Which Training Program For 5.5 Month Old Pup

[Kent S]

I have a 5.5 month old pup with a very good breeding. He has a pretty good foundation of obedience already. He is a bit on the soft side. He is marking out to 100 yards. He has been exposed to gun fire and gets excited to go. He has retrieved 7 pheasants shot over him. He is tracking well. I am looking for suggestions on which program would be recommended from this point forward? I would like a dog that would compete in Hunt Tests and Field Trials starting with Derbys. I have not started force fetch or collar conditioning. I like to wait until they are a little older. He has most of his adult teeth coming in. I am just looking for a recommendation of which program to follow. I have most of them, from Smartworks to Lardy to Farmer/Aycock to Shawn Dustin to Tom Dokkin. Give me your two cents and I will see if I can turn it into a buck.

[Kent S]

Nobody? 60 people have looked at this thread and no one wants to give their opinion? Come on, I know this group and everyone on here likes to give an opinion. Maybe if I ask real nice like, please.

[Mary Lynn Metras]

Nobody? 60 people have looked at this thread and no one wants to give their opinion? Come on, I know this group and everyone on here likes to give an opinion. Maybe if I ask real nice like, please.

Hillman's DVD is a really good start. There has been a lot mentioned previously on what programs are best in other threads. Have a look at those comments. Good luck.

[Chris Atkinson]

You actually got a response posted 9 minutes after your question. The originator of that response apparently chose to pull it down. I would assume you got a PM from that person.

If it were my dog, I'd use Hillmann's material for starters and then transition over to Mike Lardy's.

Good luck and have fun!

Chris

[yellow machine]

I use Fowl Dog by Rick Stawski. Cheaper and very good.

[Chris Atkinson]

I use Fowl Dog by Rick Stawski. Cheaper and very good.

Stawski's material, produced by Shawn Stahl, is abosolutely wonderful. The terminology and progression matches Lardy. If one were to use Stawski, i'd suggest they overlay that with the articles in Lardy's Volumes. My personal opinion is that video-only loses some meaningful instruction. I believe it best for folks learning to use written materials in conjunction with the DVD...also take their own written notes.

This way, when it's the middle of the day or night, or you're out training - you don't need to go pop in the DVD and back up to review a part...you've got some material in writing that you can go to immediately.

Chris

[Wayne Nutt]

I am not trying to be cranky. But I think that same question has been asked and answered a bunch of times. Maybe that is why you got so few responses. A quick "search" would pull up tons of information on training programs.
Again, I am not trying to be critical but respond to why you got so few and late responses.

[Scum Frog]

You mentioned you have some programs already. Did you read them in depth? which one hits home for you and your situation? That would be the one I'd go with.

[ward]

Do you have any pros around you? If so that's your best bet see if you can throw birds for them and get some tips out of get for your pup. its hard to get some things out of a video. good luck