New Pup (Pics)

[BRoth82]

This is the book I'm using for training my new puppy (Lab/English cocker spaniel mix) Hank. It walks you through everything step by step which for me is very nice.

Tom Dokken's Retriever Training: The Complete Guide to Developing Your Hunting

 

[belly-deep]

I live in Great Falls and have a 6 month old springer I'll be training this spring/summer.

If you want to get together, I'd be glad to give you some pointers.

 

[Art Vandeley]

I live in Great Falls and have a 6 month old springer I'll be training this spring/summer.

If you want to get together, I'd be glad to give you some pointers.

That would be great!

 

[Idahoarcheryhunter]

Good luck, enjoy the process the learning curve for myself was easier having a mentor who has trained some great pointers in the past hopefully you can link up with someone.

 

[Art Vandeley]

Watt is doing well. We BOTH have cabin fever here lately, luckily it sounds like it will begin warming up soon. He has learned to plow through the snow as good as I could have hoped.

 

[JLS]

Good looking pup. Future pheasant dog?

 

[Sask hunter]

Good looking pup

 

[Art Vandeley]

Good looking pup. Future pheasant dog?

Yes sir

 

[FAIR CHASE]

Well dam it, looks like I may be getting one of their pups (black male) on Apr 20th

 

[rustneversleeps]

Ahhh I want another one

 

[TheBenHoyle]

Beautiful pup. I had a Springer, but we never trained him to be a bird dog. He was a great buddy though.

 

[Jape]

Congrats! Something on my list for sure.

 

[JLS]

My uncle had Springers when I was a kid. Fun dogs.

 

[Art Vandeley]

Watt has been out 3 times hunting doves. The first two times, he did great bringing the birds back and dropping them. Third time, he did not want to bring them to me or drop them. Pretty frustrating but I forget he is still a puppy. More training to do.

 

[Art Vandeley]

This dog loves the water too.. we can't keep him out of the lake, strong swimmer

 

[Don Fischer]

Watt has been out 3 times hunting doves. The first two times, he did great bringing the birds back and dropping them. Third time, he did not want to bring them to me or drop them. Pretty frustrating but I forget he is still a puppy. More training to do.

Little trick to getting the dog to release when it doesn't want to. Get it in close to you, you down on one knee. Get a hold of the collar under it's chin with a thumb. With the other hand, pull it into you knee, it will be trapped there but not reject it. Use the free hand to stroke it down the side away from you, keep gently pulling it into you. After about 3 or 4 stroke's, use your middle two finger's, as you are completeing a rub. and give your release command and hook those finger's under the flap of skin at the back leg and lift gently. It should irritate the pup and it will reach back to get rid of your hand. To do that it must spit out the object in it's mouth. That brings in the hand with the thumb in the collar. Simply release the collar and get the object coming from the mouth! Immediately when you get the object, straighten out the finger's on the other hand and release the up pressure on the flank. Pup should immediately look back for the object but to late, you already got it and your letting him know he's a good boy. I've only ever seen one dog this didn't work on. Works like magic and you show it to someone with a dog that won't let go and don't tell them what you did and it will seem like magic!

 

[Art Vandeley]

That's a good tip, thanks.

 

[Art Vandeley]

I wish I had the photography skill of mtmiller, but you get the idea. He had no problems retrieving ducks on the water...