Training Tips
Water Introduction
Introducing your pup to water should be a fun experience for both you and the pup. Your pup should be retrieving well and the day should be hot. If possible, try to find a pond or creek with a gradual entry so that the pup can wade in the water to retrieve. Clip-wing pigeons work best as an incentive for the pup to enter the water. Tease the pup with the pigeon and drop it into the water a couple of feet ahead of the pup. Most pups go right in and grab the pigeon. Toss the pigeon out a little farther for every retrieve. Soon your pup will be swimming to retrieve the bird.
Teaching your pup to sit
Very small pieces of hot dogs or very small pieces of sandwich meat work well as a reward. Hold the small piece of hot dog over the pups head. Give the command sit. At the same time with your other hand, put slight pressure over the pup's back legs encouraging it to sit. As soon as it sits, let the pup eat the treat. Repeat this several times. After approximately 3 days of daily lessons, your pup will start sitting automatically in anticipation of receiving the reward. As soon as the pup consistently sits on command, you can start teaching it to shake hands.
Teaching your pup to shake hands
Lift up the front leg and give the the command "shake", shaking the paw. Give the pup the treat. Try tapping the pup in back of his leg with your index finger. This will encourage him to lift his paw off the ground. As soon as he lifts his paw give him the treat. Repeat several times. Your pup will soon be lifting his paw and placing it in your hand as you give the "shake" command.
Teaching your dog to trail
Every hunting dog should know how to trail a cripple or runner. We usually use ducks to teach a dog to trail as they has a strong scent. Drop a few feathers on the ground and drag a freshly killed duck to make a scent trail. Then let the dog follow the scent. Walk with him and encourage him if necessary. Every day make a longer trail. When he finds the bird at the end of the trail, let him retrieve it to you. After a few days of trailing and finding a dead bird, clip the wings of a duck and turn the duck loose. If you have a limited supply of ducks and don't want to take the chance of losing the duck in the long grass, tie a string to the ducks leg. You will be able to see where the string is in the long grass. A dog that can't track a cripple in the swamp or in the field is not as efficient as he could be. The ability to track a cripple will add birds to your bag and conserve game.
Obedience School
If you have an obedience school near your home, we recommend that you and your dog attend the class. A trained dog is a happy dog and you as the owner, will be much happier with an obedient dog. You can start obedience school when you dog is 6 months old. Most schools are very reasonable priced and the course usually takes 10 weeks to complete. You dog will learn how to sit, stay, heal, come, and go down on command. You will be much more successful in your field training if your dog knows the basic obedience commands. Puppy socialization classes are also available in many areas. Check with your local veterinarian. He will usually have information about these classes.
Retriever Lingo
Area of the Fall
The area around a bird in a marked retrieve in which the dog may reasonable hunt.
Blind Retrieve
A retrieve in which the dog does not see the bird fall, but is directed to it by the handler with whistle and arm signals.
Blink
If a retriever locates a bird and refuses to pick it up, he is said to blink the bird.
Collar
Electronic training collar
Diversion Bird
A bird thrown while the dog is retrieving another bird
Doubles or Double Mark
A marked retrieve in which two birds are thrown in different areas.
Triple or Triple Marks
A marked retrieve in which three birds are thrown in different areas
Dummy or Bumper
A cylindrical bird substitute thrown in training only for the dog to retrieve
Force-Breaking
A training procedure to ensure reliable delivery to hand
Handle
Casting, lining, stopping by which a handler directs his dog to a blink retrieve
Hardmouth
A retriever that damages birds so that they can not be eaten
Honoring
When one dog remains in place at the heel position while another dog retrieves. The first sitting dog is said to be honoring the retrieving dog.
Memory Bird
In a multiple marked retrieve, all birds but the last one down are called memory birds, because the dog must remember them while retrieving the last bird down.
Pop
When a dog stops and turns and faces the handler when the handler has not tooted the stop whistle he "pops"
Quarter
In upland hunting, the dog that windshield-wipers within gun range ahead of the handler seeking birds to flush is said to quarter.
What is a Title Really?
A Title is a tribute to the dog that bears it, a way to honor the dog, an ultimate memorial. It will remain in the record and in the memory for about as long as anything in this world can remain.
A Title says many things in the world of humans, where such things count.
A Title says your dog was intelligent, adaptable and good natured.
A Title says your dog loved you enough to do the things that please you, however crazy they may have sometimes seemed.
A Title says that you loved your dog, that you loved to spend time with him because he was a good dog, and that you believed in him enough to give him yet another chance when he failed, and that in the end your faith was justified.
A Title proves that your dog inspired you to have the special relationship enjoyed by so few; that in a world of disposable creatures, this dog with a Title was greatly loved, and loved greatly in return.
And when that dear short life is over, the Title remains as a memorial of the finest kind, the best you can give to a deserving friend, volumes of praise in one small set of initials before of after the name.
A Title is nothing less then love and respect, given and received permanently.
Author Unknown
Minnesota has several hunt tests each summer. We encourage all our new puppy owners to participate in AKC Hunt Tests or Nahra Hunt Tests. The links listed below are for all the retriever clubs in the area. The retriever club web pages can provide you with information about coming hunt tests. Also entryexpress.net provides a partial list of hunts tests all over the United States.
Links to Retriever Clubs
Southern Minnesota Hunting Retriever Association
Northern Flight Hunting Retrievers Association
E-mail:yellowlabpups@hotmail.com
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