4 month old Lab puppy Traning

[Fla Archaics]

New lab puppy, I Need realisic ideas for training, Help please. Fla Archaics
Mike O

[hunt-chessies]

Mike.... where are you located at and what are your goals for the pup.... most importan question is how much time do you have to put into a puppy.... these answers will go along ways to making a realistic plan

[Lukariffic]

First step, choose a program, follow it and connect with like minded trainers.
Don't be talked into a program by others, find the one that fits your ideas in training. Commit to it and follow it, no program will work with a lazy trainer.

The program I use and recommend is the grand river method, start by reading the Labrador shooting dog by mike Gould. It is a non collar program. There is a website where you can get answers and advice dirrectly from mike Gould

If you are wanting to use a collar best
to ask someone else for a program recomendation.

At that age, I would focus on manners, no winning or barking, no licking..
Introduce the pup to wing clips and the gun. Short retriving sesions with birds and dummies. Exposure to other dogs. Lots of outdoor walks to get them comfortable in the woods and water. Teach the pup to swim.

Obedience wise teach the basics. Sit, stay, come.

Like hunt chessies said it's a little hard to offer the appropriate advise with out knowing how you wish to train or what
for.

Hope this helped some
damien

[D Duck]

I highly recommmend getting the Evan Graham SmartWork series. There are DVD's to go from puppy stage all the way through 3rd transition. The program is very systematic and gives great details with step-by-step instructions on drills and sessions like force fetch. He uses the electronic collar and I would advise going that route - you train without one, but why handicap yourself?

This program makes it easy for novice/amatuer trainers to turn out a great performing retreiver - just ask Jeremy - he has seen my dog work.

[Fla Archaics]

Mike.... where are you located at and what are your goals for the pup.... most importan question is how much time do you have to put into a puppy.... these answers will go along ways to making a realistic plan

I'm located in Clermont, Florida on Cescent Lake. I'm retired and am dedicating most days of the week and weekend to working wth the puppy. I'm also joining a Retriever club locally. The puppy is really lay back and not an agressive retriever. We've mostly worked on obiedience training with some limited retrieving from the lake. I've attracted some mixed breed mallards to my lake front and he gets excitied when he finally sees them. It's a starting point. Thanks for your response. You can send me an E-mail at any time to Mogilvie@cfl.rr.com.

Mike O.

[Fla Archaics]

Thanks for all the help. Many great ideas have come through. The puppy is really responding better now. I've spent more time just having fun wth him
playing chase the throw dummy on a leash in the water. He gets charged up and retrieves it most every time with kinder/gentler encouragement. Thanks to all who contributed. The tape idea hit a little expensive right now. I'm trying to buy a duck boat for a Mud Buddy too.
Mike Ogilve Clermont, Fla
Fla Archaics

[Lukariffic]

I'm glad that we have been able to help.
I struggled to understand clearly the "chase" part, if you are chasing the dog when he is holding the dummy, very bad habit to get into, stop it and never do it again.
If you and chasing down the bumper once thrown to enchorage him, good work. Sometimes acting like a child with your dog can be good for the two of you!
Sorry if I missunderstood what you wrote, take this as appropriate, a word of caution or a congradulation.
Damien

[Bluebonnet Gundogs]

I only work on ob with a pup until 6-8 months and just have fun. when they get to that 8 month age that when I formalize training more by starting with FF and then moving on. If u don't want to use a trainer I like the Fowl Dawg series of video. You can google Fine line retrievers to order his videos. I also like finished dogs video. I have trained and be at hunt test with Charles Jurney and he is a top notch trainer and his video is put together well.

Good luck