Mad Lab

[Ogi73]

Hi All

 

Got myself a black lab a few weeks ago, rescue dog, he was left 13 hrs a day and didn't really get walked. He has settled in pretty well, to say we have only had him a short time, starting his training and fortunately shooting times had a good pull out section on basics which isn't a bad starting point.

 

partner thinks she has been conned! We were getting a springer but in the end she changed her mind after everyone said labs are calmer, well Baz seems not to have been told! got to be honest, she is doing better than me with him! don't know if its because Baz had a women owner or my partner is just more patient.

 

Anyway couple of question;

 

Has anyone had success with anti bark collars, neighbours told us yesterday that when we put him out when we go to work he barks and cries for a couple of hrs, obviously don't want to upset the neighbours.

 

He pulls like a mad un (never been trained), currently using the slip lead as a kind of choke chain (bit gentler I think than the metal ones used when I was a kid), is this the right way forward? Been told them halty things does stop them pulling but doesn't train them, is this right?

 

Is both me and my partner training him going to slow things? We are both using same commands and discuss things, just think he will be used for different things, so we both need him working for us.

 

Finally, and I know its finger in air question, he's 14 months old, if we work on his basics all summer, do you think he'd be ok beating this season (will leave it before I expect him to wait in the hide to retrieve).

 

Long post but thanks in advance, I have my ideas but want a range of opinions!

 

Ogi

[the_commoner]

got into the dog training section on here loads of pinned posts from new to the flock, plent of advice in there

[Ogi73]

Thanks mate, have done, was just reading through before posting this and to be honest excellent advice, just wanted comments/ opinions.

 

ta

 

Ogi

[Beardo]

My lab's only just calming down now and she's 2.

I'd just keep telling her 'no' if she barks and be very positive when she does things right.

Slip lead has worked fine for me - though she still pulls a bit if she's really excited - again i just try to be as positive as possible when she's doing things right.

Who knows on the beating side - i'm sure you'd be fine taking him and keeping him on a lead - but you'd just have to see come the time if you think you trust him off it.

Mine's my first gun dog - i've made loads of mistakes along the way (i've also found it very hard to give her the training that i'd like as i have two young kids) - it's all a learning curve!

I'm sure some of our more experience dog chaps can help even more.

[al4x]

Get to some training classes, simply the dog is boss at the moment and will only carry on till he gets some training. Beating is possible with loads of work between now and October but you might not get invited back if you don't put the work in between now and then

[Ogi73]

Thanks for replies, was going to start with Coventry Gundog club but missed out for this year, didn't think about local mut training club, looked on line and plenty around, so I'm thinking do this to get basics and then go to gundog club next year when next years classes start.

 

What are peoples thoughts to me and partner both training? wanting to do this because I'm a gun on the shoot so she will do most of beating with dog, but longer term I will take pigeon and bushing, so need it used to both of us.

 

On his walk surprised me, he's a sod to get the slip on, he comes close then runs off thinking its a game, today opened 4x4 back door and in he jumped first time!

[Martin&Oakley]

im in the same boat, 8 month old gsp. he has started to really test me!

i understand he is a hunting dog and as such will go and 'hunt' just about anything in the park/woods. its just frustrating that he wont stay close.

 

i find when trying to get him on the slip lead i will crouch down with a treat and really be positive when calling him, when he goes for the treat i grab his collar and on goes the slip lead.

 

as for local dog training classes, try and sit in on one first. wasted 60 quid with some nugget dog trainer. she tried to say he was a very hyper dog, well he would be when you've got another 6 dogs crammed into a small church hall!!!

[Cosd]

On his walk surprised me, he's a sod to get the slip on, he comes close then runs off thinking its a game, today opened 4x4 back door and in he jumped first time!

 

Dogs very quickly associate putting the lead on to end of play time, so they will avoid letting you if they can.

 

Start putting his lead on whilst in the park and give him a treat and loads of praise before letting him off again. Keep repeating this a few times whenever you go out.

 

Keep doing this so the lead doesn't necessarily mean it's time to go home. When it is time to go home, make sure to really show him that he's done good.

Edited May 28, 2013 by Cosd

[al4x]

im in the same boat, 8 month old gsp. he has started to really test me!

i understand he is a hunting dog and as such will go and 'hunt' just about anything in the park/woods. its just frustrating that he wont stay close.

 

 

 

Been there got the t-shirt and it does get better, you just have to be consistent in your training and accept you bought a dog that will range and hunt as long as there are hours left in the day. Its getting it on your terms that is the important bit and really between 8 months and 18 months my GWP did test me as much as possible.

[WGD]

its just frustrating that he wont stay close.

 

They're not supposed to

[pegleg31]

Get to some training classes, simply the dog is boss at the moment and will only carry on till he gets some training. Beating is possible with loads of work between now and October but you might not get invited back if you don't put the work in between now and then

Personally I'd forget about doing any shooting/beating this coming season. If your dog isn't 100% right you'll make matters worse, do you want a peg dog or a beating dog?

[ben0850]

Quick question for the OP...has your dog still got all of his tackle so to speak?

Our sheepdogs are predominantly bitches as are most of the estate picking up dogs etc as they are generally steadier and more biddable.

My father in laws lab is now 2 yrs old and had his tackle for his first season, he got to the point of becoming too headstrong with other dogs and the ladies so he's been down the vets...now a much steadier calmer dog by a long way!

My young lab has also been at the vets and he's much better for it IMHO, just watch their diet and their weight.

 

Ps: I'm sure other lads will find differing results as at the end of the day every dog is different!

[scotslad]

Couple off things quickly.

 

Firstly i would try and get some decent 'hands on' advice wether it is a gungog training club a pro trainer or even someone u shoot with (or picker up) who u think is good with there dogs. Listen to as much advice as possible loads of wee tricks that makes life far easier that exp boy's will know.

 

Decide wot u want dog to do, either peg or beating althou most dogs with decent oedience/steadiness should do both no prob's quite easily, i think the picking up/ beating combo is the hardest on a dog

 

Possibly u might have problems if both u and mrs are training it/throwing dumies at same time as might confuse/distract it, possibly better to train it with only 1 off u present, but just make sure u are both consistant with commands/handling, althou never encountered it so might not be a problem

 

Walking to heel, loads of different ways u can teach it to walk to heel. The easiest i think is the way that was described in shooting times a few weeks ago by that ian clinton who wrote that guide, might be in there too, not read it yet, Basically take ur slip lead and take a big loop and figure of 8 it over the dogs nose sort of like a halter type thing, gives u a lot off control. Dogs don't like it at first but get used to it, be gentle with them

 

I personnally do not believe in chopping dogs nut's off, good training will overcome most (not all) dogs problems and it is rarely the fact they have a pair. I think u can get implants now which supresses hormones similkar to castration to see if it would make a difference, concentrate on the training first

 

Finally barking. I would firstly try leaving meaty bones or a kong filled with food to keep dog amused first before u even think about a collar

If u go down the collar road, do it right, put the collar on dog well before u are about to pt it in run and leave it on turned off for a good 1-2 weeks before u turn it on. U do not want the dog to associate the collar with being time to get locked up for day or associating it with the shock/spray as it will learn not to bark only when collar is on and will bark at other times. If dog is really used too collar will not realise that is wot is correctin it.

 

Lab's esp can come on amazingly well and quickly if u put the work in, impossible to say if it will be ready for this season, but with a bit off work it would not be out off the question. But far more dogs are ruined by taking shooting to early than too late, and the best way to ruin a well trained dog is to take it shooting

 

Good luck with it

[The Ghost]

A good place to start....forget about every thing that happened to the dog before you got it.

This is giving you the excuse for it's poor behaviour, dogs like to make owners happy...they get food....they get hugs.

The dog will never respect you if it knows you are sick of him and feel like choking it......they know more than you think so keep calm around him.

I take it your partner feeds him, this can bring about trust and respect....she could be a chicken the Lab would feel the same about her if being fed.

You have got a great gundog, most Labs I know tend to be brighter than their owners when in the field....no disrespect intended.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HobN-VcTXdU This may help also.

[al4x]

 

Walking to heel, loads of different ways u can teach it to walk to heel. The easiest i think is the way that was described in shooting times a few weeks ago by that ian clinton who wrote that guide, might be in there too, not read it yet, Basically take ur slip lead and take a big loop and figure of 8 it over the dogs nose sort of like a halter type thing, gives u a lot off control. Dogs don't like it at first but get used to it, be gentle with them

 

 

 

I keep meaning to have a word with him when I see him and mention that you need to be super careful with this as if the dog backs up sharply it pulls the lead straight off. Fine if you aren't near a road but if you are on a pavement by a road its not worth doing, it does work well though in other respects

[Troosers Too]

As someone has already said, I'd say the best thing you could do is use a professional trainer on an individual basis. A good professional trainer will be able to get the dog's basic manners sorted out in a fraction of the time you could do yourself. After that, regular sessions either with the trainer or in a club should allow you to keep things progressing nicely. Very few of us have the time, patience, techniques or the talent to train as well as a professional - especially with a dog that is 14 months old and has, before you got it, had little or no training or direction.

 

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

 

Cheers

TT

[scotslad]

Must admit Al4x that problem of a dog baccking up sharply has never happened to me. Althou I have only used it on my wire as he could be a ****** for pulling at times and most of the other things i tried weren't working, a lot off the hpr folk use it.. I would not normally use it unless i had a dog that was pulling to correct a problem

 

I can see in theory how that could happen, but (not wanting to seem cheeky) are u sure it was on right? did u have the stopper right up on the lead keeping it in place? Must admit i don't even use the stopper on the odd occasion i sometimes put it on if he's misbahaveing and he walk's spot on to heel with the lead slack and never been like falling off, but he doesnt suddenly back track, never really had any dog do that. Also my leads i'm on the now are fairly so mibee stickier?

 

I have had dogs lose there slip lead when on normally, usually it is so lose it either falls off or falls off due to 1 of the other dogs knocking it, but dog is still walking to heel anyway.

Also know a fella that used to lose a dog regularly on his morning speed walks while still on the lead. It must have learned how to get off and knew he wasn't concentrating and would ****** off into the woods, (he just used poly prop rope homemade leads) used to be funny meeting him at garage and asking why he only had the 3 dogs with him

[Ogi73]

Thanks for all the reply's.

 

Using the booklet from shooting times as the basis, going to check out a training class this afternoon (basic obedience), done on a weekly basis with a view to join Coventry gun dog club and do there 10m week course next spring.

 

To be fair he is a dog that is eager to please, not expecting or wanting a champion just a mate to take shooting, I think with a bit of effort he'll get there.

[Ogi73]

update

 

since last posting he has had his tackle removed.

 

just off to first training class at local mut club. Lets see if they allow him back!lol