Starting to train a gun dog.

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Bobster1234

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Hi, I have just recently started to train a Golden retriever to be my gun dog, I have trained her to sit, walk to heel come to the whistle, retrieve with a tennis ball and also a dummy what should I start to do next?
 
I think, in my personal opinion, you should make sure she retrieves them to you straight away and is sound with loud noises.
 
Buy yourself P.R.A.Moxon's book. It's till in print and it's as good a guide as you will need. There are also plenty of other excellent books, if you can't find Moxon's.

Generally, I'd say that books never made a dog trainer, but if you've mastered the basics, then I'd say that with guidance, you'll get there.

One question for you; How old is your dog?

Alec.
 
the next stage for me was 'stay' and it meaning stay where ever I walked both away and towards her. also distance sit. Recall when I've thrown a ball but before she's got it (so she comes back to me straight away when chasing something) and having her stay when I throw the ball/dummy and only going for it when I say. you may have done all those :) I'm then having sessions with a gun dog trainer as I have bad habits like repeating my commands! and she's my first so I know nothing!
 
The best thing is to book one or two sessions with a good gundog trainer, then you can both assess what stage you and your dog are at, and whether you would like regular lessons or occasional ones when you hit a problem.

Mine are trained so that sit means sit and stay unless I tell them to move. Also the stop whistle is paramount!

With regards to retrieving, achieving a really good delivery, and then onto directional control.
 
Bobster where abouts are you? or which part of the country (if you don't want to be specific) someone may be able to recommend a good trainer, the guy who came to me was only £25 for an hour and he comes whenever I want, not every week, follows up wit emails and I can call him if I'm stuck or have forgotten something. he has working labs, I have cockers
 
The two pillars of gundog training are the Sit and Come Here. Simply that. Don't bother with Stay as Sit means Sit until the dog is released from that.

The dog should Sit INSTANTLY at any distance to your signal. It should also Sit instantly when, for example, at full speed after a ball. If you can do that, you might be able to stop him chasing a rabbit or attempting to retrieve an uninjured bird.

Come Here also needs to be instantaneous.

When you've achieved that, you need the same response to voice, hand signal (when the dog can see it!), or whistle.

If you've done that, the rest is easy. The above are the brakes and steering of a gundog. You won't get far without them!
 
Has she been in cover yet? And can you get her out on a shoot, not participating, just getting in the truck with other dogs, hearing the guns etc?
 
Alec Swan said:
Buy yourself P.R.A.Moxon's book. It's till in print and it's as good a guide as you will need. There are also plenty of other excellent books, if you can't find Moxon's.

Generally, I'd say that books never made a dog trainer, but if you've mastered the basics, then I'd say that with guidance, you'll get there.

One question for you; How old is your dog?

Alec.
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I definately second getting P.R.A Moxon's book - I used it to help me with my 4 ESS's with great success. We even took them to a member (and a trainer in his own right) of the English gundog team who asked where and with who I had them trained by which surprised me somewhat !!!
Most of all don't over face a young dog too early on, it is far easier to ruin a dog with too much too soon, than to undo any damage afterwards ...........
Best of all good luck

I have just seen your location, and cannot recommend Simon Tyers in Tamworth enough - we are based in Rugby and travelled to see Simon and left with so much more of an idea and the ability to progress :-)
 
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Thanks for the advice, yes I think I will go and get myself a P.R.A Moxon's book! Yes I have heard that you can ruin you dog by doing to much to soon and I definitely don't want to do that! I may take her to a trainer but not quite sure yet! :)
 
I have a lab he is 22 months old and will go out on one or two baby shoots this year and come out with just us alone. That will be all in does.
We take him training weekly which Im not suggesting you need- our dog is just hard work- rewarding too. But i would certainly advise going for one or two for pointers for both of you- an outside pair of eyes is very useful.
Remember a dog needs to be very good before going on a shoot- nothin more embarrassing than not being able to control your dog- whether from stopping a flush or not going after someone else's bird that fell.
 
Yes I think I will take her to a trainer just to get some pointers like you suggested because I certainly dont want that embarrassment while on a shoot! :)
 
Out of curiosity Bobster - how trainable has she been? I've only ever had springers as working dogs before but my OH would like a Golden Retriever to replace his springer and I am wondering how trainable their nature is?

When we trained ours we took them rough evening duck shooting to start with, not as many people about and a chance to understand what will be asked of them without a full day of work, introducing them to guns is always interesting so duck shooting provided us with the inbetween!
 
RunToEarth said:
Out of curiosity Bobster - how trainable has she been? I've only ever had springers as working dogs before but my OH would like a Golden Retriever to replace his springer and I am wondering how trainable their nature is?

When we trained ours we took them rough evening duck shooting to start with, not as many people about and a chance to understand what will be asked of them without a full day of work, introducing them to guns is always interesting so duck shooting provided us with the inbetween!
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I have cockers (working) which train very like sprinters, very excitable but quick to learn. My friend has a working strain retriever. I have found her to be calmer, she takes longer to pick up what u want. She still runs off with things (she's 1) including one of my chickens (it survived!) but she hasn't had regular training yet. At her age my youngest cocker was doing all basic commands including give (and will spit anything out including food). The 3 year old re-homed cocker I have is taking far longer!
I love my friends retriever and I think once my friend has concentrated on her training she will do very well. Sorry that probably wasn't too helpful! Oh she's not as fast and goes for more rests as well but she doesn't bounce off the walls!
 
Runtoearth goldies are very easy to train you only have to say it a few times and they no what to do when you come to the fourth or fifth time you do it with them!
 
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