1968 Training book by James Lamb Free - anyone seen it?

[runnindawgz]

I just scooped up a copy of this book on Ebay ... The index looks interesting ... about how to read a pedigree, the “names to look for” in a dogs pedigree - the Nat’ and Nat’l Am. information and a CHAPTER titled If the LADIES CAN “Do It ” ha ha .... looking forward to the book arriving!

Has anyone ever seen this book? $4.00 wasted or worth it?

[Evan]

Like many older trainers, I started out on "Training Your Retriever" by James Lamb Free. It was pretty basic, and didn't go very far, but it was one of the best out there back when dinosaurs roamed the earth!

Evan

[runnindawgz]

Looked interesting ... I am particularly looking forward to reading about the “hot” dogs in pedigrees.

[Rnd]

If you got the 1968 copyright, you have the third edition. (earlier editions 1949, & 1963) The 1968 edition was the first edition released by the estate of James Lamb Free.

There are plenty of folks here that think it's not worth the read however, at one time it was considered the "Bible" for retriever training.

IMO...Money well spent and enjoy the read.

It's not a "program". It is a very nice nostalgic read with some pertinent information and some not so pertinent points.

[Mary Lynn Metras]

Looked interesting ... I am particularly looking forward to reading about the “hot” dogs in pedigrees.

.

I have the 1977 edition. It is a good book to read. I love the illustrations. I still use the baseball drill. One of the few books and CDs I did not get rid of. Talks about training fundamentals and the pictures demonstrate what he is referring to. As Evan said it is a good book in its time but takes you only so far. Glad you were able to get a copy!Enjoy!

[runnindawgz]

IMO...Money well spent and enjoy the read.

It's not a "program". It is a very nice nostalgic read with some pertinent information and some not so pertinent points.

Cool - thanks! Certainly not looking for a “program" from 1968 but, yes, a "nice nostalgic read” is what I had in mind....

[bayou]

I think any book on dog training can be worth reading there will be something there that can help you and to work out your own
training program.

I also like to listen to pro trainers opinions and reasons as well as the amateurs.

[crackerd]

Almost any book on retrievers and retrieving is "worth reading" - another nostalgic and humanizing look (as in field trial training) is "The Retriever Game," which can also be had for a pittance.

MG

[Chris Atkinson]

I enjoyed Free's book. I have not read my copy in years and don't recall which edition I have.

After probably 15 years or so, I have 3 takeaways that have stuck with me. Keep in mind, these things have a way of "warping" over time versus the way it is literally written.

Takeaway #1:

• Back in those days, Free and his peers did not believe in doing much training during the puppy days. If I recall correctly, Free seemed to be on the extreme edge of this - waiting 'til the dog was a year of so old before doing any real training.

#2:

• Free advised against letting kids and others play with your Field dog. He felt that the dog should be kept under lock and key in a kennel run during the day and only handled by you, the trainer. I do get what his angle was, in terms of making the training sessions the highlight of the dog's day and getting full value of the training sessions. But again, I recall the idea that Free was a bit on the extreme end of the application of this.

#3:

• Free was the source of the term "stir your stumps". Stir your stumps is the equivlanent of what I sometimes think of as "indirect pressure with poor timing". The idea is that if the dog is blowing the trainer off on a sit whistle, a cast, or some other expected response, the handler is to "stir" or run his legs off getting out there to address the dog at close range.
• I don't recall whether it is Free, or not, that mentions e-collars and that they're not good. Some writers of that era certainly wrote this sort of thing. If it is indeed Free, and again, I don't recall, you will have to just remember that at that time, whatever was on the market is a far cry from today's equipment, and the thousands of dogs that the retriever training community used as guinea-pigs to create some established e-collar "best practice" (which is now available) was not yet around.

I would like to pull out my old copy and re-read it.

[AmiableLabs]

Everything said here is the truth. I too cut my teeth on the book back in the early-seventies, when there was nothing else. It indeed was the "Bible."

It is a good read. A fun read. Even still today! There are still some nuggets and gems to pick up. But by and large it is horribly, horribly obsolete now.