Train smarter with these tips! After a long cold winter, you may be excited to get outside and do some serious retriever training . Your retriever is probably excited for that too! Here are some pro tips for avoiding injuries while training your gun dog. It’s important to start slow It’s likely, for many of […]
Training your 13-week-old Labrador puppy?
Start training your hunting dog now! Thirteen-week-old puppies are challenging. If you have heard of the terrible twos for toddlers, a three- or four-month-old puppy is very similar. They are still puppies and therefore are still cute, do some fun and hilarious things, but they are also very troublesome. You can’t turn your back on […]
Training your 12-week-old Labrador puppy?
The dreaded 3-month-old puppy I really enjoy young puppies. Seven- to 10-week-old puppies can be so much fun and while they can be trouble, it is easy to contain them. But when a puppy turns 12-weeks-old…. oh boy, let the games begin. Three-month-old puppies start feeling good about themselves. They think they have the world […]
How to teach retriever the No-No Drill
A dog’s natural tendency is to take the easy route to a retrieve. Unfortunately, the easy route may not be the straightest or shortest route. And whenever your retriever veers from a straight line to the bird, their memory can be hampered regarding where the bird landed.
Training your 11-week-old Labrador puppy?
Don’t wait to start training, your pup is ready now! Your puppy is almost 3-months old! It really is crazy how fast puppies grow and develop that first year. It might feel like you just adjusted his/her collar or just moved him/her to a new crate, and it is time to do it again. It […]
Teaching hunt-it-up
A drill for great pheasant hunting Hunt it up is a command we use to teach dogs to upland hunt. Having a retriever that can mark and run to where a downed pheasant or grouse lies is incredibly valuable. But having a dog that can hunt up a crippled bird or find the birds that […]
What training for 10-week-old Labrador puppy?
Raising a retriever puppy like the pros Your Labrador puppy can seem small and fragile during those first few weeks home from the breeder. But I assure you, he/she is not. Puppies this age are ready and willing to learn, so don’t let their small size deter you from diving right in with training. Labrador […]
What training for 9-week-old Labrador puppy?
Raising a Lab puppy, the professional way A hunting or competition dog’s ability and performance is greatly influenced by training done during the crucial first few months. Unfortunately, many new puppy owners feel that they should wait for the puppy to mature before starting any training. But this can be a major mistake. Retriever puppies […]
Gun Dog Nutrition
Long days of hunting and training require optimum nutrition for your retriever One of the easiest ways to keep your dog in good shape is to make sure that he is getting proper nutrition. Nutrition is very important for all dogs, but your gun dog needs optimum nutrition to make it through long days of […]
What should I do first week with new Labrador puppy?
We recently brought home Bubba, a female chocolate lab puppy. Bubba is already sold as one of our Custom Trained Retrievers, so it is our responsibility to train her and raise her until she has progressed to the level of training the owner has requested. That means Bubba will be with for almost a year […]
Teach your dog to go potty on command
Ever been in a hurry to go somewhere, and you know you will be gone for a while, so it’s vital your dog go potty?
Why does my Lab dog walk between my legs?
Why your dog walks between or through your legs and how to stop it I have noticed a trend. Many of the dogs that our dropped off at the kennel for training walk between their owner’s legs. Most owners seem to like it or at least don’t seem to mind it. But this behavior from […]
Naming your hunting dog puppy
Getting a puppy is an exciting time filled with wonder and expectations. There are many decisions that you will make while you plan for his arrival but one that is often overlooked, or at least not given the consideration it deserves, is what to name the puppy.
How to stop noisy whiny retriever
If you are reading this post, you probably already know how annoying a whiny, noisy dog is when you’re hunting or running a competition. Some retrievers are noisier than others, and sometimes genetics are to blame, but is there anything that can be done to stop this behavior? Or even minimize it? Here are some […]
Why is my retriever puppy so hyper and aggressive?
Retrievers, for the most part, make great family dogs. Their easy-going temperament means they don’t mind when kids run circles around them and climb on them. They are also smart, so they learn quickly and their strong willingness to please often makes retrievers a great addition to the family. But some retriever puppies are a […]
Gift ideas for hunting dog owners
Do you have a hunter and a gun dog or duck dog on your gift list this year?
If so, you might be at a loss for what to give them. Here are some gifts that are both practical – meaning they will actually be used, and essential.
How to train with an e-collar – Part 2
This is part two in the series of posts about how to train with an e-collar. The first part of this post talks about how to condition your retriever to wearing the collar and how to avoid making your dog collar-wise. You can read that post here. In this post, I will give you […]
How do you start training with an e-collar?
Electronic collars or e-collars are great training tools. When used correctly, they can help your dog learn and progress quickly in training. But when used incorrectly, they can just as quickly confuse and damage your dog. This series of posts will walk you through the steps necessary to properly condition and start training your retriever […]
How to stop my Lab from jumping on me
If there is one dog behavior that really drives me crazy, it is dogs jumping on me. I hate it. It gets my clothes dirty, but the real reason I hate it is because it is so dangerous. Our dogs are Labrador Retrievers, and they are big dogs. Each one weighs close to 90 pounds, […]
How to train a stubborn dog
Labrador, Golden and Chesapeake Bay retrievers are all excellent hunting and family breeds. They often can span the role of being a family dog and a hunting dog with few downfalls. But that doesn’t mean they are perfect. Many retrievers are very stubborn and hard to train. If your dog is one of the stubborn […]
