Retriever Training Methods

[Jordb543 9]

Hi all, before i start the thread just thought i would say i have never been hunting or anything like that before, and i joined this site mainly for reading through the fishing section, i have always thought hunting with dogs is great for the dogs and every huning dog i have seen always seemsto love what it is doing.

 

i do have 3 dogs, a lakeland/plummer cross, a dalmation and a mixed breed terrier around the same size as a staffie, i love to train my dogs, and i make sure they are very fit and healthy, they have a 6mile bike ride almost daily and go on long walks into the nearby hills etc daily, and i also like to mentally stimuate them by taking them to new places and exposing them to many different situations.

 

now my dalmation and lakeland/plummer are both great retrievers in a sense that i will throw something and they will bring it back, i would like to develop this further and wondered what sort of training methods, people with working retrievers used and if there whre any tools/equipment made for this style of training that may be usefull to me?

 

Thanks Jord

Edited August 4, 2010 by Jordb543

[romany52 313]

Hi mate, you don't really develop from there so to speak, you first need to know what you aim to achieve, then build the foundations towards that end. For instance, I presume your throwing a ball and letting the dogs chase and retrieve, which is the wrong thing to do, as a proper retriever should not run in, but wait until sent. A bit like building a house, you have plans and know exactly what it will look like when it's finished, where as you've started already, it's going to be difficult to build upper floors on the wrong foundations, It can be done but you would have to go back to basics and start again with a clear view of where you are aiming to get. Mike.

[Jordb543 9]

Hi mate, you don't really develop from there so to speak, you first need to know what you aim to achieve, then build the foundations towards that end. For instance, I presume your throwing a ball and letting the dogs chase and retrieve, which is the wrong thing to do, as a proper retriever should not run in, but wait until sent. A bit like building a house, you have plans and know exactly what it will look like when it's finished, where as you've started already, it's going to be difficult to build upper floors on the wrong foundations, It can be done but you would have to go back to basics and start again with a clear view of where you are aiming to get. Mike.

 

Thanks for the advice mike, tbh this was just an idea,

 

im just looking for an activity for the dogs to enjoy more than any gain i would get, as training them something new is always fulfilment enough for me,

Edited August 4, 2010 by Jordb543

[romany52 313]

The best way foreword in that case then, might be to train them to wait till you give the fetch command, then once they've grasped that , you can then use the fetch command to send them for hidden retrieves. The next step is directions, to teach that you form a diamond shape with three visible retrieves and you being the bottom point of the diamond. Sit the dog in the centre of the diamond then send for the retrieves giving hand signals in the direction you want it to go, forgot to say, before this you need to be able to stop the dog on command also, otherwise you can't stop it from picking the wrong retrieve. Once that's achieved you can then direct the dog to multiple hidden retrieves. Hope this helps, you can see that each stage of training gives you the tools to use for the next stage. Mike.

Edited August 4, 2010 by romany52

[Jordb543 9]

The best way foreword in that case then, might be to train them to wait till you give the fetch command, then once they've grasped that , you can then use the fetch command to send them for hidden retrieves. The next step is directions, to teach that you form a diamond shape with three visible retrieves and you being the bottom point of the diamond. Sit the dog in the centre of the diamond then send for the retrieves giving hand signals in the direction you want it to go, forgot to say, before this you need to be able to stop the dog on command also, otherwise you can't stop it from picking the wrong retrieve. Once that's achieved you can then direct the dog to multiple hidden retrieves. Hope this helps, you can see that each stage of training gives you the tools to use for the next stage. Mike.

 

Thanks Mike, that sounds like a great idea and something i think they would love to do, especially the dalmation