Welcome to TheOhioOutdoors
Wanting to join the rest of our members? Login or sign up today!
Login / Join

Lab training books

teej89

Senior Member
2,288
48
NE PA
In the future I'm going to get a lab and train it to be my duck dog. I've had labs all my life growing up(we had a choc, black, and yellow all at the same time at one point) and they were all duck dogs. However I was not around when they were trained, my dad worked shift work so a lot of the training was when he was on 2nd and 3rd shift. I was around introducing the pup to water and hearing a gun for the first time. And then once the dog was fully trained and I'd be there for some drills or in the field with the dog but not the inbetween to get them from a pup to a retriever. My dad is giving me a bunch of books including the book "Water Dog".

Is there anything else out there you guys would recommend? I won't be getting a dog in the immediate future but I'm thinking in a couple years.
 

Rutin

Senior Member
2,029
0
Ina Duck Blind
Honestly if you buy either of these you more than likely will never have to buy another training system. These programs give you great guidance by guys who have done it for years!!! The other step is to find a local Retriever Club and join it to pick brains and get help. The hardest part of training a dog is that you have to train YOURSELF! YOU are the weakest link, and unfortunately a screw up on your part becomes a poor result on the animal (we all make mistakes). If you can find a local trainer to help you that's the golden key. Your dog will pattern you and find your weaknesses before you even realize it and start slipping up (dealing with this now so I'm throwing curve balls). The first 6 months until they get their adult teeth is all about FUN, FUN, FUN.

Mike Lardy: Total Retriever

http://www.totalretriever.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=99&Itemid=85

Evan Graham: Smartworks

http://www.gundogsupply.com/evan-graham-smartwork-smartfetch.html
 

teej89

Senior Member
2,288
48
NE PA
Thanks rutin! DVDs sound great too, sometimes my mind wanders when I read and I'm not taking it in just looking at the words lol

I have my old mans Phil robertson VHS duck calling tapes and he gave me some of his old duck calls. I think next fall after some scouting and practice with calling I'll be giving duck hunting a shot.
 
Last edited:

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
223
Ohio
Rutin gave you some great advice. IMO, Lardy and Graham offer some of the best information available. Waterdog is ok... it would certainly help you train a good dog... but it's extremely outdated and vague. I trained (and am still training) my 1 yr old female according to the Smartworks program. I wouldn't say I've followed it to a Tee, but I've been pretty consistent. I also browse retrievertraining.net quite a bit... It's a wealth of training knowledge over there. I might also suggest Hillman's puppy training DVD. I've not seen it myself, but it's one of the most popular starter DVDs out there and I'm sure for good reason.

No matter what training program you follow (and please DO follow a program), it's very important to keep things fun, fair, and consistent, all the while exercising great patience. It sounds easy enough, but once you start training you'll soon realize just how these dogs can test you. It takes a lot of effort on your part but man is it rewarding.
 

Rutin

Senior Member
2,029
0
Ina Duck Blind
Its an average series with good knowledge but doesn't break it down like Smartworks or Total Retriever for the beginning trainer. These two programs are expensive but in the long run they really aren't. They teach you darn near everything you'll need to learn but they aren't the Bible. You can only learn so much from a DVD and then you'll have to pick the brains of people who have trained a lot or someone who trains for a living. Like Jim said RTF.net is a great site for advice. You have to think about it like this..... "You" have trained a few dogs or this may be your first dog, these "trainers" have trained HUNDREDS of dogs with different results from each dog, meaning they have tatics for each dogs personality.

Another thing TOO really think about is how much is in your budget? Getting a pup from a backyard breeder is like gambling, your rolling the dice. Getting a pup from a sound breeder who gives health certs (ofa, eyes, elbows, hips), checks EIC & CNM, gives a warranty on pup, and has a solid 5th generation pedigree is definitely something to highly consider. Not everyone has the money for this and I understand but for the tasks your going to be asking out of your dog having these odds stacked in your favor help tremendously. For example.... Marking ability is something passed on by genetics. I could go on and on for days, so I'll stop here until more is asked.

Here's a site to look at litters and peds available:
http://huntinglabpedigree.com/index.asp