Basic training questions for retriever puppy

[Scott Miller]

I have a 10 week old Chesapeake Bay Retriever, she is fetching bumpers
and tennis balls (and pretty much anything you throw her). She loves
to swim and will fetch both, in the water. My question is this: can I
let her play with tennis balls and use the bumpers for more serious
work? Will she be able to distinguish between the two? This is my
first attempt at training and I plan on using her to duckhunt, only.
The main book I am using is WaterDog, also looking for suggestions in
that as well.

Thanks
Scott

[Mark]

I had the same concern training my AWS. She is now 1-1/2 years old and
retrieves birds without fail in water and out. She has never had trouble
distinguishing the two. But I always used a scented dummy chuckar for
serious work and unscented throws for everything else. I would always remain
serious and not allow parading with the scented throw but would be more
tolerant and playful with the unscented throws. From this, I think they
understand it's time to be serious when real game is involved.

"Scott Miller" <rec...@HOTMAIL.COM> wrote in message
news:1a79ac83.02100...@posting.google.com...

[Chris Barnes]

Imho, it doesn't really matter what you throw for her to retrieve at
this age - after all, ALL retrieving at this age is pure play. I would
suggest that you occationally throw her a pigeon (both dead and clipped
wing) as well as an occational duck or pheasant. The idea here is that
you don't want her first exposure to real birds to be later when the
real training begins.

And as always, my #1 advice to anyone starting out is to find, join, &
become active in a local performance based retriever club. It's better
than any book or video you could use on your own.

--

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
Chris Barnes AOL IM: CNBarnes
ch...@txbarnes.com Yahoo IM: chrisnbarnes

[Sergio Javier Elizondo Garza]

What about a dog that fetch evrything but won't pick up a bird?

[Chris Barnes]

Sergio Javier Elizondo Garza <seli...@VECTOR.COM.MX> wrote:
> What about a dog that fetch evrything but won't pick up a bird?

That's why I suggest - strongly - using real birds with pups as young as
possible (I put a pigeon in the puppy box about 2 days after they open
their eyes). Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, will build desire in a pup
faster than chasing a live pigeon around your yard.

If a dog shows a lack of interest in real birds after they are 9 month
old (+/-), I honestly think you probably should be looking at getting a
different dog.

[Sergio Javier Elizondo Garza]

Thank you Chris, now oficialy i am looking for a new black lab with desire
to hunt and fetch.

-----Original Message-----
From: Chris Barnes [mailto:ch...@txbarnes.com]
Sent: Martes, 08 de Octubre de 2002 01:26 p.m.
To: GUND...@listserv.tamu.edu
Subject: Re: Basic training questions for retriever puppy