Just found your blog a week ago. I have spent all week getting caught up. I got my first Boykin "Jake" 24 years ago. Having played baseball in college, I needed something competitive to do. I had gone to a field trial with a friend and thought that is what I would do. I knew someone who had some Boykin pups, got one, bought Richard Wolters "Water Dog" and was on my marry way. Reading your blog reminds me of all the ups and downs of training a dog. I never did enter any field trial because Jake was not good enough; he was limited only by my ability to teach him. I told a friend in a dove field one day, that you probably had to go through several dogs until you started to get it right. My list of things I would have done differently include: Teaching to Hold (terminology) if I raised my gun Jake was ready to take off. Blind Retrieves My backyard was approx 150 ft wide. I could give him a line on a blind retrieve and he would go hard for 150 ft. after that he did not believe anything was out there. Patients, Patients, more than once I worked him to hard and he shut down, would not retrieve for a week or more. I have since owned two labs and will get my second Boykin in early October.

Very good tips for the new pup trainers out there. Thanks!

Good luck and good job. My first dog was a nightmare I did almost everything wrong the biggest being intimidated by the whole thing and not working enough. My biggest thing i have learned is be consistent in all ways. I have people look at me like I am mean when I don't let my second dog (a lab) slide an inch on things she knows are wrong whether its manners or work. If you give smart dogs an inch they will make it a mile very quickly. Now that doesn't mean be hateful just know when they are looking to step over that line it's funny when you are around that dog all the time you can see when those little wheels start turning the wrong way. And you have to make a punishment fit the crime and take age and experience into the equation. I can get more just by sounding disappointed if they know you can back that up and worse case scenario they get put up. My other advise is to teach the command "leave it" it works for so many situations from helping with not breaking to staying out of the trash. I recently used it to call my lab off of chasing a skunk. Tell me that isn't worth it. Now all this sounds too serious so of course remember to have fun! I envy you getting to shoot that first dove and watching your dog retrieve. It's always beautiful but more so when it's your dogs first season!!

Hi Dave and bloggers.

I am looking for ideas on a field training exercise without guns ?? I have not shot for years and can't afford guns etc now. Ihave a great, strong 8-year-old male lab who was bred for hunting. Many times at the dog park he wins races for balls and sticks. He has a lot of energy and stamina.

I'm looking for something inexpensive that would give him a challenge and use his energy. So far the best I found is a bean bag launcher and maybe "quartering" exercise. What would you do to give an active lab good field exercise? He likes water, but I would like to train him on fields.

Thanks,

Pat

I see though that all these things go back to the basics that you've been telling us all along. So how long is it until you do get pritch into some birds only a couple days here I think we might try her out on some pheasent farm.

muskiemaster--I've had Pritch on birds...just not enough of them in my mind. As for the pheasants, watch out for the males as they'll whack a pup good with a spur if they're crippled.

Pat Schock-- I agree with pinopolis on this one. Doesn't sound like you'd want a dummy launcher but a simple, cheap tennis ball launcher will allow you to wing a ball a good ways. Should be what you need. -D

I have also hit the peaks and valleys with my first hunting Labrador Retriever. For instance I've never been more proud of him than the first time we went duck hunting. On the flip side I've never been more disappointed in myself than the second time we were hunting upland bird (Ruffed Grouse) and I lost my temper and yelled at him in anger, and he promptly shut down on me and wouldn't respond to any commands at all. He is not a soft dog by any stretch of the imagination, but there must have been something in my voice that hurt his feelings. One thing for EVERY trainer to remember, either professional or amateur is that when things go wrong it is NEVER the dogs fault. His failures in the field are my failures (and your failures) as a teacher. But on the flip side when things go gloriously right it is always both of you that have succeeded and both should be rewarded for your efforts.