cab09

I would recommend the training guides produced by the gundog club

Stick with it and give the dog lots of praise and build it's confidence. Start with your Nora batty tights with a pigeon/woodcock etc in and after a while start to pull a few if the feathers out through the tights and the dog will eventually get used to it. Don't give up on it, just preserver and it'll come good.

First of all I'm no expert trainer, but I suspect the lab is a young dog, inexperienced at picking up game?? It's been mentioned to me quite a bit in the past by experienced trainers not to start picking up with pigeons, get them confident on the likes of pheasant, partridge and rabbit first. The reason being it can put dogs off retrieving if a young dog picks pigeons as their feathers come out and it's difficult for them to get them out of their mouths - which they don't like. If I was you I'd put some pheasant wings and rabbit skins on a dummy and practice with them for a while. Also,if your dog is experienced but first time on pigeon, get an old set of tights and put the pigeons in them for a few practice outings first before the real thing again. Hope this helps - they don't like pigeon feathers

Are you saying you would stop him on his way back to the marked dummy you dropped for him which he has seen and knows where it is? Would this make him hesitant if you keep stopping him and/or over reliable on you? Im keen for some advice on the same problem too. I was thinking maybe...heeling the dog, dropping the dummy so he has marked it. Heel the dog back at a distance say 30 yards or so and then cast him back. Each time you can steadily increase the distances and after a while vary them also so he knows that they all arent 50+ yards away??

Thanks everyone for your help/ comments. I think initially I will try and keep him at heel for the first few outings as there will be a lot of new things to cope with (other dogs, different people, firing, other dog whistles etc) just to see how he copes and behaves/ reacts. He hasnt been out on warm game yet or done any dogging in. I have done a few cold game retieves though. Just not sure how this will go down with other guns when I say my dog isnt beating! I might see how he goes and after a few outings I might then work him in front of me but keep him tight......still not sure though. I originally got a dog for me and the shooting I do and wont ever be trialling him, but after all the work I've put in its hard to know what to do for the best. I want him out with me as often as I can. At the end of the day my shooting will involve driven game, walked-up/ beating and picking up on alternative weeks on a different shoot- I think it will be a case of watching him for any signs of disobedience as you say. It sounds easy in theory, but like one member said above it will be hard whilst im concentrating on my shooting. Hopefully, by doing alternative weeks picking up only it will keep him in line....who knows Thanks again

Just thought I'd ask for peoples opinions/ advice. I have a young labrador who is 19 months old. Training has gone quite well, he is steady, recalls, stops and directional commands are good too. He works well in training, will mark and hunts good for blinds etc. I am pleased with his progress and now feel he is ready for his first season in the field. He is the first dog I have owned/ trained and he is the only dog at home. I originally expected to pick up on a local shoot with him aswell as be a peg dog for when I shoot driven game. My problem is, at the shoot I am now a new member of, you stand one and walk/ beat one. However, when speaking to some experienced trainers they say putting a good dog on the beating line is a waste and will ruin him. Im not too sure what to do for best, can he not be a good all-rounder? What do they mean when they say the beating line will ruin a good dog? Does it mean he will become unsteady at the peg and I take it increase the drive to chase?? What would the experienced handlers out there do if they were in my position as I've put a lot of work in and obviously dont want to spoil a good dog? Many thanks for your help. CAB

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I'm looking to buy a remote dummy launcher (chord operated) and was wondering if anyone could recommend one? I have found 2 on the web which look quite good; these are the lite launcher from gundog gear and the remote launcher from Turner Richards. Looking at them I thought the Turner Richards was the better one. Thought I would just ask to see if anyone has any of these or would recommend another for around the same price.

Hi Darren I found I had the same problem as I was getting bored and so was the dog doing the sane routine everytime. I'm not sure what age or level your dog is at. I'm not an experienced trainer so I bought some of the training guides from the gun dog club online. These, I think, are great value for money with good explanation and reasoning etc. By working my way through this guide I could plan my sessions the week in advance and progress at the dogs pace and not mine. I might do steadyness training one day then retrieving excercises the other then another day mix and match the two. I vary the distances and locations also with increases the dogs attention and awareness. Within the steadyness training I have a number of excercises which I can swap and change around such as clockface with dummys and a pattern drill which consists of long duration sit at distances etc. For retrieving days I have marks, go backs, blind go backs and directional training. All of which are varied a different locations and distances. I practice heelwork everytime also, on and off the lead now with some distractions being introduced. Within the heelwork and steadyness I introduce the stop whistle association. Eg at the end of a 2 minute stay whilst facing the dog I blow stop whistle and return to reinforce it. I also slip the stop whistle in whilst doing heelwork and vary it at different speeds eg walking at heel and stop whistle sit at side, then build up to jogging at heel and blowing stop whistle sit. As I say I'm no experienced trainer and not sure what stage your dog is at. I would recommend a training guide from the gun dog club also. I'd you let me know what you have been doing with your dog I may be able to list sone different excercises for you??

hi blacklab, training is now going really well - entirely different dog! Sent you a PM

Hi everyone Thanks for all the replies and advice, its much appreciated. Cracker, Im not following 100% what you are trying to say (probably me being stupid). I really do feel that he is getting sickened off due to the amount of training we have been doing - my fault. I dont understand it if I kept giving him retrieves all the time how it will improve his 'keeness'; every book i have read always says to stop when the dog is still keen for more and ration sensibly or otherwise he will get sick (understandably). We have a structured training plan which is planned in advance most weeks - dependant upon how the dog has coped with the traning during the week gone by. We go over the previous tasks (not every time though) to keep them instilled and introduce new concepts gradually. He has structured and consistent commands for everything, including retrieving i.e. 'back' (with direction to the area by hand) for blinds and his name for marks. My wife throws marks at increasing distances once a week also. We are at a stage now where more advanced techniques are being introduced slowly and gradually broken down into small manageable tasks. We have started directional training i.e. along fencelines and casting from a short distance from the stop whistle. I have increased distances for 'backs' but found he plays with the dummy on his longer return back to me. I also hide a tennis ball in the same corner of the field (only recently) and sent him for that blind - which he enjoys. My main observation being, he has gradually become less interested in the training, especially the retrieving - as this is what we are doing more of now because of the level we are at. I think this is solely due to the amount/ duration and intesnity of his sessions, as i felt i steadied him at the right time and age also. I feel that we may need to slow down a little. Many thanks again everyone for your time and help. CAB

Hi bigthug - thanks for the info I like the sound of going out of site on the return. When you say rest him do you mean altogether ie no training at all or just retrieves? Sorry forgot to mention it's a dog nit bitch. Hi Darran - again thanks for the info I have tried different dummys with rabbit skins and tennis balls etc. He is also now really slow on his recall whistle as I had the same idea as you to concentrate on this. Was thinking of just laying off altogether and may be trying to increase the play element / bond in the back garden only as I feel now he doesn't even want to be with me (as daft as it sounds). Thanks again

Thanks for that....... Really helpful and much appreciated.