Is it ever too late?

Is it ever too late to start training a lab? She is really good with basic obedience (sit, stay, come), but I am just getting into hunting and it would be cool to one day train her to flush and retrieve pheasants.

Obviously I need to become a proficient hunter before I try to turn my dog into one, but how long do I have to start training? She is currently 1 year old.

I wouldn't let her go too much longer. Once they get what I call a "pet mentality", it can be quite difficult to give them a good work ethic.

Would you recommend any specific resources for getting her going now, even if it doesn't involve actual hunting just yet?

I have had dogs all my life and can do obedience training, but like I said, teaching her to quarter and retrieve would be very new to me.

I would say the older the dog the more patience it takes to train it, it can be done. It's much easier to start with a clean slate though (young dog).

Robby

I like Richard Wolters for folks just starting out. He provides plenty of guidance and detail, making it easy for someone who is new to gun dog training. Later on, you can get more sophisticated, but Wolters' material is efficient and effective, as well as timeless. Water Dog and Game Dog are both good books/DVD's for retriever owners.

http://www.gundogsupply.com/richard-wolters.html

I really like the WildRose way DVD.
Simple and effective. Easy to follow and will get most beginners on the right track quickly.

Keep your expectations low, don't get frustrated with her, be consistent, and make sure it stays fun for both of you.

Can't hurt to try. Might end up with a great story either way.

Happy Hunting

Mine was 2 and 1/2 when I got her and started training. Came from good blood, but had been a house pet for her whole life. Frustrating stuff for the first 6 months, but now she is doing pretty well. Keep it simple at first, and just beat a dead horse doing your drills. My nelly is as smart as they come so that helped. I will say this though, her drive is not all that great and that hurts her in the field.

Its possible like others said, but it just takes a lot more time, patientce, and I think expectations that are a little lower

I really like Wildrose too, but a lot of first-timers tell me that the 'bullet approach' (he leaves out a lot of details) leaves them feeling a bit lost. It would be a great compliment to the Wolters material, I think. They seem to share a lot of the same basic, K.I.S.S. philosophy. Like has been said - time & patience, low pressure & expectations, and ENJOY!

You might check out our YouTube videos of puppy training to get ideas and overcome hurdles that most DVD's and books don't discuss. It doesn't always go as smoothly as we'd like!

http://www.youtube.com/ironspikeranch

I picked up a few dvds from cabelas , I had lost hope for mine.and at 3 years old he gave up balls and I finally got him to start looking up at birds, progress is a very slow process

Thanks everyone - I think I will go in with lowered expectations not because she is too set in her house-dog ways, but because I am new to the sport and training!

I'll look into the materials you guys mentioned above, and keep everyone posted on her progress.