Freighter is a too young for a formal retriever training program. Usually those don’t start until the dog is a bit older. We wanted a program that we could follow which would help us start Freighter on some basics before it is time to start more formal training. We purchased a dvd titled Training A Retriever Puppy-with Bill Hillmann. Bill Hillmann is a field trial trainer and has trained Field and Amateur Field Champions. According to his website, he has trained more High Point Derby Dogs than anyone in the history of Field Trial. That is quite an achievement. If you are not familiar with Derby, it is open to dogs under the age of two and consists of long marked retrieves. Obviously he knows how to train the younger retrievers.
The dvd follows the training of an 11 week puppy (a black lab of course ) until he is about 22 weeks old. We have heard very good reviews of this program. In fact, our trainer used it with his new puppy and felt that it really helped to speed his puppy’s progress when more formal training started.
This program stresses the fun of the retrieve above all else. The program is appropriate for gun dogs and competition dogs.
We plan to start Freighter on this program at week 11 (although he is already chasing and wild to retrieve). We have skipped ahead a bit and he is currently getting some leash work (using Bill’s technique). We need to be able to have him walk with us on a lead so that we can take him places. We hoped to take him with us when we went to train this weekend, a good opportunity to socialize. However, the weather looks like it will make driving too dangerous to go. Bummer.
I Am Ready To Work
I will let you know how our training progresses. Have a nice weekend!
Thank you so much for this award. The brown dawgs really appreciate the recognition. We just love little Daisy the Havachon and if you haven’t been over to visit her, you must stop by and check out her antics. There are also dog toy reviews which you may find very helpful.
The award is to recognize the work of fellow bloggers and to let them know that their work is appreciated. Heck I could share this one 100 times over. But as I still have a couple of awards to share, I will pass this one on to three that I enjoy:
Misty Shores Chesapeakes –Stop on over and check out the two new Chessie pups that have been added to the pack. (Plus I think this award will look pretty on this blog ).
Tanner Trains the Family–A young Golden who is recovering from an injury. Tanner isn’t letting his injury get him down, he can still rip up a toy like nobody’s business.
Bongo Dog Blog–Everyday presents a new adventure for Bongo which he shares on his blog, (and he is a great storyteller).
Thanks again to Daisy and her people for this great award.
Now For Lunch
Freighter sure has fit in as far as eating times are concerned. We call every doggie meal “lunch time” here. I don’t know why, it is just the word we started using with our Golden and we still use it. However with Freighter, I don’t even have to say the word. Once he sees “his” bowl being readied, as far as he is concerned, it is lunch time.
OK I Am Ready To Eat
We soak his kibble, add a bit of soft food and a dollop of yogurt so it takes a bit to get the bowl ready. Freighter has learned to come and wait in the kitchen which at this point I allow because I like to keep an eye on him and don’t want to always shove him in a crate. (Plenty of time for him to learn boundaries.) However somebody can get a bit impatient.
I Am Really Ready To Eat Now
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Come On Put The Bowl Down
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Maybe If I Bark I will Get The Food
We are still feeding him four times a day, so eventually he gets the picture and waits patiently.
OK I Will Wait
He is starting to look like a big dog. Jodi Stone asked how we were enjoying the puppy. He is great. Such a sweetie (when he isn’t trying to bite with his razor puppy teeth ). But I am always behind these days. Between the four times a day feedings and potty training, (which is going well just takes time) and running back and forth to work…behind. I am also always behind on reading/commenting on blogs, updating my blog roll/side bar, and passing on awards. I hope to catch up soon.
Our friends over at rottrover have encouraged Thunder and Storm to enter the Mango Minster 2012 Contest in the category of Working Stiffs. They decided to give it a try so I will now turn this post over to Thunder and Storm so they can tell everyone why they think that they deserve to win this category.
No One Is More Overworked Than We Are
It is true. Our humans are always making us do this thing called “training”. It is sort of fun, but they make us do it in all sorts of weather: snow, rain and the heat of summer. Here is some video of us training while it is snowing. Hey we like to get out and run some, but they throw these black and white bumpers in a field and then they expect us to find them. Do you know how hard it is to find a tiny black and white bumper in a snowy gray field while the wind is blowing in your face?
And that is not all. Sometimes they have this kid throw orange bumpers way, way far away and we are supposed to run out and bring them back. Trying to watch orange bumpers fall on snow is even tougher than watching the black and white ones.
OK So I Got The Darn Thing
Still we try to muster up some enthusiasm just to keep the humans happy.
Look I Am Going As Fast As I Can
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Every Once In A While They Send Me For Bird So That Is Cool
If it was just training in the snow, that would be OK, but once the ice is off the pond, they expect us to swim in that freezing cold water just to pick up a bumper. Can’t they pick up their own bumpers?
They also don’t seem to care if it is pouring rain. They still drag us out and throw bumpers. It was raining so hard here that the people couldn’t even use a real camera. They had to us a cell phone to take this video.
Again, we try to look enthusiastic to make the humans happy.
Woohoo!
Then there are times when they make us just sit and watch the other dogs get the bumpers. Now why would we want to just sit there and wait and for a black lab of all things?
Don't see why we should have to wait for a black lab. (Thunder is closest and Storm is on the far side)
They do another really strange thing. They hide a bumper in the field and direct us to where they hid it using a whistle and hand signals. What is the point of that? If they know where they hid the thing, shouldn’t they just go get it themselves? We get aggravated sometimes and shake the bird just to irritate them.
OK we know it is a lot of videos, but how else are you going to see how hard they work us?
Work That Is Sort Of Fun
Lucky for us, some of our work is fun. When Fall rolls around we get to spend some time hunting. Sure it can get cold, but that is why we wear our snazzy hunting vests.
I Don't Mind Standing In This Icy Water Too Much Because I Have On My Snazzy Hunting Vest
We don’t even mind when they make us stand or sit on this dog stand thing and wait for hours and hours hoping a duck will fly by.
Hey Guy Where Are The Birds?
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I Wish A Bird Would Fly By Already
Every once in a while the humans get lucky. Some birds fly by and they actually don’t miss them and then we get to make some retrieves. I had to get all of these birds myself because they didn’t bring another dog.
I'm Exhausted After All Those Retrieves
And when we aren’t sitting in the marsh, they drag us out to a field to try to sniff out grouse and pheasant. Let us tell you, it takes a lot of running and sniffing to find those little birds.
Grouse Hunting--Where To Look?
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Over Here
Sometimes we get lucky and find and flush one of those little birds, but then the tall guy misses the shot. We are left just standing there with nothing to retrieve. All of that work for nothing! Sometimes the guy actually hits a bird and we have to find and bring the bird back to him.
At Least That Tall Guy Didn't Miss This Grouse
They also drag us out to fields with tall grass and we are supposed to find birds in that stuff. You can’t even see us in the next picture even though we are the ones that flushed and retrieved that bird.
Hey Guy, We Worked For That Bird And You Can't Even See Us
As we said before, sometimes they expect us to do all of the work by ourselves and only bring one of us. Look at all of these birds that I had to find, flush and retrieve and not another dog to help.
) until he is about 22 weeks old. We have heard very good reviews of this program. In fact, our trainer used it with his new puppy and felt that it really helped to speed his puppy’s progress when more formal training started.
