[Trucha]

If I may post some photos...

Here is my older Labrador "Reina" with a couple of Blue Grouse from the Jemez Mtns. The third bird was taken shortly after, filling our limit and it took only one hour and 5 minutes. This was her first hunt.

[Trucha]

Here is Reina, already an old salt to waterfowl with some green heads in the Rio Grande.

[Trucha]

This is Tizona. Here she is with a couple of Ross Geese during a snow goose hunt on Bosque del Apache. She was a youngster then.

[fyshstykr]

Truchsa,
He has had basic obedience training when he was a pup, he does sit, occasionally lays down(usually when I don't want him to, lol) doesn't jump up on people, and will stop, wait, and go again when I release him, also comes running when I whistle for him.
I think he has great potential, just needs some work.

I'm so glad we adopted him from this family(actually teenage son 16) who had him in a small dirt pen for most of his life, they admittedly didn't really spend much time with him.
He's a very affectionate dog, that really seems to want to please us.


What are your feelings on neuturing? will that slow down his desire to paint everything? Will that take away some of his urges to roam? so far I'm not comfortable letting him out of the back yard yet.

So far he's not a "leg humper"(Thank goodness)!!!

[fyshstykr]

WOW!!! those are some beautiful dogs you have there.

Sorry that I didn't compliment them first, I made the above post from my e-mail notification.

[Trucha]

Hey Fyshstryker,

Thanks for good words on my girls. I do love them.

Neutering a dog doesn't affect their desire to hunt or please you. I would highly suggest it. My older Lab is neutered; she has hip dysplaysia and I won't breed her. Because of her bad hips I can't hunt her anymore. She knows when I am getting ready to go out in the field and it hurts to see her not go. My younger labrador will get bred - she is DNA profiled, comes from strong hunting/field trial lines, double registry and will get her hips/elbows checked this summer (in fact, she is in heat now). I will also do HRC and AKC hunt tests with her for points, too.

Now get started on the retrieving. Get a hold of couple of books that were mentioned and use those for guidance. I will PM you with some links that are gun dog related. Also, introduce birds to her. Get regular pigeons for her to smell, touch and mouth.

Good luck. Thomas.

[mikeo]

There are many good retrieving videos on the market (depends how involved you want to get) -- plus good idea to hook up with a local training club (such as Hunting Retriever Club) -- should be one in your area -- members should be willing to help you out -- there's also specific retriever websites/forums that are quite good such as RetrieverTraining.Net -- where exactly are you located????

[mikeo]

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...mage0012-2.jpg

This was my Lab Maxx and I just couldn't devote time necessary to keep up his training -- but he is a good one and should continue on in field trials and hunt tests and hunting (he won a Junior, same as Derby in USA, in Ontario last year; but to be competitive in field trials or hunt tests takes lots of time and money -- and to do this training of a dog properly, even as a gundog, does take time (or lots of money to have somebody else do it) -- and you can't fly fish and do the dogs really well without giving up one of these past times -- just my honest opinion -- and somebody who had to make that difficult choice -- but then I'm happy out on the river and Maxx is getting to do his thing

[wfosborn]

Originally Posted by mikeo

you can't fly fish and do the dogs really well without giving up one of these past times -- just my honest opinion -- and somebody who had to make that difficult choice --

That's why I trained my dog's to go retrieve fish for me. Husky mixes are great for that.

--W

[Joe D]

School of dog training - handling - george hickox