Training for shooting

[Passionforangling]

I wonder if those with experience could offer any advice on the topic of preparing a Labrador for the shooting field. My dog is coming up to 12 months now so over the next year I'd like to get him ready for actually going out. I've read all the suggestions regarding getting used to gunshot and I think he's ok with that.

I'm just not sure what the next step should be. Is it introduction to game in the garden?, taking him with a friend and sitting in a hide some distance away to get him used to sitting behind a net? I'm just not sure, he's my first gun dog.

 

I would be interested to hear how you approached this aspect of your training

 

Thanks

[fenboy]

I would generally say , when you are sure he will do as asked of him , having said that one of mine has been such a pain in the **** to train he got to the stage where I decided sod it I am taking him and he will sink or swim , fortunately he has turned into a fine dog for fowling coming on leaps and bounds this season , he is however still very short of good manners.

 

As far as getting your dog ready , move from dummys to dummys with fur and feather attached and from there to cold game , introduce those into your usual training regime .

Its difficult to advise as each dog is different and you do not say what level the dog is already at , things like does he take direction , is he steady , can you handle him over obsticles etc.

[old'un]

I wonder if those with experience could offer any advice on the topic of preparing a Labrador for the shooting field. My dog is coming up to 12 months now so over the next year I'd like to get him ready for actually going out. I've read all the suggestions regarding getting used to gunshot and I think he's ok with that.

I'm just not sure what the next step should be. Is it introduction to game in the garden?, taking him with a friend and sitting in a hide some distance away to get him used to sitting behind a net? I'm just not sure, he's my first gun dog.

 

I would be interested to hear how you approached this aspect of your training

 

Thanks

Think you need to tell us where you are with your training and what your main type of shooting will be.

[Passionforangling]

Ok, a bit more detail.

 

He is currently quite steady I think. I take him to a nearby park where there are quite a few kids about and he will sit and allow me to walk 30-40 yards away without moving. I have tried to ration his retrieving of dummies so that he doesn't expect every dropping bird to be his. So, I tend to throw the dummy and allow him to retrieve about 1 in every 5. I also try to take him to different places to practise in unfamiliar situations. I have tried to train him to the whistle and he brings the dummy back well to hand but I have to admit that on occasions he does run past me but then turns and brings it back. So, he's not rock steady at the moment in that respect. I've introduced him to gunshot at 100yds gradually down to beside me and he is fine with that. I haven't really done much with regard to direction yet. At the moment we are working on getting him to stop and sit at a distance, he's fine at the stop whistle when he's next to me but I am finding it quite tricky to master stopping him at distance so any tips on that would be helpful.

He will be a pigeon shooting dog so needs to have the patience to sit in the hide for long periods of inactivity ( if my recent trips out are anything to go by!!!

We have a small rough shoot so he will need to retrieve wildfowl from water as well, so again needs to sit still, in semi darkness.

Hope that paints a picture of where we are at the moment.

Edited December 17, 2015 by Passionforangling

[fenboy]

Have you handled him over water , IE rather than throwing a dummy in water throw it over the water so he has to find it on the far side then bring it back ?

The running past with the retrieve is not a huge problem if the dog is going to be used informally as long as he is not running off with it.

[JDog]

If your dog is only allowed to retrieve one dummy for every five which you throw you must be getting through a lot of dummies.

 

As always it is difficult to advise on other people's dogs without having seen them. One thing to get right at this stage is respect which works both ways. Don't be tempted to take him out game shooting this season and introduce him to pigeon shooting only when both of you are ready. Remember if you and he are in the close confinement of a net hide and he doesn't like it then give up immediately.

[old'un]

Well it seems you are doing ok from what you have told us, keep the good work up, yes the stop command one of the most important commands in training.

Don't try stopping him at a distance yet because if you are not sure the dog heard the whistle its difficult to correct him at distance, take him to a quiet spot and let him run about when he is about 10-15 yards from you blow the stop whistle, now you need to mark the very spot you blew the whistle, if he does not stop on that spot walk swiftly to him and take him gently back to that very spot and give hand and whistle stop, (plus praise) do not try stopping him any further away until you are sure he will stop every time you give the stop whistle, if you are sure he heard the stop whistle never let him get away with not stopping, and its easier to correct him when he close by.

You may need to take a step back with him, take him for his walks, keep him on the lead and blow the stop whistle, at the same time a light jerk on the lead or a push on the rump helps.

[E.w.]

Buy yourself a good book on how to train the Labrador gundog it's as easy as that.

 

Training the working gundog by Jeremy hunt.

Edited December 17, 2015 by E.w.

[scotslad]

It does sound that ur are making quite a good job of it really, possibly at its age u could allow the dog to retrieve far more dummies than it is at the moment.

But ur definately on the right lines

 

Just to add a wee bit to Old un's post, i find it easier if the dog is already sitting and u recall him to u, just from 10-15m then blow stop whistle+ hand signal, this way ur dog is already focussed on u, hopefully less change of it going wrong intially.

If u do not expect the dog to stop raise ur hand as high as u can (natzi style) and take a big step forward, hopefully u moving towards him and a high hand will make him sit down a bit sharper, i'm never too stricy intially if he sits within a few paces i praise, but soon after i try to make it sit as quickly as possible and take dog back to the spot. I usally wait till dog is at an easily markable spot, big thistle, netal, tut of grass etc so i can takehim back to the spot easily

 

For stediness u should be able to increase the distance and walk round about the dog, or too him and past him and keep going etc, then try walking behind something out off sight, start with a bush 1st so u can peer thru and give him a 'Oi' if he moves

 

Is there no one on ur rough shoot with a decent dog tha t can help u.

A lesson with a decent trainer would help a lot to show u how to progress to the next stages easily, if u've done the basics right it should be easy

I always think group training can be handy for things like this as u will learn from the other folk/dogs and good experience for dog being amoung other dogs etc. Quite a good social thing for u both

 

My only word of warning would be pigeons are not ideal for a dogs 1st feathered retrieve, as often get amouthful of feathers which can put them off sometimes. So save some pheasant/duck wings for tying to ur dummies later on in the year

[Passionforangling]

Buy yourself a good book on how to train the Labrador gundog it's as easy as that.

Training the working gundog by Jeremy hunt.

I have that book E.W. But thanks for the heads up. My dog came from Jeremy Hunt, nice fella!

[fenboy]

I have that book E.W. But thanks for the heads up. My dog came from Jeremy Hunt, nice fella!

 

The fenway labs are some of the best looking dogs I have seen .

If only it was as easy as just buying a book !

[kent]

Make a list of what you require and train for it

 

To be honest some reading is good but it's primary you get what you want and need. If I wanted to trial a lab I should train it way differentvthan I do for fowling likewise if it was to be a heel hugger to work with spaniels on walked up

[old'un]

A wealth of wisdom can be gleaned from the pages of some modern and classic gundog books, one such book was given to me by Peter Moxon when I visited his kennels back in 1968, a book is just another tool in your armour when training your dog, but when you get to a sticky problem with your dog its a godsend if you can have an experienced trainer in the field with you.

Trying to relay how to train a dog through a website like this is almost like a doctor trying to diagnose an illness over the internet, yes you can ask questions on the best way to achieve lesson A or B and you will get lots of help on sites like this but i think you should look for a trainer near you that can give you some help with the bits you have read in your book but are not to sure on how best to apply the lesson correctly.

Be wary of people on your shoot with dogs that run riot as soon as they are let off the lead but profess to knowing how to get your dog to do A or B, just watch people on your shoot that have well trained dogs and ask them for some guidance, most will be only to willing to help you.

Scotslad is correct about pigeons and a mouth full of feathers but most of my dogs first retrieve on dead game was pigeon but make sure the game is cold and put it in a clean sock, pheasant/duck wings on the dummy is something I have used myself and works well, I would not put the dog on any ground game (rabbits) until he is rock steady, I have seen a few coursing Labradors/Spaniels over the years.

Hope I have not put you off asking questions here because its a good source of help,
use all the tools you can to learn about training, one of the best training aids in my mind are YouTube videos (never had them in my day) but use all aids you can, Books, Videos, Websites, etc.

hope this helps a little.

[E.w.]

I have that book E.W. But thanks for the heads up. My dog came from Jeremy Hunt, nice fella!

Why don't you give Jeremy a call he would gladly help you as it's one of his dogs and he wants them all to do well you can't go wrong.

[Passionforangling]

Why don't you give Jeremy a call he would gladly help you as it's one of his dogs and he wants them all to do well you can't go wrong.

I took my dog up to Jeremy's in August to take part in one of his training days. Bailey was by far the youngest dog there and found it all a bit overwhelming I think! The hospitality offered by Jeremy and Anita was first rate, stunning food.

 

I'm hoping to take Bailey back next summer for Jeremy to see him. I should be clear, my dog came from Christchurch, his mum was a Fenway Labrador

[E.w.]

I used to trail a few labs back in the day well 30 years ago, that's why it's logical to deal only with Jeremy he will advise you through the stages you wish to learn, people on this forum are well meaning but very few will have that experience of training a gundog from start to finish to such a high standard.