When you first get a puppy, your going to hear a lot of different advice.
How to house train them. What to feed them. Crate, no crate. How to play, let them play, don’t play too much….
Get a Dog Training Book
One way to sort through the maze of information is with a good book.
Months before Boone was born, after we had put a payment on the litter, I got a few books on labs from the library. Barron’s Labrador Bible was my favorite. It helped prep me for the task that is training a lab. I felt confident that I could do a good job with our dog, and looked forward to the task.
But a few weeks in and I was feeling very confused. Every morning and evening I would do my routine with Boone, which included a “Find the Bone” exercise (for shed hunting), and a bird retrieval exercise. Boone wasn’t always returning the items, and he wasn’t always finding them.
So in a final moment of frustration, I called Jack.
a Good Breeder is a Helpfull Breeder
Jack Biddle of 3 cedars retrievers, our dogs breeder, and a man who trains champion labs, is a very helpful breeder. Jack doesn’t just sell you a dog and send you on the way. He is the kind of breeder who wants to stay in touch, and is willing to help you through the training process. I will even be bringing Boone down in the fall for a bird hunt with Jack in the fall, to let him see other dogs doing what they should be doing in the field.
I explained all my problems to jack. Here’s what I was doing wrong.
Puppy Playtime, Short Sweet and Structured
Simply throwing a fake bird outside for Boone was a bad idea. A Bird dog puppy needs every retrieve to be successful. He needs to be able to find the bird easy, and have no other choice than bring it back to you. Instead of tossing a bird outside, Jack said to go to a hallway, where Boone could easily find the bird, and he wouldn’t be able to run away. He would be forced to come back to me.
A treat after a good retrieve is a great way to encourage more good behavior. And keep sessions short. A basic rule is their age in months plus one, at most. Jack said if he does 2 retrieves and seems like he is getting bored by the second retrieve, to stop. Stop wile he still wants to retrieve.
I’ve Created a Monster!
Two things can happen if you over retrieve your puppy. First you can create a monster. A dog who is addicted to retrieving, and needs to every second of every day. We wanted a dog who would just as soon relax at your feet as he would join me for a bird hunt. Definitely want to avoid the monster behavior.
The other problem over retrieving can cause is a dog that looses interest. Like a kid forced to take piano lessons. He will loose interest fast.
So keep it short and sweet.
I’ve always loved Labrador Retrievers. I think it would be amazing to have one as my family dog. I’ll have to find a breeder to get one from who is helpful. They should stay in touch with me and be willing to give advice and training, like you said. That will show they are a good breeder and are responsible.