Thoughts on Waterdog by Robert Wolters

[Bill Watson]

Bubba, I also knew Richard McDonald, back in my NAHRA days. Dick was a better writer than a trainer, no doubt, but he had one hell of a bit of good humor. While attending a function at Great Southern Hunting Retriever Club near Covington , Ga, he was wearing his usual attire of tweed jacket, knickers and white silk stockings when someone asked, "Aren't you afraid you will get a little prick in your stockings out here in these briars?" His answer, "I believe I have already done that". He also once said that the reason that he often changed "costumes" as often did was that he peed in his pants alot. At 82 I can understand that too! Bill

[JS]

What whistle commands are you teaching your 11 week old pup?

JS

[Richard McCullough]

My older dog was trained using the Water Dog book, still have it. Does it work yes. My younger dog was trained using Smart Works program.Which program do you think I like? Spend the extra money and get a better program.

[Scum Frog]

Dahl: The 10 Minute Retriever
Milner: Retriever Training: A Back to Basics Approach

[Tartufa10]

I read the Wolters book in "84" when I got my first lab after graduating from Culinary school I can say I really enjoyed it and most of the techniques worked for me . now 28 years later and with some time out of the kitchen I got serious training and competing and agree with most here that there is much more informative and advanced training available now . But the Game dog book really got my fire burning I'm just sorry it took me so long between dogs.Enjoy the book .

[rbr]

Interesting discussion. My advice to all who read the Wolters books, take some of the basic drills and use them but disregard the criticle stage timeline thing. It's nonsense.

Bert

[Pas Bon]

Back when that book came out labs were easier to train, they had more natural ability, today much of that has been bred out of them in exchange for high powered greyhound like traits. I have had very good results using Mike Stewart's "Training the Wildrose Way" and advice from Robert Milner.


Merry Christmas Everybody...I'm out!

[joel druley]

My thoughts on this topic: Prior to Walters Water Dog..the traditional approach to formal dog training was wait until the dog is 6 months old. Walters said 49 days...now to me that is way too exact science or expectation...49 days 60 days or 70 days..got to be some variance but I think the main thing he contributed that has changed retriever dog training was the idea that you can and need to start the training earlier and that was 40 + years ago. Mertens and Hillman,Lardy and Graham have have have given us some more specialized curriculum and time lines for retriever school in the digital age and today young pups and trainers have this enhanced benefit.

[John Robinson]

Back when that book came out labs were easier to train, they had more natural ability, today much of that has been bred out of them in exchange for high powered greyhound like traits. I have had very good results using Mike Stewart's "Training the Wildrose Way" and advice from Robert Milner.


Merry Christmas Everybody...I'm out!

I won't argue with you on training, I'm sure you did do well with your dog and the Stewart book, but I have to take issue with your comment about today's labs lacking natural ability compared to dogs of the past. I don't think high power and natural ability conflict. I think most field trail dogs today, Lab, Chessie or Golden, have an abundance of natural marking ability, some are very high powered, some are more medium speed.

John

[tripsteer1]

I got water dog in 84 too..great book.The basics are still something look at.