Starting Off on the Right Foot
The First Few Months of Retriever Training are Critical
By J. Paul Jackson Retriever Editor
Every year about this time I start getting phone calls from folks who have decided that the time has come to add a furry, four-legged retrieving machine to the family. Some of these good people will have hunted over a friend’s dog and decided that they have to have one, too. Others will have had an epiphany involving a well-trained retriever while slogging through knee-deep mud chasing a crippled duck.
Regardless of how they have arrived at this crossroads of dog ownership, all have a common goal—they want the best duck dog that they can possibly have.
Unfortunately, while they may know what they want, they have no idea how to get it. Because where you end up usually depends upon where you start, in this article we will take a look at puppies, specifically, “how do you acquire the right pup?” and “what should you do with it when you get it home?”
Acquiring a Puppy
Over the years a tremendous amount has been written about the specifics of picking a pup. I have witnessed buyers perform any number of “tests” on individual puppies in a litter trying to find the right one, and I have heard of dozens more. While I believe that these methods of selecting an individual pup may have merit, I think it is much more important to pick the right sire and dam. As the late Bill Tarrant once said, “Picking a good pup starts with picking a good litter”.
So how do you pick the right parents? Start by taking a look at each parent on paper. Do they have any titles such as Field Champion, Master Hunter or Hunting Retriever Champion? Next, are they genetically sound? Ask the breeder to furnish clearances on hips and eyes. Finally, are they proven producers? That is to say, do they have offspring from previous litters either alone or together that are excelling as hunting dogs or in competition?
Since all of these factors will usually have a bearing on the price of the pups, the ideal litter may not be economically feasible for all buyers. However, buying a puppy from the best litter you can afford will usually pay off in the long run.
Perhaps as important as buying the right puppy is taking it from the litter at the right time. Puppies removed from the litter too early tend to lack what animal behaviorists call “canine identity” and relate poorly to other dogs. Puppies removed too late from the litter often exhibit avoidance tendencies toward humans and can prove untrainable.
In his classic book, Water Dog, author Richard Wolters wrote that “a puppy should be taken home… at the exact age of 49 days”. Wolters based this premise on scientific studies conducted by the late Dr. J. Paul Scott, social psychologist, at the Animal Behavior Laboratory in Mount Desert Island, Maine.
In his studies Dr Scott found that puppies learn best if removed from the litter at seven weeks of age. While his work was conducted using golden retrievers bred for seeing-eye dogs, it has proven relevant to almost all working breeds.
In my own experience I have found that over half of the young dogs that we “wash out” of our training program were either the product of very poor breeding, or they were removed from the litter at an inappropriate time. Therefore, you should consider both the parents and the age of the puppy before taking your new addition home.
Puppy Training
Getting off to a good start does not mean just getting the right puppy at the right time. What you do with the pup when you get it home is just as important. Whenever we have a new client arrive at the kennels I ask, “What have you done with pup up to this point”? I am truly amazed at how many first time owners reply that they have done absolutely nothing with their six-month old puppy because they were afraid they would ruin the dog. Little do they realize that by doing nothing, they may have ruined the pup.
People often ask me what they should do with their new puppy when they get it home. I tell them that they should begin “puppy training” by focusing on three things: First, they should develop the pup’s desire to retrieve; second, they should socialize and condition the dog to varying surroundings and situations, and finally, they should teach the dog discipline and obedience.
Most well-bred retrievers will have some natural talent for retrieving. Just like any other talent, this desire to retrieve can be developed and enhanced through early training. You should make retrieving a game for your pup as soon as you take it from the litter.
Start with a small puppy bumper or toy as soon as you get the new puppy home. Make the sessions short and fun. Remember, just like a child the pup will have a short attention span. Therefore, these early retrieving games should be conducted in a well controlled environment with no distractions.
I like to start retrieving games in the confined space of a room or hallway within my home. This way the puppy can easily focus on the task at hand. You may need to tease the pup at first. Make sure he sees the object being thrown, and praise him lavishly when he goes and gets it. Don’t worry if he doesn’t bring it back at first, and never chase him down to get it. Instead, let him parade around with it if he wants to. This is a behavior called “prizing”, and it is common in all retrieving breeds.
Building a strong desire to retrieve provides the foundation for later, more formal retriever training. It also gives you something to fall back on later. For instance, if the pup’s attitude should falter during obedience training you can always through a bumper or two for him to “pick him back up”.
In addition to developing the puppy’s desire to retrieve you want to socialize him to various conditions and surroundings. Show him as many different environments as possible. Take him for rides in the car, walk him in the park. Take him around other people and animals as often as possible. Introduce him to different surfaces such as slick tile floors and concrete sidewalks.
More Retriever Tips
· The First Few Months are Critical
· E-Collars - An Effective Tool But Not a Magic Wand
· Force Breaking Part One and Two
· Teaching a Young Dog to Hunt
By introducing the puppy to different situations at an early age you instill confidence in him that will allow him to adapt to the various situations he will encounter in hunting later on. A puppy that has been confined to only one environment such as a kennel or backyard may become overwhelmed or have a difficult time adjusting to a pit or blind later.
Finally, you should start teaching discipline, obedience and citizenship early on. As a general rule we will start puppy obedience as soon as the puppy learns to recognize his name, usually at about ten weeks of age. We like to begin by teaching the puppy to walk at heel on a long lead. In the beginning the pup may buck and pull at the leash, or he may simply freeze in place. The key here is to be gentle and patient.
After the pup starts to walk on lead you can slowly integrate sit and stay. Reward good behavior with lots of praise, keep the training sessions very short, and don’t become frustrated if the puppy just doesn’t catch on immediately.
This is also a very good time to start teaching the command no for undesired behaviors. Remember not to be too strict, as you do not want to intimidate him or hurt his attitude. On the other hand, if he is old enough to know where the food bowl is he is old enough to learn that he can’t chew on the furniture. Be consistent in your demands and expectations. After all, it is very unfair to scold him for a behavior one day and let him get away with it the next.
Should you feel that you need extra guidance I strongly recommend the Sound Beginnings video with Jackie Mertens (available at www.TopbrassRetrievers.com), or seeking the help of a local retriever club or professional trainer.
Regardless of whether you plan to train your pup yourself or have it done by a professional, you can’t expect to ever have a really great duck dog if you don’t get off to the right start.