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LABRADOR RETRIEVERS
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BLOODLINES
E-mail: clenbo0321@comcast.net
The following training steps are very old and established. I have taken notes from training dog professionals, books, and video’s then tried the methods myself. I’ve tried to simplify some of the steps so an amateur training can understand each step process. As I mentioned during the purchase of your puppy, I’m always an e-mail away to answer questions you may have later on.
The first thing I want to mention is praising:
(ALWAYS PRAISE YOUR LAB EACH AND EVERY TIME IT ACCOMPLISHES A TASK!!!) Sometimes we can get to caught up in training our dogs, we turn it into a grueling experience. Then we wonder why the lab doesn’t want to work. A lab sees everyone as a friend and the world as its oyster. So always remember they are just like you at your job, when the boss comes around and says SUPER JOB on that project you just completed, you feel very appreciated and willing to do more. Same goes for a Lab, although there will be days when they won’t want to work right. The best thing to do is end the time with a happy bumper and kennel them up for another day!
EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
Books: Family Dog (For the Family Dog) ISBN:0-525-24554-5 Author Richard a. Wolters $24.95 ea.
Game Dog (For the Duck Hunter) ISBN: 0-525-93942-3 Author Richard A. Wolters $25.99 ea.
Tri-tronics Retriever Training (For the Duck Hunter)
ISBN:0-9638386-0-1 Author Jim and Phyllis Dobbs $26.95
Videos: Gundog Richard A. Wolters Trains Retrievers 100 minutes in length can order this out of Cabelas Hunting magazine $14.99 DVD Item# JG- 66-0087 call: 1-888-237-4444 or e-mail www.cabelas.com
I really recommend this tape for it shows you how to set up the training sites before you start the dog training. It also starts with a seven week old pup and goes thru all the basic’s up to four months old. The most important part of the training is, knowing what you are training that day, and you have the area prepared so as to cut down on mistakes you make.
Magazine: Now if you want some constant new information on training Labs get a subscription to The Retriever Journal $25.95 a year. This magazine is designed for the Labrador enthusiast and is geared for the amateur trainer like you and me. There is a ton of different articles from professional trainers who break-down problem areas in training, and teach you different methods to overcome problems. I usually tear out good articles and add them to my own lab training reference binder. Some of the best Pro’s in the business share their training method’s. Take from me you need all the different angle’s you can get when you are trying to overcome a training issue.
Tools: All the equipment I am about to mention can be obtained on the Website: www. Working retriever central once their just look for dog training supply websites like Dogs afield or Lion Country. Sometimes you can find this stuff at Wal-mart, Pets stores, also Cabelas & Bass Pro Shops.
For Family Dog:
· Fox-40 whistle or ACME Thunderer.
· 6ft. & 20-30ft. lead.
· Some sort of fluffy toy that makes noise for early puppy retrieves soft to the puppies growing teeth!
· (3) White 2”x 12” Plastic Knobby Dummies. Used from 13 weeks old to 16 weeks old
· (12) White 3”x 12” Plastic Knobby Dummies. Used for all training past 16 weeks The reason for the plastic dummies instead of the canvas type is simple they last for ever!!!
· A rubber doormat (this is for the dog to always sit on when training, its like home plate. The dog learns this is where I will receive my next command, it’s his place beside you or when you put him or her on the pictures mound (explained in DVD).
· For water training for puppies for the first time plan on leading the way into the water. Only coax the puppy into the water deep enough that it can touch bottom first. After you can tell the puppy is comfortable start some short retrieve’s with there favorite bumper, just enough out that they have to swim. Increase the distance slowly each time you train in water. With a four month & older lab, I use a collar that has a O-ring in the center of the collar so as to place it on top of the dogs neck. Then I use floating nylon boat cord ¼ thick approx.100-200 feet to attach to the dog. It floats down the back of the dog as it is retrieving. This ensures the dog comes straight back to me from the retrieve in the water. Have rocks you can throw handy to help a young dog who loses sight of where the dummy is. Just throw the rock and make a splash near the dummy the dog will respond to the splash. Only use this though after you can tell the dog is lost the direction of the dummy. With the rope on your dog in the water you don’t want it going all over the place otherwise you could run into a tangle situation. The rocks help you keep the dog on solid one-way line to the dummy and back. Practice on land first then water!!!!
For duck hunting:
All the above mentioned is needed as well as the following.
· Retriev-R-Trainer with 4 dummies (dummy launcher)
· Live pigeon & dead ducks. (order dead ducks from www.whistlingwings 1-815-591-3512) or do like I do save ducks from duck hunts in freezer.
· Electric collar (recommend the Dogtra-2001 NCP)
· 2 blank firing pistols
· 3 make shift blinds made out of tarps
· 10 – 15 more white bumpers
· 3 White 5- gallon buckets
· 3 orange dummies with scent bands
· Game dog book
· Gundog tape
· Tri-tronics Retriever Training book
I want you to think about this this, without instruction you have a well breed Labrador Retriever. With the proper instructions you can have a well-trained Labrador Retriever as well in and out of the house!!
Step #1: BONDING
You and your lab really get to know each other between the 49th day (7 weeks old) & the 84th day (13 weeks old). The person who will be training the dog will now become the pup’s mother!!! It’s during this timeframe that SIT,STAY,COME,HEEL, & EASY are introduced. You do this by short little games you make up, that reinforce the commands you want the lab to know. Easy on the physical discipline during this time, mainly you will be teaching the word NO. Keep repeating the drills till you see the lab responding, do not move to another command till the lab is correctly responding to the command you are currently on. I stress 10-15 min. drills a day no more than 30 minutes. Always end each session with something the lab loves to do such as fetch. Does not have to be controlled either, its better if the lab is allowed to play freely.
· REMEMBER TO ALWAYS PRAISE GOOD JOB
Step # 2: SIT
First start with the voice command using one tone and trying to limit the amount of times you say the word sit. If your not careful you will train your lab to sit on you saying sit 3 or 4 times. So it’s important to give the command only once then if the lab does not respond push down on the labs hindquarters into the sitting position and then respond with praise by gently rubbing the puppy and saying easy or good puppy. Once the sit command is achieved you can introduce the whistle. One blast from your whistle means the same as sit. The lab learns this by you blowing the whistle once then immediately saying the word sit. Eventually you will be able to drop the voice command all together and just use the whistle.
NOTE: Why do I need to train my dog on a whistle? The answer is simple, the dog is not always going to be on a lease and the whistle acts as a extended lease to keep you in control of its actions!!!!!!
Step # 3: STAY
Lab is on your longest lead and on a mat of some sort. Then you give the command sit on the mat. Then form a stop sign with your hand in front of the labs face and give the command stay. Slowly start moving back away from the lab repeating the word stay this will be short distances at first. If the lab moves simply say no and go back and place the lab back on the training mat and repeat the commands. If the lab has stayed till you have stopped then give the come command. Do this drill in 6-foot increments till you are satisfied with the labs control distances.
Step # 4: COME or HERE
This command will come after you have sit and stay down good with your lab. The command is come or here whichever you prefer. The whistle blast is a trill sound over and over ( 3 blast run together making a trill sound). Make sure you have the sit mat by you and the dog is on a lead. Do not let the lab run around it must come straight to you and set on the mat. Use the combination of the voice command followed by the trill whistle. The lab knows the command when its off lead and comes to you and sits down.
Step 5 : Fetch
At first you will have your lab puppy sitting beside you holding onto the collar as you’re about to throw a bumper. Throw the bumper and keep the lab at the sitting position till you give the command fetch. Once again insure the lab is on your long lead. In giving the fetch command ease a free hand down by the labs head and give a forward motion at the same time you give the fetch command and let the lab go. As the lead slides through your hand and the lab reaches the bumper. Start giving the come command till the lab is back to you with the bumper. Once the lab has this down you can now introduce the fetch command with the whistle. Fetch with whistle is 2 blasts on the whistle using the same sequence as you did with the voice command. As the dog reaches the bumper re-blast the whistle 2 times to reemphasize the fetch command. Once the dog reaches you give the sit whistle command and wait till the lab sits with the object still in his mouth. Then reach down and take the object from the lab mouth ( If the lab drops the bumper command fetch it up). Only after the lab is sitting there ready for you to take the bumper do you do so (Do not fight the lab for the bumper).
Step # 6: Hold
Use this command if the lab has a tendency to drop the bumper you have the dog retrieving. Once the dog drops the bumper see if it will fetch it up on its own after you command it to do so. If not then make the lab sit first, then pick-up the bumper force open the labs mouth and place the bumper inside the labs mouth. If the lab try’s to spit out the bumper put your hand on the bumper and keep it in the labs mouth. At the same time manage to use a free hand to use an ear pinch when the lab tries to spit the bumper again. Also use the command hold over and over till the dog holds the bumper. After the lab is holding the bumper you can start using the command drop or release to get the bumper back. The best advice I can give you on this is you must be patient. This is the toughest drill you will have to teach. Call me or e-mail if you have trouble doing this drill.
Step #7: Heel
This drill is done with 6ft lead going on long walks. The command is heel keep the lab close to you as you walk, saying the heel command as the lab starts to pull away.
Step #8: Easy
This word is used when you want the dog to calm down and behave. When ever the lab is acting over excited use the command easy to stop the lab. In other words don’t let your lab learn its ok to jump up on people or run around like crazy. Remember your lab will do what you let it do!!!!!!!!!
TIMELINE FOR TRAINING:
9-12 WEEKS OLD: Sit,Come,Stay,Heel,Easy introduced with fun games. The most important is you and your new lab socializing 30 minutes per day. Make it fun!!!!!!!
13-20 WEEKS OLD: Lab really goes to school, must spend 30 minutes a day with your dog at this stage of training. You will be spending most of you time outdoors at this point. ALL OF THIS TRAINING IS DONE ON LEADS 6’-20’-100’. If you only train your lab 25 – 50 feet then that’s how far your lab is trained. Do not try a command off lead till YOU are confident and postive the dog will respond properly. Now discipline is used at a training level. If the lab knows the command and still ignores you, your first command should be NO your first stage of defense. At the same time jerk on the leash and bring the lab back to the mat and start the drill all over. ( YOU WILL BE DOING THIS A LOT ) Never accept well that’s the best my lab can do. Your in command of the Lab not vise versa.
This will get you well started on training your Labrador Retriever. You are probably by now saying yea-right Tim I don’t have the time to do this much training. Guys & Gals I average 60 hrs at work a week. I expect you to find time to train your lab & keep me informed on your progress. Once you see the DVD make out a training plan of what you want your lab to do. Then take each command one at a time, you will see them build on top each other. Just remember to keep the lab on lead till your sure it knows the command, then test it off lead. If I can do it so can you; and you owe it to your lab. On everything I’ve covered here I want you to know I will always be here for any and all questions you run into. Send us pictures and up-dates when you can.
Happy Tails!!!!!
Tim & Bobbie Clenney
Lab-A-Duc Kennels