with that, most are dying to please, we jus have to learn to communicate what we want. There comes a time when they are older when u have to let them know who is boss, but as a puppy make it all fun and games and before u and they know it, they are sittn, staying and coming and retrieving like mad and loving it. You kinds have to enforce what u have taught them every time u add something new. Birds for example and moving from ur yard to a field and when u move to another training area...then they start to get it...I love a dog that loves his job!

 

[snowdin5000]

Re: Good Dog Training Books?? We are getting a pup

Ok just found the book its Schutzhund therory and training methods by Susan Barwig and Stewart Hilliard. One of the best books I have found for work dogs but I will admit for the type of work dog you want I would skip the protection part and just stick with the basics.