Just beginning... need some direction

[LAwaterfowler]

I got my pup 1wk ago yesterday. She is doing great and i couldnt be happier. She would retrieve all day if you would let her but i just want to be doing the right steps. I have been working her on the 15" lead i have but she is totally distracted by it. She will retrieve the bird up to 35yds freely and will sometimes bring it back to me. I know i need to train her to come back to me by holing the lead and guiding her, but when i do this she drops the bird and begins chewing on the leash. I know she is just a pup but i want to be doing the right thing. Do i get her used to the leash first before doing this? if so what is the best way to do so? And also some pointers on "heel" training. Jackie Mertins like to work with the pup in front, what do you guys do? Looking forward to responses. Thanks

[Franco]

Make contact with the Shreveport/Bosier Retriever Club. You can find thier contact info on entryexpress.net They host both Hunt Test and Field Trials as an AKC lisenced club. Find out who the successful HTers are and see if you can't get in thier training group. Good luck.

[RemsBPJasper]

Here's a video I posted awhile ago of my now older dog being taught to do heel. The new puppy is 10 weeks old now and doing the same thing with treats, just not as well as in the dog in this video yet.

http://www.retrievertraining.net/for...+heeling+video




As for the rope, use a nice lightweight line and just let her drag it around for awhile, only use it if you need it to reel her in. You've done well by your pup already by using Jackie Mertens, excellent puppy video. Try to work on her recall separately from retrieving, only give her 3-5 retrieves at a time. When she's coming back with a bumper, get really really excited and upbeat and use a higher pitched voice, run away from her if you have to. But it's not a huge deal at this point, just keep encouraging her to return.


Most of all, enjoy her!

[Leddyman]

Having the dog front finish rather than heel will be important later when you want to start 3 handed casting. I was unbalanced and had my dog heel when bringing a bumper or bird back. Now I am trying to break this habit that I created so that he will front finish and be ready to take a cast. It is much easier to teach the dog to bring back whatever and sit square in front of you if you do it from the beginning. Heel is not hard to teach and since it is a separate command you can just call your dog to heel if you don't want a front finish. The habits that you build in to your dog when he is young are extremely difficult to break. My dog really wants to come back to heel, we have been working on it for 3-4 weeks and he still automatically wants to come back to heel. We are starting to get it licked, but it didn't have to be like this. Of course these kind of lessons are the kind you don't forget.

It sounded like that was what you were asking in your question. Hope this helps,

P.S. This all starts at like 4 months of age. A younger dog should just be playing fetch games to get their desire fired up and not be bothered about delivery, etc. If you have the Jackie Mertens DVD you can't go wrong following that.

[LAwaterfowler]

Thanks a lot guys for the tips. We worked today and i let her just drag the lead around while she retireved. Didint seem to bother her a bit, she was more worried about that bumper! Also working on the recal separately makes since. What a great video too. That is something to work towards for the future. Thank you all and if your have any more pointers for me please feel free to send me a PM or write. Thanks again

[RemsBPJasper]

Glad to hear things are going well! Keep it up and have fun!