Training a new 1 year old lab

how many of you have done your own training of your dog instead of sending them out to a trainer? as i am looking at taking on a 1 year old male golden lab that behaves welladn does have a hunting back ground. how tough, where do I start with training? I know a real easy question.

thanks-
Broncosguy

There is a book and DVD out there called Game Dog and Gun Dog that is very good. I would get one of those if you do not have one. Don on who is on here can help you out alot too.

If your Dog is good on the sit, stay, and come then its time to move to the fetch game. I would also use a check cord and get a few birds under his nose(no gun). I would keep it fun and just get him birdy a few times. Then I would start the field work. Keep it fun for you and your dog.

yep and I am thinking of having the kids help to. as even though they are young might help them understand and such.

The first thing I like to do with a new dog, is take them for a long walk. This is a good way for the two of you to get familiar with each other. I do not expect anything or put any correction on the dog at this point. Any type of command I give, I do not expect the dog to react. Just a gentle tug on the leash will let him know what you want.
After the walk, I will let the dog become used to his new surroundings, both inside and out. At this time you can restrict him or let him know what is off limits, Again no type of pressure is added at this time.
After a couple of days and some good exercise sessions you can begin with the training. For obidience, I would start with kennel, sit, heel and here. At this point I am showing the dog what is expected again no type of pressure is used. At the same time you are showing the dog the commands, you can also start the introduction to birds. Take him out, toss a bird and let him do whatever he wants. He may eat it, run off a ways with it, roll on it, whatever. The idea is, just to let him have fun with it. Next I would plant or throw clipped wing birds and let him flush them and chase them down. Again when he catches them, let him have fun. If he brings them back to you, you are ahead in the game, if not don’t worry. We want him to be as birdy as hell. You will probably want to use a checkcord on him so he does not run too far away. After he is all keyed up on birds, I would add gunfire when he is playing with birds. Start with a .22 blank at 100 yds away. When he is busy flushing birds or chasing down ones you throw, fire the gun. You want to make sure he has no reaction to the gun and keeps his focus on the birds. If he is all about the birds, move in closer with the gun and repeat. When you have him to the point where you are pretty much shooting over him with no problem, start the process over with a 410. If all goes well, move up to a 12 gauge.
after all goes well with birds and guns, I go back to obidience. remember, we were showing him the obidience at the same time we were introducing birds. What I mean here is we were doing obidience in the morning and birds in the afternoon.
Now that I know he is birdy and ok with guns, I will start adding corrections and pressure to the obidience. He knows what the commands are, now you are going to make him obey them. I would start out with traiing him on a leash first. Hope this helps, if you have any question just holler.

great thanks. not I just need to find property to train him on as I live in town,. but a big yard for all the training except gunning. and the cabin for water training.

Ive always trained mine and they have all been great dogs…thats only 3 dogs though….But do researsh, get vids and talk to Don Hanson…Good luck on a great adventure…Nothin like your dog retrieving its first bird after YOU trained him..In my opinion it makes one of the most satisifying hunts….good luck

here is a question for way down the road, but I used to hunt with a guy that would have abell on his dogs collar so he could tell where the dog was in long grass. is that true? or not really? as I would think you want the dog in sight some what.

I know quite a few that use bells, or there are beep collars that make a constant beep every 3-5 seconds and when dog stops will beep faster and faster.

i would start by force fetching the dog if he hasnt already been

ok, do not know much about this type of doig but found out mom was a little blue healer at one time and lab and dad was a full lab. anything to worry about?

Bronc…as I hunt with a smaller Spaniel I use several collar tags instead of a bell…works in the cattail swamps to know where the pup is…works great in thick cover

Well you St Cloud guys are odd. . thank you sir for that bit of information.