I already own Bill's "Training a Retriever Puppy". Does anyone own "The Art & Science of Raising a Puppy" as well? I'm starting two new puppies in three weeks. I'd appreciate any insights.
Hillmann's "The Art & Science of Raising a Puppy"
Arnie
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Please take this response for what it's worth. I'm completely new to retriever training and pickup my first pup this Friday.This is not my first dog, but my first retriever.
I purchased both of "the Art and Science" and "Training a Retriever Puppy" about 6 months ago and have watched both countless times. I found the training information in the Art and Science DVD "chase something, sit, and walk on a lead" is covered in Training a Retriever Puppy. But the Art and Science DVD goes into more of the other aspects that I think are applicable to any puppy like socialization, feeding, crate training, etc. The Art and Science DVD also covers using food to get the pup started on sit and shows how far your puppy can go in a few weeks with only a short periods of training each day.
For me, there were some bits and pieces of information in the Art and Science DVD that I felt helped fill some gaps and answer some question I had. And in the long and short of things, it was a pretty small investment in the development of my puppy and I think it really helped me understand the Hillmann philosophy
I purchased both of "the Art and Science" and "Training a Retriever Puppy" about 6 months ago and have watched both countless times. I found the training information in the Art and Science DVD "chase something, sit, and walk on a lead" is covered in Training a Retriever Puppy. But the Art and Science DVD goes into more of the other aspects that I think are applicable to any puppy like socialization, feeding, crate training, etc. The Art and Science DVD also covers using food to get the pup started on sit and shows how far your puppy can go in a few weeks with only a short periods of training each day.
For me, there were some bits and pieces of information in the Art and Science DVD that I felt helped fill some gaps and answer some question I had. And in the long and short of things, it was a pretty small investment in the development of my puppy and I think it really helped me understand the Hillmann philosophy
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Thank you Ronnie for the insight. Actually, I've raised a lot of Lab puppies, either from birth or from weaning over the years mostly "by guess and by God". I've become a fan of Bill Hillmann more recently. His techniques have helped my out of some problems that I created.
I have a particular interest in the litter and I want to give new owners the DVD to help them get started in the best direction.
I have a particular interest in the litter and I want to give new owners the DVD to help them get started in the best direction.
.
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Hi Lisa.
A lot has changed. When they learned about Gage's cancer, John Warren and Pete Adams got together and bred Gage's sister Kate to Pete's dog Fritz. Though Kate was never formally trained, she's been a great hunting companion to John. Fritz is a Grand Master pointing retriever with 4 AKC Master passes. The litter was born just 17 days after Gage's passing. I'm taking two from the litter. A big male for me and a female for my daughter's family.
My (almost) eight year old granddaughter is travelling with me to LAX in a few weeks for a quick turn around to pick them up. She watched Rose get a ribbon at a local HRC test and wants to train with me (she asked for camo coveralls for her birthday).
I have the grounds to train for virtually anything. My main pasture is 800+ yards corner to corner. My "lake" is two acres. I can fall out of bed and train. I was able to blast (stumble) through Seasond/Senior with Rose.
I have the place, the equipment, the time and best of all new Georgia friends to train with so why not the dogs?
A lot has changed. When they learned about Gage's cancer, John Warren and Pete Adams got together and bred Gage's sister Kate to Pete's dog Fritz. Though Kate was never formally trained, she's been a great hunting companion to John. Fritz is a Grand Master pointing retriever with 4 AKC Master passes. The litter was born just 17 days after Gage's passing. I'm taking two from the litter. A big male for me and a female for my daughter's family.
My (almost) eight year old granddaughter is travelling with me to LAX in a few weeks for a quick turn around to pick them up. She watched Rose get a ribbon at a local HRC test and wants to train with me (she asked for camo coveralls for her birthday).
I have the grounds to train for virtually anything. My main pasture is 800+ yards corner to corner. My "lake" is two acres. I can fall out of bed and train. I was able to blast (stumble) through Seasond/Senior with Rose.
I have the place, the equipment, the time and best of all new Georgia friends to train with so why not the dogs?
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I haven't had very many puppies so I bought "Art and Science" a few months ago in hopes of getting more ideas about the baby puppy stuff---the socialization, potty training, crate training, etc. aspect of puppy raising. However it really doesn't cover that aspect of puppy raising very much so I was disappointed. In particular I remember him showing how to correct a baby puppy for biting, which really interested me. I watched it over and over, but the demonstration was too superficial and quick for me to learn how to implement the method myself. Another example: the advertised description of the DVD ("From the time the puppy gets home from the airport as a 7 week old puppy") gave me hope that I would learn something about using airline services to ship/receive a new puppy (or at least something about preparing puppy for travel and the trip home) but it begins with him taking the puppy out of its crate at his property, after the trip is over.
So most of the video is about training things using his principles of chase something, sit and walk on a lead. Like Ronnie.C says above, a lot of this is covered in the Training a Retriever Puppy DVD. However, I felt like this video explained more about the "why" behind his methods than I remember seeing in Training a Retriever Puppy---for example, how stimulation from the e-collar translates into positive reinforcement rather than punishment became more clear to me.
So if you are looking to get info about socialization, potty training etc. there's a little here but probably not as good as Merten's Sound Beginnings, especially for the cost.
On the other hand, if you are really wanting to learn more about his methods I think it is worthwhile.
So most of the video is about training things using his principles of chase something, sit and walk on a lead. Like Ronnie.C says above, a lot of this is covered in the Training a Retriever Puppy DVD. However, I felt like this video explained more about the "why" behind his methods than I remember seeing in Training a Retriever Puppy---for example, how stimulation from the e-collar translates into positive reinforcement rather than punishment became more clear to me.
So if you are looking to get info about socialization, potty training etc. there's a little here but probably not as good as Merten's Sound Beginnings, especially for the cost.
On the other hand, if you are really wanting to learn more about his methods I think it is worthwhile.
Good going Arnie ,
I don't know the bitch from the breeding but I have trained with Pete and Fritz and Fritz is a very nice dog. You're going to have a lot of fun , I'm pretty envious of your current situation.
Be careful , the more dogs you get the harder it is to find a training group , have fun and take care . I'm sure you'll keep everyone posted
I don't know the bitch from the breeding but I have trained with Pete and Fritz and Fritz is a very nice dog. You're going to have a lot of fun , I'm pretty envious of your current situation.
Be careful , the more dogs you get the harder it is to find a training group , have fun and take care . I'm sure you'll keep everyone posted
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I have both and I basically agree with the others. If it's a first puppy, or like me, had been 10 years since the last one, I would definitely recommend the bundle of both dvds. For a seasoned handler...may still be worth it for some nuggets of info and more of Bill's philosophy and application. Also, I think its best to watch the entire art and science at least once before the puppy even arrives, and then do the same with training a puppy once the pup is settled...with that said.. throw sound beginnings in too, love the seesaw!
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The bitch is Gage's sister. Although John doesn't play dog games Kate has a ton of hunting experience. John has 44 acres of excellent quail habitat located against a National Forest. She does great on upland birds. He lives relatively close to duck hunting in the central valley. We belonged to the same duck club. Kate's learned to sit and mark falls hundreds of yards off and retrieves for guys that hunt without dogs.
The funny thing about training here is that there are no public grounds comparable to Prado for training. Good grounds such as open pasture with factors (hills, cover changes, etc) with water is hard to come by. "You have to know somebody" is what I heard a lot when I first arrived. I have the grounds and I'm enjoying having a few people come here to train.
Looks like you're still racking up ribbons. Give Delilah a scratch for me.
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Arnie, I think we met at a senior test at the cattle ranch this spring. It is good to hear you have things rolling at your new place. Good luck with the puppy. I really got a lot out of the Art & Science dvd.
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You are very welcome. All the best to you,
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Speaking of Hillmann, I was just re-watching Art & Science. I am training a 4-mo BLM, a son of Trad (Mike Enright's dog). Hillmann refers to mixing in Flex as a supplement in the puppy's food. What form? What brand? Not clear. This is my only criticism of Hillmann—he's great on general approach and feel, but light on the details.
Anyway, does anyone know which form and brand of Flex Hillmann likes?
Anyway, does anyone know which form and brand of Flex Hillmann likes?
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At the Hillmann seminar I attended, a representative from the following link did a
brief presentation.
https://www.drschoicesupplements.com/product-category/fido-vite-flexx/
brief presentation.
https://www.drschoicesupplements.com/product-category/fido-vite-flexx/
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It is the Fido-Vite Flexx.
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Thanks, Jim and Nancy. Will check it out.
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Thanks. I remember you, Richard. Nice young Chessie!
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