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laidback

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Everything posted by laidback

  1. Where are all the duckhunters and dog handlers?
  2. He looks good.As far as obedience I started Rascal's when he was 12 weeks old and by the time he was about 5 months old his obedience was excellent. All retriever training is built off of obedience. An uncontrolled dog at a dove shoot will make some people ill. I sent Rascal at 7 months to a pro trainer for force fetching and he could not believe the control I had over that young of a dog. He's never had a e-collar on never been any trouble to train. His drive is awesome and I contribute some of that to not using the collar. Just work some everyday on here,sit,stay and heel and you will be suprised how quick he becomes very obedient.
  3. If you have another dog that likes the water take them together and he will follow it in. If not find somewhere you can wade out a few feet and coax him in. He will get use to it. It does not hurt to leave them in a crate for 2 or 3 hours or more as long as it is inside. It sounds like you are doing everything you need to be doing. Keep it up and he should be fine.
  4. You pose a very good question about what is playing with a hunting dog. You are correct in biting and tug-of-war are not allowed. To me just time spent with him to bond is mostly what I did. It's great that you take him out running and if you have a place swimming is a lot of fun for dogs. I try and let mine run several times a week and just rip and romp. Then like today I was short on time so it was serious work time for about 20 minutes plus a couple of fun bumpers at the end of the training session. I wouldn't think you hurt his retreiving permanetely when you accidently hit him with the bumper. I hit Rascal hard the very first time I ever threw the Doniker and it didn't bother him after a few minutes. If it were me I would forget about retrieving for a while and work on his obedience. I glad he is doing so well with it. When he does start retrieving again really praise him and build up his confidence. He will be fine.
  5. I no expert either but sdkidaho is right about having fun. Don't push him so hard. I'd not do any retreives for 2 weeks and see if that didn't help. That's what a trainer told me when my puppy started keep away. Also when you do retreive throw the bumper where the pup has to come back by you. Everything I have read said absolutely no more the 3 retrieves per session so great desire to retreive is built. Just have fun and bond with him now. There will be plenty of time later for serious work. Just my 2 cents for what it's worth.
  6. If I can get my gyps hips certified before she comes back in heat $750 ea. Vet said she will not have any hip problems ever because she is a smaller lab but puppies bring more if you have it done. If not $500 ea. I have 5 already spoken for. She and the sire both have an outstanding pedigree. They have something like 31 AFC,FC,HRCH champions in a 4 generations.Took these pictures yesterday at a fun day at my training ponds. The two dogs are mom and son. [/img] [/img]
  7. It's ok to use birds but only once every 2 or 3 weeks. If you use them anymore than that you run the risk of having their desire to retrieve bumpers diminish. It was the middle of summer when I introduced the puppies to water so it was very warm. I worried about the effect of cold water on Rascal at the first hunt test. When we ran the first water test it was 33 degrees but it never slowed him up. He made the first retrieve and then I had to hold him while they launched the second bird to keep him from breaking. Webfoot gives good advice about letting a puppy be a puppy and bond with you. As he said always make it fun.
  8. I am by no means a professional trainer.I did no formal training at 6 weeks but did short retrieves in the yard as play time. I also introduced them to water at 6 weeks in the shallow end of a pond with their mother. They took to it like ducks. By the time they were 8 weeks old they all would do 20 yard retrieves with dead doves and the one I kept was doing 20 yard water retrieves by the time he was 10 weeks.All these puppies excelled as they grew. There was one who worked in a duck blind in Arkansas from the day he turned 4 months old until the end of season. The owner told me he was making 90 yards water retrieves on geese that were about as big as he was. Mine completed his SHR title the day he turned 7 months old. At 9 months he is not far from running the seasoned class. I think they did so well because of all the attention that was given them by my wife and I at such an early age and their breeding. As long as you make it fun and games and I don't think you can start to early. I plan on raising another litter this fall and plan on doing exactly as I did with the first one.The pictures are from the first hunt test my puppy passed at 6 months. [/img] [/img]
  9. Sounds like he is doing great. I started training mine at 6 weeks and had all 6 of the puppies retrieving before they went to their new homes. Keep your sessions to 10 minutes or less and your retrieves to no more than 3 at any session. This builds great desire to retrieve. It's hard to limit them like that as it's a blast to watch a puppy retrieve but I promise you it will be worth it later.
  10. I didn't worry about gun shy until my pup was about 4 months old. At that time my I let my wife hold Rascal while I stood about 40 yards away and shot a 12 gauge with dove loads and threw a bumper for him to retrieve. He had no reaction whatsoever to the gun so I gradually moved closer. It didn't take but about 7 or 8 shots and I was shooting over him. The sound of the gun actually turns him on. If I had noticed a reaction at 40 yards I would have moved out to 50 and so on until he paid no attention but concentrated only on retrieving the bumper. Then I would have worked my way closer.
  11. I also use "The 10 Minute Retriever". It pretty much covers everything and is easy to follow. I also have the DVD "Water Dogs".
  12. Did you try a standard collar on him? I had one on all my pups from about the time they were 3 weeks old. Once they got use to it they gave me no problems when I put the choke chain on them. My black lab will stretch his neck out when I put it on him because he loves to train. You are in for a treat training him. I can't wait to get my black back from the trainer. I let him do the force fetching since you can ruin a dog teaching that if you don't know what you are doing. Good luck.
  13. Good looking pics. One thing I noticed is the choke chain on your pup. You should only have that on him when he is training. He could catch it on something while you are not looking and choke himself.
  14. A trainer told me raising a lab in the house is the best think you can do. It builds a bond between you and the dog that can not be built with him staying in a kennel. My lab has stayed in the house from the day he was born and I promise you he is a jam up retriever at 7 months old. He knows the difference between work time and play time and when I get the bumpers or a duck and gun out he goes crazy. You got a great looking dog.
  15. Get some good books to help you. They will take you from day one until you have a finished dog. I like the "10 Minute Retriever" but there are several good ones out there. He should be fine once he gets use to his new home.Obedience is the basic for all other training. Work on sit,heel,stay, and kennel.Of course he is to young for some of it but some things you can work on every day now. Start with short retrieves in the house as a fun game. Never do more than three at a time. This builds their desire to retrieve. Always make it fun and really pump him up with praise. He will eventually build burning desire to please you. Never work him more than 10 minutes at the time as this is about the max for his attention span. It will surprise you how easy it will be to train him and how little time it can be done in.
  16. Also should have come with a bottle of Benelli oil and a parts list.
  17. laidback

    SBE2

    I actually shot those 3" shells through it first. I told him that and he said the 3" shells were fine to break the gun in with. He said the gun comes packed with grease and felt sure cleaning it would solve the problem. I oiled the bolt, trigger, and rails mainly very sparingly with the Benelli oil. I didn't get a chance to shoot it again today but will this weekend. Both CSR's told me they had no doubt this was not going to be a problem. I shot all 3 1/2" turkey loads of different kinds to see what got the best group. Of course the heavy 13 did this since it's $17 for 5 shells in Alabama. The other was Federal Premium,Remington Nitro and Winchester of some kind but not the extended range.
  18. I have trained my lab and it's not hard to do if you have good breeding. I spend about 10 minutes at a time twice a day and at 7 months old he is jam up. I had six puppies born in the litter and all of them are turning out to be super dogs. One of them worked everyday in a duck blind in Arkansas from the time he was 4 months old and made several 90 yard water retrieves on geese. I could go on with stories about each one but my point is the breeding is the difference. My gyp is out of a $1000 litter and I paid $500 stud fee. I have a good friend who bought a reg. lab for $50 and he is nothing but a big lazy pet. Papers do not make a good dog but good breeding does. If the dam and sire of your puppy are good working dogs you shouldn't have any trouble training him. Good luck.
  19. laidback

    SBE2

    Well I put 50 rounds of the 3 1/2" turkey loads through my SBE II yesterday and it still had the hesitation between the 2nd and 3rd shot. I called the CS department and he said the breakin period is at least 150 rounds so I have 50 more to go. I took the gun apart down to the bolt and took the firing pin out and cleaned and reoiled everything with the Benelli oil. I'll try again tomorrow after I finish turkey hunting.
  20. I know one thing is that I put 50 rounds of 3 1/2 turkey loads through mine yesterday trying to get it broken in and my shoulder hurts. I don't know about the other autoloaders but my SBE II kicks about like a 870 super mag. I also bought the Benelli because of the advertised auto with a lot less recoil but you could never tell it by my shoulder.
  21. laidback

    SBE2

    I shot some turkey loads the other day through the factory full choke and it was pretty impressive out to 40 yards. I'll be hunting Alabama. I may get a jelly head and see what it will do also.
  22. laidback

    SBE2

    Thanks again Hogwild. I'll buy several boxes of the turkey loads and try them. Need to try several to see which one patters the best anyway. I asked CS where you could buy the Benelli oil and she said you can't as Benelli can not import it into the US. The only way you get a bottle is when you buy a new gun and they put it into the case. Makes no sense to me. I'm off the first part of the week and will get the turkey loads through the gun. I really appreciate your help.
  23. Hunting Alabama. Going to pattern factory choke in SBE 2 with several different shells before I make up my mind about an after market tube.
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