gunsafe Posted January 20, 2013 Report Share Posted January 20, 2013 Hi guys, my 2 lab pups are just over 5 and 6 months old they are on Skinners field trial puppy since 3 months, both doing really well, when can I switch to adult skinners field trial duck & rice? Also any tips on when and how to start dummy retrieves at what age and how often to train this once a week? Every day? And help me with how to start and best stages to go through please Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoot-rhino Posted January 20, 2013 Report Share Posted January 20, 2013 Anything from 6-12 months, I go to adult normally around 9months Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ETO Posted January 21, 2013 Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 I'd change them now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted January 21, 2013 Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 (edited) Hi guys, my 2 lab pups are just over 5 and 6 months old they are on Skinners field trial puppy since 3 months, both doing really well, when can I switch to adult skinners field trial duck & rice? Also any tips on when and how to start dummy retrieves at what age and how often to train this once a week? Every day? And help me with how to start and best stages to go through please Cheers your training two at once? as a first go? Boy that's making things hard. Train them one at a time and get a very good mentor or pro help, you have taken a big bite there. I am not a big fan of puppy completes as I want to know exactly what they are getting but go off what you see and introduce the new food slowly from now onwards I should say. You really need a game plan to train a dog and the game plan might well change and become different for either, advising further than GET HELP NOW is foolish in this case. I simply wouldn't myself but if forced one would leave for pro training and one would stay with regular meet ups with the trainer for help with the training your charge (you do need this if your asking how at 6mnths) and progress checks on the other. Two at once is something a very experienced guy should think twice about Edited January 21, 2013 by kent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGD Posted January 21, 2013 Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 (edited) Food - the pups will generally get a bit loose as the puppy food becomes too rich for them. I would keep them on puppy just now, I can't remember if Skinners do a Junior food as a step between puppy and adult? Puppy food is rich to help them during their growth so keep them on it for a while yet, I generally change between 9 and 12 months but I did have one pup where the puppy food started to go through her at just over 6 months. I also think Arden Grange is unbeatable as a dry food, but if Skinners is working for you then no need to change. With regards to training, it sounds like you could do with some guidance and asking such open ended questions on a forum may leave you with conflicting advice and more questions than answers so seeking advice from an experienced trainer now would be worthwhile, as would deciding what you want to use the dogs for and tailoring your training to that. Kent's point is a good one, two pups at one time is not easy, but you are where you are. I would suggest you do what you can to ensure they do not become strongly bonded to one another to the detriment of their bond with you. Depending on the dogs that might be as easy as training and exercising separately. You don't say if they are kennelled or not? Kennelling them separately is also something I would consider, or if they are in the house two separate crates and letting them out separately for play and exercise. You've got to let them have fun with one another, they are not in jail! But if they spend all day every day playing with each other you are becoming the bit part in the relationship rather than the centre of it. All IMO of course, we all have our own weird and wonderful way of doing things. Edited January 21, 2013 by WGD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larp Posted January 21, 2013 Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 my cocker is 6mths have just put her on skinners crunchy they can stay on this until about 18mths Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotslad Posted January 21, 2013 Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 I generally move from a puppy to a junior food around the 6ish month stage and keep it on the junior for a while usually over a year old. I would also second both the advice from kent and wgd, very good advice, and would advise u to read a few decent training books as well as getting some experienced help. 2 dogs not easy of same age and wgd has it spot on with them bonding with each other rather than u Up till the age there at should all be play training but getting them accostomed to recalling and sitting and also the whistle, i would also have them retrieving hankies etc from an early age but not taking it off them just playing and getting them used to being praised while they have something in there mouth. Far too much to go into really but it's not too late but i would get some decent advise of someone either a pro trainer, breeder, local gandog club or all off them. The sooner u get good advice the easier it will be Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunsafe Posted January 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 Thanks guys, probably help if i expend a bit on my dogs, I did take professional advice and have some good friends with dogs, I keep in touch with the pups breeders who are very helpful. I think I may sound a bit green and stupid but really I am not I researched a lot before buying my two pups and read and watch dvd's, my training is going very well I also have two five year old labs who's training never stops, I have a great bond with them both, I give all my dogs time and have two grown up twin sons who share the responsibility in building up our Gundogs, shooting and training. Why then am I asking questions on this forum? I believe that all advise should be considered and I am greatly interested in the methods and experience of others. The feedback on this forum is a good example with various opinions and advice on how others do things and what works for them. I kennel all my dogs separately outside and spend bonding time and training individually, I also allocate short periods of play time for all the dogs which helps socialising. I was warned about raising and training pups but told so long as both get quality time and attention it's all about committment and my family have lots of that. I was also warned about winter training pups and I must say it is as difficult as they say with short daylight and poor weather conditions, kind of learnt the lesson that winter is not the best time but I am where I am and focussed, my dogs are my life. I really appreciate the various comments and have to analyse feedback and make the adjustments that I feel will best meet my pups needs. I am up at 6am sounding at least 45 minutes with each puppy absolute 1-1, then 30 minutes cleaning out before I take out the two older dogs to the fields. Then off to work, back lunchtime for some short 1-1 attention to pups then back to work, 6pm and it all starts again, I love it it stimulates me and at 56 give me great pleasure. Each puppy is now walking on lead to heel and off lead to heel, both sit and stay steady at distance and Both work well to recall verbally and recently to whistle. Trust me without genuine professional advice from others I would have struggled and you are right when you say we all do weird and wonderful things, I was brought up to listen to others then form an opinion that will ultimately reduce the risk of failure. I hope that I will also be able to share my experiences with others, after all we all have something special in common, our dogs. I hope this gives a better picture of my situation guys and what level me and my dogs are at, far from being totally green but also very keen to learn from you all. Back to my initial questions - my pups are now getting a little loose and wondered if I should up their food to adult? It's interesting the different views on this subject but all advise is appreciated think I will blend the two puppy and adult for a couple of months 2nd question was - tips on retrieving of course as you suggest I do read books and watch DVDs but I am a great believer in other peoples opinions. Maybe I gave the wrong impression that i have not already sought good professional advice by asking these questions but I was very interested in the methods of others and still am? I also realise the importance of getting it right and perhaps my keeness I expect too much from a forum, just want to share my experiences with others and share others advice. Good job I have it all under control, If you think i it tough now i have a fantastic pedigree litter due in February from my FTW bitch bred with my own dog. My sons are taking a puppy each all going well but as an expansion of our kennels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunsafe Posted January 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 Sorry in my extensive writing I forgot to thank you all for your input, if you have any training tips for my next stage of retrieving I would of course be very interested. All comments are welcome on the two questions I asked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted January 21, 2013 Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 The thing I don't get is your breeding from another "gundog" yet want tips on what a lab just does, don't get me wrong here they need polish but with a work bred Lab retrieving is a total in bred obsession. what is it your struggling with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotslad Posted January 21, 2013 Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 Sounds like ur doing fine and if u've got a bitch to FTW standard u must be doing something right. As for winter training as u know only takes 5-10 mins with pups that age so by time light nite comes ur dogs will have the concetration for longer training sessions. I believe the old way off only allowing ur dog to pick 1 in 3-5 dummies makes sense to keep it steady but i know a very very good trainer who lets them pick everything and throws far more than i would. I'd try to find either 1 or 2 pro/experienced dog trainers who have same outlook/training philosphy as u and stick mainly to their advice, while internet things are great any tom **** or harry could tell u anything and even if the advice works for them and there dogs might not work for u and ur's. Possibly also join a local club so u can meet other locals and bounce ideas off folk who know ur dogs. But If someone gives u advice and does not make sense to u don't do it, I folowed some bad advice and it has really put my back with my dog; first hpr. i thought it was bad advice but when a top trainer gives u advice (who i have known for a long time 20+years, but i train differently now) u sort of take it, i possibly done it wrong but botom line is they hadn't seen my dog or know how i train, gettin back on track now but been a lot off hard work and i should off known better and ignored it.Hindsight is a great thing For the food i'd possibly look to a junior type food tend to be slighlty lower protien than puppy but more than adult plus should have other vitamins in it to help a growing dog, any doubt ask vet or breeder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 The point from Scotslad was a good one. We are all different in personality our dogs are also, the trainer who thinks but one way can only get great results with the dog that suits him. The guy who gets great results with but one way either 1. knows what prospect to pick (a hard one to get right) or 2. mucks a lot off to those who they might suit better ( not always a bad thing). what we need is to be adaptive and to be honest about our own strengths and weaknesses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunsafe Posted January 22, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 Thanks Scotslad, thanks Kent your comments are much appreciated, hopefully I will do ok and can share my experiences with you all. I want to trial so am approaching a professional trainer locally to lead me right, don't get me wrong I am doing ok, but agree a professional can set me up a program and can tell if where I am right and wrong. Thanks again yours in sport Gunsafe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catweazle Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 Don't leave it too late to switch off puppy food, or your dog could grow too much and end up with dodgy joints. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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