My pup's first hunt

[sniper7]

"...came from a rescue and that only gets training in my small back yard in the burbs"


That's amazing

I saw that as well! talk about a 2nd chance in life!




great pictures. cool looking dog! I have had my English setters out a lot this year as well. they have done awesome! still working on fetching as they aren't much of a retriever breed without a lot of work. We are in the same boat training them in the burbs...and it doesn't help that it takes about 2 hours to get to any decent kind of pheasant hunting unless it is a preserve or ranch or something.

Makes me want to get out there again! Guess I will have to go next week!!!

[patrick0685]

thanks for the info, about when did you start the training?

[hollohas]

thanks for the info, about when did you start the training?

Basic obedience (sit, stay, come) and fetch started the second I got her home. She was about 3 months. At that point fetch was just a game and we didn't focus so much on her returning to me. I just wanted her to see that it was fun. She figured out on her own that it was much more fun if she brought it back to me so I would throw it again.

At about 14 weeks, after she started to understand sit, stay, come pretty good, I introduced the whistle for those commands. Doing it at meal time made it a game.

At about 4 months we started real retrieves with her on the long leash. I would throw it, she would go get it and if she didn't bring it back I would pull her back. After each short session she got a couple "fun" throws off the leash so she didn't forget it was fun. I also introduced heel.

At about 5 months I introduced the wings to our fetch games and we also worked on her releasing to retrieve on command. Not because I want to do that in the field but because it was good reinforcement that she had to do sit, stay, come even if we were having fun. The e-collar was also introduce very slowly at about 5 months. I also started hiding the wings for her to find.

At 6 months I started introducing loud noises during meal time. I took this slow and had worked up to the shotgun after about 2 months. I think most people do this faster but being my first dog I wanted to make absolutely sure I didn't make her gun shy. After all she was a rescue that came from doggie death row in Tennessee so I didn't know what she may have already been scared of.

If you get that book I mentioned you'll notice that I kept in the basic training order he recommends but I actually started later then he says you should. He starts his dogs as soon as they know their own name or at about 9 weeks. Fetch starts even sooner. From 9-12 weeks most of the training is fun focused but at 12 weeks he starts to make the dog do what it is told.

I highly recommend that book. My local Boarders even had it in stock.

[hollohas]

I saw that as well! talk about a 2nd chance in life!




great pictures. cool looking dog! I have had my English setters out a lot this year as well. they have done awesome! still working on fetching as they aren't much of a retriever breed without a lot of work. We are in the same boat training them in the burbs...and it doesn't help that it takes about 2 hours to get to any decent kind of pheasant hunting unless it is a preserve or ranch or something.

Makes me want to get out there again! Guess I will have to go next week!!!

Yeah, it sucks there's nothing close. And hunt clubs get expensive. Have fun if you get out this week!

[Mazin]

Wow very cool dog! I know we Adopted a black Lab afte rmy wife saw it get hit by car on the way home from work, Had tags but no owner would call me back so after $1,500 in med bill he is healthy and sprited. I have been starting this with him and he seems to be picking it up but he is abou 4yrs old now, I will be planting some birds in my brother in-laws field and see what he does. Hopefully you can teah a older dog new tricks. Good Idea about hiding the wings BTW.

[hollohas]

Wow very cool dog! I know we Adopted a black Lab afte rmy wife saw it get hit by car on the way home from work, Had tags but no owner would call me back so after $1,500 in med bill he is healthy and sprited. I have been starting this with him and he seems to be picking it up but he is abou 4yrs old now, I will be planting some birds in my brother in-laws field and see what he does. Hopefully you can teah a older dog new tricks. Good Idea about hiding the wings BTW.

Wow. That is awesome that you saved that dog. Those owners are dicks for not calling back and probably dropped the dog on the side of the road anyway. Good for you. I bet you have a best friend for life now. Even if he is older, I bet he'll be a good bird dog once he figures out chasing birds is just about the most fun a dog can have.

[Mazin]

Yea he is a good pup, very very loving and gets along with our 3 others very well, only problem is we have 3 smaller dogs and I think now the lab has the thought he is a lap dog too lol.

[patrick0685]

they arent?

[Mazin]

Lol no....they are lap full's. Nice to have a big dog again to play rough with though