Boat training for pups?

[Jason P]

I just got a black lab pup that is 12 weeks old, How did you guys train your dogs to go in the boat and not go crazy? Also this is my first dog any other helpful tips would be awesome.

Thanks,

Jason P

[blkdog812]

start now working on basic commands. sit stay heal here (come) also work on water training. (some labs dont like water. some cant keep out)
once he gets them down. just set him up in the boat on the trailer and work on those same commands.
once he gets those down take him out on the water and work on the same commands.

this way you will have a dog that is under control, not out of control.

[Gator]

I know I will probably get flamed for this but one of the best dog training aids is a shock collar.......set it for minimal effect, enough to get their attention and if you start it early, you'll only have to use the tone to break unwanted habits down the road.........

[DeltaDan]

Jason - Congrats on the new pup !


I have a 5 vid set of Uncle Mattie's "Woof" set for basic obiedence and training. (in VHS) BrothA E still has them and he is located in Disco and can hand them over to you. Send a PM to Bruiser343 and he can possibly meet up with you to pass them on. ~~ If not I'll come over and pick them up and get them to you.

All you need is a thin leather leash, choker chain and time spent with the pup instructing on verbal commands.

Around 5-6 months you can introduce the E-Collar and whistle more verbal/hand commands. You can pick through this stuff if you with to further your dog's training - using it knowing your dogs personality.

~~> http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/index.html

Get ready for the teething and freeze some Carrots - or tie rags in knot's - soak in water with some beef boulion and freeze in indivigual sandwich baggies. -- re-soak and refreeze for later uses.


Take your time and have alot of fun togther !


PS- If you have not started already -- start crate training your lab! You can get the biggest one and then make it smaller by adding boxes to make it smaller inside. (Saves you from having to rebuy new ones as your dog grows.)

[DeltaDan]

I know I will probably get flamed for this but one of the best dog training aids is a shock collar..........

Not untill 5 months or better in age.......

[jimmy87]

start her in the boat right away. let her know where she needs to be in the boat as you move around in it. Always make her do the same thing. NEVER give in.
example. Before I let me dog go fishing with me, or out the front door for any reason I make her lay down at the door and stay there until I open the door and give the command, "lets go"

I do the same for her when we enter and exit my vehicle. I make her wait for my command : get in or get out. should she jump out before the command, back in she goes and we start over.

should she just run out the door before my command I make her go back in the house and start over util its done right.

Dogs learn how to get what they want in a hurry.

now if I say fishing she goes right to the door and lay down and just waits there. as hard as it is for her to do that she dose.
she is like a time bomb ready to explode on the command "lets go"
I often will open the door, go outside to the truck come back to the door, stand around and things like that just to see how long she will wait for my command. if she blows it I jump her *** right then and there and make her go back to laying down.


one tip I have for you about training your dog.

just remember that for your dog to connect things to each other you have to react right away. within seconds.
example:
if the dog is on stay command and blows it you have to react FAST to it. if 3 seconds goes after she blows the command its too late to tell her she did wrong. this is expecialy true in the begining.

same when you train her to walk on the leash.
keep her by your side. walk at YOUR speed. the second her nose crosses an imaginary line at your knee you lift up on the lease and spin the dog around in the other dirction and walk back the way you came.
the key here is you NEVER EVER let the dog get out in front of you, not even for a slpit second.
if you let the dog pull the leash out 5 feet in front and then you pull back and get mad like so many do, she will never learn. agian too much time has past.

if you do this in a short time she will walk right at your side on a slack leash. after that no leash will be needed.
make her sit evey time you stop with the command heel.

You picked a very very intelegent breed of dog.
You will soon find that your lab wants nothing else in this world more than to PLEASE YOU the owner.

[Jason P]

Thanks guys for the advice. We got a crate which she sleeps in, the biggest thing she is doing is whining alot, i know its for attention. she pretty much sleeps all night but hates going into the crate. Dan i think i might have to take you up on those tapes, I want to teach her as much as possible. We got her friday and I have her doing "fetch" and "sitting" 75% of the time, she's still learning her name, but getting better. Thanks for all the help, I need it.

Jason P

[blkdog812]

gator fyi: they are called a training collar.
starting early w/ the lowest setting will get their attention and aid in their learning.
tri tronics has a great book that teaches you how to use the training collar to aid in the learning process
if you know someone who does field trial training they can assist you w/ that type of collar training.
i trained my dog with it. in less then 6 months he never needed it again he walks with no lead and he is undercontrol with only voice commands.
best advise is get the dog on a routine and stick to it.

[jimmy87]

one more very important point I want to make.

NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER!!!!! scold the dog after you call her to you. no matter what they do wrong never scold them for coming when you call.
get down low, squat downd hold your arms out and call your pup. when they come be sure and praise them. Do this OFTEN.

last thing you want is a dog that will not come to you when you need them to.

[GW]

How about we get YOU a shock collar Gator, everytime that glass gets lifted ZAP......you'll thank us in the morning...

[Gator]

Nah GW - I'd just be pissed that my neck hurt so much LOLOL

[Dan McKenzie]

sound advice. obviously you have trained a dog or two.

[Dan McKenzie]

Lots of good advice and opinions, I would add just a few things.
First-socialize, socialize, socialize. You want your young pup to have as many good (controlled) encounters as possible, stores, parks, wherever people and other dogs are. Repitition-get your pup used to getting in and out of cars, boat, walking on docks, if you have a vet, take them in just to weigh them, most vets don't mind you doing so, it gives them a positive encounter and usually a treat from the staff. These things go a long way and stick in a dogs mind as they age.
Good luck.

[RichThiel]

Jason,,

I've trained around 20 labs and Chesapeaks by the time I was 25.
DeltaDan and Jimmy87 are totally correct in Training manners.

After reading Jimmy post....re-read, reread and then make a copy of it...

I Have books on training labs and Chesapeaks here at my place that my dad had for years. Let me know and I'll loan them too you.

For the E-collar....I'm NOT FOR IT as much as the younger generation is. I've seen a lot of dogs ruin because of mis use of them. When they came out on the market, basically the dog trainer that train high strong head pointer breeds were the only one using them to control the distance the dog would track and they would use them the break a dog from running rabbits.

For what you want (For What I see) don't bother even using it. Just spend say 30 minutes a day/night with the dog and it will be like Jimmy's.

I have a Jack russel know and I can stop him on a dime in a full run. And many other things by just giving him a command
\
Good Luck in your train'in

Rich Thiel

[Brian]

I know I will probably get flamed for this but one of the best dog training aids is a shock collar..........

Not untill 5 months or better in age.......

5 months could be to late. Two of my labs needed the e coller. The pup in my sig has never needed to be zapppppped. Just depends on the dog but I do think the E coller is the best invention for trianing dogs that has come out.

[basscat09]

i was shocking mine at 3-4 months.

she dont run off.
I ride a bike on the levee and she stays with or just ahead

[norththird]

Listed to Jimmy. Sounds like he knows. I've never needed a shock coller, nor have I ever given my dogs anything harder than light slap on the butt to get their attention. Labs just want to please.

[N.A.R]

I am suprised no one mentioned a Doggy Life Vest. When I bring my pup 9 weeks, he wears a doggy vest, may look corny but its more for being able to see him rather than keeping him afloat. I am sure this vest will come off as he gets bigger.

[Smitty]

Using a shock collar isnt the answer in all but the worst situations. A shock collar stimulates contractions on the neck area that can be achieved through physical (touch/grasp) from a human which dogs understand. In a pack, the alpha grasps subordinates at close range in order to demonstrate authority. Sound collars or whistles are another way. I can assure you, I can get more out of a dog without a shock collar than with. In order to train a dog to be boat worthy, it needs to understand where the positive and negative stimulus come from. YOU. Noise, Touch, Reward are all you need, period. Alot of great advice has been given regarding basic training but to be honest, basic is not enough for most dogs to cope with being on pad in a boat, deal with fish being landed etc...IF any dog has it's attention completely focused on the leader of the pack (YOU) it can be handled at distance, with nothing more than your voice. Dont get me wrong, it takes a ton of work, but it is like a marriage, the more you put in the more you get out and they dont talk back! Imagine having a dog that doesnt walk thru a door or open gate until it is given a verbal signal to do so. Imagine a dog that will sit with hand signals, lay with hand signals, and stay with hand signals. That is what you are talking about to get a dog boat ready. It is possible but is all about what you are willing to put in time wise. Lets remember we aint talkin jack russell. This is a big dog, like I always say, more dog, more reward. Jason, you know I will help you anyway I can. I guess I should start a dog training camp at the pad... you know you and your pooch are always welcome.

[Smitty]

just to let you know. Your dog could be capable of everything above and not like being on the boat. As I thought about this more, I realized my past female boxer, did absolutely everything above, even growled when I said "watch em" but hated the boat. The level of trust a dog must have in order to be perfect on a boat is probably beyond the average hunting dog in retrieval mode. It isnt natural like retrieving but can be overcome with introduction and training. I am currently working on our rescue boxer with the boat. We are trying to get her confidence up. She has come miles in this front since we got her less than two months ago but she still has some things to get over. And yes she does stay, sit, lay and even not walk thru open doors on command. In her case she isnt ready for the boat just yet but she will get there soon!
Smitty

[blkdog812]

there are some great suggestions from everyone here. you have got a tuff decision as to which style of training to use. i wish you the best. let us know how the training goes and dont give up. there is nothing more statisfying than seeing that light suddenly come on in the dogs eyes and having him become that well mannered and well controlled dog we all like to have.

[eagle123777]

jason, my black lab is now 8 and still wants to go everytime...all i did was use the same commands as i did for the house and she did fine except for one thing....i never could find a command to tell her not to jump in after ever fish i put back in the water....at the time got hard to pull a 40lber back in the boat...finally found if i let her kiss the fish before i put it back she wouldnt jump in after it......have fun.....jack

[RichThiel]

Im with Smitty on what he mentioned.

[RichThiel]

Gator need more than a shock collar (train'in collar) he needs a cage, so he won't hurt himself LOL

[Brian]

Most of the top trainers all use the e-collar. It depends on the dog. You are not always close enough to the dog to physically apply correction yourself. Like I said my two older labs did great on the e-collar, my pup didnt need one.

[Dan McKenzie]

I think your right, no two dogs are the same, some may need it, some may not. A companion pet and a field dog require different training. It will depend on the person and the dog. People get butthurt over training collars, but don't know the first thing about them or their proper use.

[Jason P]

Thanks guys for the help. I need it, like I said this is my first pup so I've had my hands full. Thanks again, some really good advice.

Jason Pardini

[bassnrod]

Jason,

Lots of good advice here. I've hunted and trained labs for over 15 years, and I'm going to refer you to a book that's catered to people that don't have a lot of time to spend in training. It's easy reading, and the techniques are very simple, and most of all they WORK! Very common sense stuff, and for just 10 to 15 minutes a day, you'll have a polished dog in no time. I've used this book since day one, and trust me, it works!

Go to Barnes and Noble and look up, "Speed Train Your Own Retriever". I can't remember the author, and I've lost my own book, so I need to order another one myself. It's paperback, and fairly inexpensive, but it's worth its weight in gold. Good luck with that pup! Labs are the best!