Dog question

[Tyler2045]

OK so i just got a 7 week old lab puppy. How many of yall take dogs with you when you shoot. And how do you train them?

[JDice]

I trained (quite some time ago) a German Shorthair Pointer using the techniques described the book "Gun Dog". Once trained, I did hunt him - using a bow/fluflu setup. The fact is that he was much better at his part of the job than I was at mine.

[Tyler2045]

This is just a pet and a buddy.I just want he to be well behavaid when we do go somewhere.

[Kip]

Tyler   Train them for what.If for blood trailing, everytime I cooked a deer roast or backstraps I saved the blood and made a deer drag I made a crooked trail and left a weiner at the end for a reward.Worked perfect not as a real young puppy but he quickly got it and now he knows what to do.If for a retriver there are plenty books on the subject my yellow lab is pretty good at that also not field trial but O.K. He took up trailing and treeing squirrels on his own in my yard when I let him out to excerize.Kip

[JDice]

It has been my experience that the process of training a dog (non-abusivelly) will create in a bond between the dog and the trainer that will result in a well behaved dog that go most anywhere. In the case of the Gun Dog book - the techniques include training the dog to take non-verbal direction (stop, come, stay, go left, go right, heel, etc) that allows superior, quiet control of the dog at all times.  

By the way - IMHO 7-8 weeks is a great time to start basic training.

[wislnwings]

I start with the basics no matter what the dog is intended for (pet, hunt test, gun dog).  This includes sit, coming when called, recognising their name (you'd be surprised how many dogs I've seen come in for training that do not know their name), and walking at heel.  I don't bother with training a stay command since sit means to sit until released.  The most important thing at this age is to keep training sessions short, fun, and always end on a good note.  I usually ended every training session with "fun bumpers" and lots of praise for doing well.  It was the dogs reward.  Also, as stated above, spend as much time with your pup as possible.  Take him into as many enviroments as you can, this will help socialize and aclimate him to distractions.  You will form a lifelong bond and he will do anything to please you.

[Howard S.]

Tyler,

The basis for any type of dog training is obedience.  At your pup's age, I'd just start getting him accostomed to being on a lead which is the first step toward 'formal' obedience training.  It's also a good time to start training him to 'kennel'.  Once you get him comfortable on a lead look for an obedience class to 'polish' his skills i.e. come, stay, heal, etc.  As stated this will build the bond between you and your pup.  Dogs are eager to please so once you get him to this point, training for whatever type of field work you may want will be much easier.  Puppies are such great fun.  I'm working with a new Brittany pup this year.  First dog I've trained in over 11 years.  Have fun.

Howard.

[woodchucker]

Work on 3 basic obediance commands EVERY DAY.

Come.....

EVERY dog MUST come when it's called. Say it's name clearly,then when it makes eye contact with you,say COME. Start at short distances (like a few feet) then progress farther away. (across the room,from room to room,etc.) Outside get a 20' - 50' piece of  1/4" nylon rope and work in the yard. Let the puppy wander around on a loose leash,then call it's name (eye contact) then COME.

Sit.....

This is an easy one LOL!!!!! using treats (and his daily food) say it's name clearly, then SIT. When the puppy sits,give it a small treat,(or it's food dish) If the puppy breaks the SIT position before you "release it" (by saying "OK" or "your free") DO NOT give it the treat/food. Once your puppy learns to SIT, use it constantly in it's daily routine.(they "forget" VERY easily!!!!!)

STAY.....

Start by telling your puppy to SIT,then say STAY clearly. Take one step backward,then say "OK" or "your free" to release it. Gradualy take more steps backward and pause for 5 econds,then ten seconds,then 15 etc. (if you get your puppy to STAY for about 5 seconds about 5 steps back,in a week or 2 your doing great. As your puppy gets older you can increase both "time" and "distance".

ALSO, start your puppy riding in the car ASAP!!!!! Some dogs become "car sick" or afraid to ride in a car. Having a puppy you can't take anywhere really puts a damper on the fun "possibilities" you can have with your puppy.

Remember, Keep it simple. Also,you can "baby" and "spoil" your puppy all you want,but the "basics" are LAW.They never change and they are used ALL DAY,EVERY DAY.

My wife Lisa and I (and our 2 boys) are volunteer puppy raisers for the Guideing Eyes For The Blind.Right now we have a BEAUTIFUL little girl named "Freckles", She is a 12 week old Black Lab.

If you have any questions,PM me and I'll get back to you ASAP and help you any way I can.

HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!!  

[Tom I.]

At 7 weeks old, your pup is the perfect age to begin the bonding process so that you become leader of the pack. Play training is important and can begin immediately.  Begin with the basics as described above, but at this age, don't make it "school".  That comes later.  Use short sessions and when it seems to lose interest, stop until the next time.  Socializing the pup is also very important and can start now.  Take it with you every where you go....let it interact with other folks and situations. Let it get use to riding in the car or truck.  
The best way to house break is utilizing a dog crate, which will become it's indoor refuge.  Never crate him for punishment.  Place the pup in the crate at night time...if it's a small crate the pup will not mess in it, particularly if you make it a point to take outside to perform it's business before. Immediately upon taking it out the next morning, take him outside and enthusiastically praise it when it does his business.  Take it out every couple hours and, again, highly praise when it performs.  Within a few days it'll get the idea of where it needs to be for "doing it".
When the pup is 12 weeks old, it can begin "school", or formal training sessions.
I cannot stress enough that the book Gun Dog by Richard Wolters is an invaluable reference for dog training and his methods are based upon the training of Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc.
Even if you never hunt the dog, it must become a
well behaved member of the family and home.  Wolters will help you achieve these goals.
Tom I.

[tamure]

New puppies are so much fun, but so much work! I agree that it's time for basic training. When the pup is a little older, and has learned sit, come, etc., you can start training him to sit at the line while you're shooting. Maybe you can teach him to find and retrieve lost arrows too!    

Also, take him everywhere you possibly can. I wish I had socialized my dog more. She's very timid. If you can, take him to shopping malls, flea markets, shoots (when he gets old enough), everywhere!

But most important: Remember that at 7 weeks old, he's just a little baby. So take baby steps in your training.

I'm a fan of Martin Deeley and his training methods. There are a number of free articles on his website.   http://www.martindeeley.com

[Larry247]

I take my Austrailian Shepard with me when i go shootin or stumpin.

I lost my last Aussy (Sugar) while i was away on a hog hunt in Tenn back in March.

I'm training my new one "Pepper Ann" to help me find arrows lost in the grass. She's only 8 weeks old but improving daily.

She's a looker too. She's a Blue Merel with blue eyes.

[Bobby Urban]

Use the NILF method.
NOTHING
IN
LIFE
is
FREE
if your feeding your dog must sit and relax before fed, to go outside, sit and be relaxed, to come inside, to enter the bedroom to get affection, to get a treat, etc...  Your dog needs a leader and you are it.  At this age you will benefit for a lifetime if you start this process early.  Also, watch Ceasar on the National Geographic Channel.  Lots of great imfo there

[Mike Gerardi]

I cant bring my partner when I shoot.. He tries to bite the arrows when I shoot.

[Killdeer]

I have heard that the first three years of life with a lab are very trying, that there is a lack of focus in the dog that is exasperating, to say the least. Then they grow up and become the best dog you ever knew.

I have never owned a lab. I have had an Irish Setter, a Border Collie mix, a Shepherd/Husky mix, and this Jindo. They have all been super dogs, and blessings as companions. Their personalities were/are all different. The only constant is me.

Consistency and repetition will be your dog's saving grace. It takes a mountain of work on your part. Every minute that you spend with your dog, whether you are trying to or not, you are teaching your dog  something. You are either teaching him that you are something to be ignored, or you are teaching him that you are to be heeded.

Here is my three-year-old Jindo, Spirit, on the line this past May. I told her "Sit" as I got to the line. Watch her look at me, as she starts to sit, and decide that it isn't necessary, as I have my back to her and am preoccupied with these sticks.

 

The camera has a short video time, so I ignored her and shot. She knows that if I catch sight of her moving forward of the line while I shoot, that I will be on her like white on rice. A squirrel bumbling out of the woods might make her forget that, though, and you would have been treated to a glimpse of her blinding speed.      :D  

She had a rough first year, used as a guard dog and treated none too gently. She broke loose of that place, went walkabout, and the county picked her up. She was seriously underweight when I adopted her, and had a raw spot on the front of her neck, as though she had been fighting a tether.

The nature of this breed (every Jindo believes it is born Alpha) and her former treatment (she flinches and goes defensive easily) requires a gentle, but firm hand. She knows that I love her to pieces, and have her well-being at heart, which gives my commands credibility. I (usually...) back them up with no fooling around, so she knows I mean them.

Her training with me has been based on setting her up to succeed, and giving her tons of positive feedback when she does. Wrongdoings are disciplined much like a parental dog would do, briefly, with growly voice, muzzle clamp, shaking the scruff of her neck or placing her on her back and talking mean. Her nature, and her rough treatment before I got her, though, make her likely to go into "survival" mode and she will be ready to defend herself should she believe herself to be truly threatened. I count on her love for me to lead her to submit to my guidance and symbolic correction.

I have heard it said that dogs have the mental capabilities of a three-year-old child. I treat these dogs like young children, which probably grates on the nerves of some, but I have been rewarded with dogs of amazing loyalty and obedience, true friends and members of my family.

Killdeer  

[R.W.]

A lot of good advice here.

For every time you must discipline your dog, try to use ten times that much praise, when they do well. Dogs thrive on YOUR praise.

Having rescued four Chesapeake Bay retreivers, over the years, and going through training, with an adult dog, I can say that you should have it easy. And any "bad" habits your dog gets, well, they will be YOUR fault!  

Best of luck with your pup. I am sure  that you will end up with a great hunting partner, and companion.

[Bakes168]

No advice here. My dog isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer and isn't very obedient either.
It's my fault though, I got him when I was young and couldn't take him out much and I didn't know much about training.
But he's still my best bud.
Bakes

[Ron LaClair]

My dog Dolly goes everywhere with me. She knows what's expected of her and minds very well. The key to training any dog is to spend a lot of time with them.

   

[hogdancer]

you said it Ron, spending time with them is the key !

[JimDE]

As said before lots of good advice and at 7 weeks a perfect age to start. Wolton is a favored retriever training writer and the basic training described in " the 5 minute retriever" is very helpful.

I have trained many Labs using his methods and starting at 6-7 weeks. All of them were easily trained this way and discipline was barely ever needed throughout the complete training of the dogs.

Get that book asap you won't regret it.

[pine nut]

Get the "Gun Dog" book by Richard Wolters.  He was one of the best ever dog trainers.  It is a short read with many pictures.  Actually let me change that to "Water Dog" by same author ( he wrote several other dog training books too).  "Water Dog" is about training dogs that were bred to do their thing < retrieveing > in the water.  Labs and Goldens are water retrievers.  I have read both books and he tells you to start early and explains why very well. The obedience training is the same in both books.  If you are going to get one of them , get the one for the type dog you have.  You just might get into it and decide you want to train the dog to do well, what he was bred to be capable of doing.  It can and should be fun!....for both of you!  He said to get your pup and start training @ 7 weeks of age.  One of the best dog trainig books out there.  My $0.02.  Good luck,