New dog training

andyb15

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I’ve never had a dog in my life but we picked up a golden retriever pup this week. Would eventually like the dog to be a bird dog. Any trips on training? At what point should I introduce gunshots?
 


LBrandt

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Start by clapping your hands and work up slowly from there.
 

Petras

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This is going to sound like a lot of work, but it worked very well for me.

When my dog was just about 3 months old I worked on introducing her to gunshots. What I did was for the first week of training or so, when I put her food down for her evening feeding, I would clap a couple times relaly loud while she ate, after a week or so of this i started taking her out to the country for her evening feeding. I would bring my .22 rifle with, put her food down, walk about 30 or 40 yards away and let a couple rounds fly from the rifle. As the week progressed I slowly worked my way closer to her as I shot the rifle. Once i was able to fire right next to her without her paying any attention to the shots, I switched to my considerably louder .22 pistol and started at about 30 yards and worked closer. Once she was good with the pistol I brought out the 12 gauge and started about 30 yards away again and worked in close. It worked very well. Some may feel it's overkill, but once a dog becomes gun-shy, it's very hard to cure them of it so I made sure to take it nice and slow.
 

zoops

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I don't think too many trainers would suggest full-blown gunfire in the first few months, but it's one of those things that is tough to predict. Most things I've seen suggest loud noises while doing things they enjoy are ok - if they're skittish about it, back off for awhile. I used a cap gun while throwing dummies once my dog got a few months old, seemed to work well. Definitely buy some sort of program if you're doing it alone for the first time.
 


Ericb

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Clapping, pots and pans and cap guns ease them into it. When they have gotten used to the noise at home take them to the range. Ease them into it .22 or just near someone else shooting. Avoid rapid fire. You should be able to tell pretty quick how the pup will react. Some dogs don't need any training or easing into things and some are going to be hesitant no matter what.
 

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The Golden personality is pretty mellow and I understand they are fairly easy to train. First gradually introduce them slowly to gunfire, lots of suggestions above. Most are pretty good retrievers from the start and have good noses.
Then build on their mellow personality and teach him/her to be controllable in the field, not work or run out too far. As a hunter owner (but not of Golden’s) IMHO the most important quality any flushing dog can have is being able to work slowly and fairly closely to the owner/hunter. Lots of dogs will flush tons of pheasants...100 yards out, especially when birds are not holding well.....but my shotgun doesn’t work up to a quarter mile. IMO the golden retriever’s personality lends itself to be trained to work in fairly close for a flushing species, and the non pro home trainer can build on it pretty easily. Great family member dogs, too!
Disclaimer -I’m no pro trainer and have had no,experience with Golden trainer. Just passing along what I’ve heard and seen in the field.

- - - Updated - - -

get a copy of Richard wolters gun dog

Yes! Labs and Golden’s are similar. The basics are the same.
 

bigbrad123

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I did a lot of what others have said. Slow introduction with clapping first while feeding, playing fetch, etc. I also used a couple small 2x4's and quietly clapped them together after the clapping didn't seem to have an effect. Eventually got louder. I also went out and played fetch. I'd throw the dummy up in the air and then clap the 2x4's together. I usually did this with another person so I could control the dog before releasing him when the dummy came down. That way you are relating the loud "gunshot" to getting the dog used to looking up in the sky. This was later in the training process. One final important piece. DO NOT let anyone coddle them when there is thunder or other loud noises. If there is a loud thunderstorm, don't cuddle or hold them. Act like it's nothing. Shouldn't be a problem if you slowly introduce them to the noises.
 

guywhofishes

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leather belts are capable of making quite a crisp report

this is the only video I could find but it makes the point

 


3Roosters

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Pup out in the yard while you are mowing the lawn, and if an inside dog, hearing the vacuum cleaner are a couple of examples getting them used to noise.
I would also recommend buying a 40-50 ft check cord when out on a walk about. When he/she gets to the end of the distance of the check cord..toot your whistle and give her a gentle tug. Keep repeating..each time she gets to end of check cord distance, whistle and tug. Before long she will have learned when you blow the whistle she has gone far enuff and needs to get back closer to you. Work a e- collar into the routine when she has the check cord down. If she needs correction if she has ventured to far..hit the vibrate or the whistle or both.
 

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Pup out in the yard while you are mowing the lawn, and if an inside dog, hearing the vacuum cleaner are a couple of examples getting them used to noise.
I would also recommend buying a 40-50 ft check cord when out on a walk about. When he/she gets to the end of the distance of the check cord..toot your whistle and give her a gentle tug. Keep repeating..each time she gets to end of check cord distance, whistle and tug. Before long she will have learned when you blow the whistle she has gone far enuff and needs to get back closer to you. Work a e- collar into the routine when she has the check cord down. If she needs correction if she has ventured to far..hit the vibrate or the whistle or both.

id watch noise from vacuum cleaners. Almost every dog I’ve ever owned in 50 years hated them, yet only one, a Brittany, ever had a problem being gun, or thunder shy. IMO the high pitched whirring sound humans can’t hear might hurt their ears. Booms not so. I think the sounds are so different a vacuum shy dog wouldn’t be gun shy, no worries there.
 
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FishSticks

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Congrats on the pup! They will test your patience and drive you crazy at times but it will all be worth it. You will have no idea how you lived without a dog before. Good luck on the training!
 

Duckslayer100

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I wouldn't get too hard core about anything until the dog is older. Focus on basic obedience and house training. Maybe some walks on a lead through some grass or in the woods, and then graduate to off-lead once you're confident the dog will come when you call.

The first year of a dog's life is just getting it used to living in your home, and testing boundaries on your expectations. Heed my advise and keep the bar HIGH. If the dog has a place, have it learn that place. If the dog can't come in the kitchen when you're eating, don't let it coming in the kitchen. Period. Puppies can learn very quickly, but it's important that you are, above all else, consistent.

When your dog is about a year to a year-and-a-half old, it will hit the "teenager" phase and do a complete 180. If you've been loose with your expectations and consistency, it will be like you never trained it a day in it's life. But if you set that BAR and held it there from Day 1, you can right the ship much quicker and easier.

People who don't know much about dog training or handling think I'm a hard ass with my dogs. But the difference between my dogs and their dogs is that my dogs know what is expected of them at all times. They know when it's OK to be free and do their thing, and they know when to get in line. That doesn't come over night, and it wasn't just me. My wife was on board, and even the friends I hunt with know how to act and treat my dogs.

Again, everybody is different and one guy's idea of what their dog will be is different from another guy's. But every dog can achieve great things if you put the time and effort into them. It's just a matter of how bad you want it, and what your level of a "good boy" is.
 


JakeV

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I agree with Duckslayer, you need to know what your expectations are going into your training and be extremely consistent. If you start letting them get away with bad behavior they will keep it up. Also dogs are instinctive hunters, I feel it is most important in the first year to teach them thoroughly on obedience and establish the trust between you and your dog. When you do start introducing them to birds and hunting all you are really doing is letting the natural instincts in them come out while falling back on the basic obedience training to keep them in the correct position. Appreciate the passion a dog can bring to the field day after day!
 

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I agree with Duckslayer, you need to know what your expectations are going into your training and be extremely consistent. If you start letting them get away with bad behavior they will keep it up. Also dogs are instinctive hunters, I feel it is most important in the first year to teach them thoroughly on obedience and establish the trust between you and your dog. When you do start introducing them to birds and hunting all you are really doing is letting the natural instincts in them come out while falling back on the basic obedience training to keep them in the correct position. Appreciate the passion a dog can bring to the field day after day!
Yep, consistency.....even though it’s often sometimes hard to do. And remember, a year old dog is just a kid. Even a 2year old, still a kid, is classified as a “puppy” and usually run in separate series during most field trials, though not sure about pointing dog field trials. My point is that like humans it takes a while to grow up and learn things.
Good topic, Andy.
 

Radar13

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Go to Google or YouTube and type in hunting dog videos there is a lot to choose from, they will teach you how to train your new pup.
When training your pup to sit follow up the command with a one tone whistle,{command sit then whistle} train your pup to sit when you whistle, pick up a referee whistle for training out side. in the future when hunting your dog will always understand the whistle over your screaming in the wind
 

KDM

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I don't have anything to add for the training part of the story, but do yourself a favor and buy a burr cutting tool, a good shaver/trimmer, and a double helping of patience. EVERY golden I've ever seen in the field acquires every burr, sticker, and hair tangling vegetation that can possibly be found in the hunting area. Then.....Have Fun with your new partner.
 

Captain Ahab

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I did a lot of what was mentioned above with loud noises while feeding. I also picked up a 22 blank pistol and some blanks for field work later. Nice not worrying about a projectile while training.
 


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