How to start Retriever Training
By Michelle Linnane
There is 3 ways people start
On our training links page there are many articles about starting a puppy, but none of them deal with how to
start an older dog. And there are some many people that come out to train in this boat I thought it was time
to address this issue. I have also created a glossary of field terms.
A WORD OF ADVICE
I would like to say here and now that I do not claim to be an expert. I have been training for many years, and
have had 2 field champions, about 17 dogs that were all age qualified, 3 on the derby list and two that have
qualified for nationals. But I feel I have much to learn, once you stop learning you are dead as a trainer. You
must never stop learning. But there are some people who have trained dogs for a while. They may have placed
a title on their dog. But this does not make them knowledgeable trainers. It just means for now, they know a little
more then you do about dog training. Years of training do not mean this person knows what they are doing.
Dog training is an art and science.
BECAREFUL IF THEY ACT LIKE THEY KNOW EVERYTHING
Be careful of what I call the 90 day wonders. A hunt test title or years of training does not mean they know everything
or even know the right things to do. Just remember what the meaning of the word expert is
(EX is a has-been; SPERT is a drip under pressure).
OK enough said about this!
Here a flowchart that we all follow, don't be overwhelmed just take one step at a time.
Just take a look and then get your dog retrieving, the chart will come in handy later
This is how I have helped people in the past.
What I am telling you is not the only way, it may not be the best way, but I have done this before and it has worked
for me in the past. Again I do not claim to know all there is to know about dog training.
How most people begin
Most people do not start out with a field breed retriever. But you have to learn some place and there is no
point in not learning with your current dog. If somebody tells you this is as far this dog will ever get after
a JH junior hunter title. They clearly do not know how to advance a dog. This DOES NOT MEAN IT WILL
BE EASY! You will have to work your butt off. But with the right kind of training you would be amazed at
what can be accomplished.
Phase 1
What equipment do you need to start retriever training.
6 White small knobby 2" x 11"
2 Roy Gonia Dog Whistle – Clear
1 Lanyard
1 Flat dog collar
1 Check tab attached to the collar about 12 inches long
1 50 foot check cord
First Step
Training a puppy and the older dog will be similar in some ways, the equipment you need. Listed above is a small list
to get you started. The equipment is something that will apply for a puppy and an older dog. Very often we start a
puppy retrieving down the hallway with a sock or a toy. I would suggest if you are working with an older dog and
your retriever, retrieves a ball switch him over to a bumper.
Flow chart of Yard work. Retreiver Training Flowchart?
I have copies the steps from a flow chart from Lardy, and these are the general steps everybody follows
to train a retriever. I did not invent these steps I just follow them.
Puppy
You puppy is a blank slate I would follow the guide lines laid down in the training manuals and DVDs.
The older dog
I am assuming the dog has done agility, or obedience. Your older retriever must have the following basic skills. Come
when retrieving something it does not have to be a bumper. They must walk on a leash, they must understand what sit
and stay. Stay can be a little loose.
Formal Obedience
Heel (2 sides), Here, Side and Front Sit,
Sit to Whistle
For the older dog I would skip two sided heeling. Just make sure the dog will sit in front of you and will heel when
you stick your hand out on the left. Whistle sit can be taught later. Do it, the same way you taught the dog to sit when
you used the command sit.
Starting to retrieve
Start by retrieving out in the yard. This is the big dog version of retrieving down the hallway. If you throw the
bumper and they run out sniff it and then go on don’t be upset. Walk over pick up the bumper and place the dog
on a leash. Starting swinging the bumper around and saying something to get the dogs attention we use hey, hey,
hey, hey, then throw the bumper. You must restrain the dog lightly do not let him get the bumper right away to build
a little prey drive. Do not make the dog sit, we use a leash to restrain for a reason. You need to act like an idiot to
get the dog interested sometimes. I can not tell you how many times I have made a fool of myself trying to get and
older dog interesting in retrieving a bumper.
Very often we use an older dog to get a puppy excited about retrieving. The big dog gets three retrieves and the
other dog watches, they are secure by a leash. Then we let the watching dog have one retrieve and then let the other
dog retrieve one more time. Then this end the session. EVEN IF THE DOG WANTS MORE NO! Keep doing this
until you have built up enough interest so that the dog will run out and pick a bumper when you thrown it every time.
Move to a school yard or park
Once you have mastered this go to different spots and repeat this until they really like to retrieve. Don’t try and steady
the dog we want them crazy to retrieve. We do so much with small puppies that these older dogs do not have the
experience and realize this is fun. It always amazes me how much we teach puppies just by habits we have formed
raising them. Always praise the dog when they pick up the bumper (with in reason).
If the dog does not come back keep a leash on do not punish for anything just reel them into you. Once your dog
can do this they are ready to come out and we first throw marks on a lawn so they see the bumper. My puppies get
marks in lawns until they are almost 11 months old.
You need to build love of retrieving and that takes a while you may throw marks for the dog for a few months before you
ever go to force fetch. The dogs generally tell you when they need to be force fetched. They get sloppy, drop the bumper.
Ready to find a training group.
Phase 2
Now is a good time
to read the link Training
Group Etiquette,
You will understand what is expected in a training group.
What equipment do you need to start retriever training with a group:
· 12 white bumpers (write you last name on them with a magic marker)
· 1 or 2 two-way radios
· 22 caliber blank pistols
· white jackets
· Lawn or folding chair
· good size LL beans bag to carry bumpers in
· camo umbrella
· roll of white tape
· pair of hearing protection
Nobody has everything day one, this is why the more years you are in the sport you have triple everything. So don’t worry
your first day, but collect equipment as soon as you can. After training with a good group for a while more then likely you
will be ready to start on more yard work. After your dog can do some good singles you may need to start or are ready to start:
Force Fetch
Hold
Ear Pinch
Walking Fetch
Stick Fetch
Simple Casting
Right, Left, and Back from Remote Sit
After this is complete you have a decision to make do you want to use an e-collar. If you are lucky you will never see a
person loose their temper with a dog or burn so they scream. If you have a person in your training group that does this it
can turn you off. But this is not the way to train and the collar was the best thing that every happened for retriever training.
Find another training group.
Phase 3
Now is a time to decide about a collar I would recommend either Tri-Tronics
http//: www.tritronics.com
or get a reconditioned collar at
http://www.collarclinic.com the collars I am recommending have a track record
E-Collar Conditioning
Obedience
De-bolt
Collar Fetch
Introduction to Indirect Pressure
By the time you get here with an older dog you can follow the normal Mike Lardy
flow chart for training.