Happy Friday everyone. Yesterday I went to see one of the pups at Best Retrievers in Paige, TX to check up on how he was doing and get a feel for their training methods. He is moving on to the advance program here in the next week which means he switches trainers and I wanted to make sure I wasn't skipping a beat by meeting with the current trainer before he moved on. Wow was I in for a treat though. I have always grown up around working dogs all my life; mostly coon, rabbit, and hog dogs in Louisiana but really got into bird dogs within the last few years. I have a lot to learn when it comes to training a working bird dog in the field. I guess i have always been spoiled around people who already had working bird dogs but am now really getting a feel for what it all takes having a pup of my own now.
Within this last year I have started to feel that it takes a lot more to work and train a bird/retrieving dog compared to a tracker or hound. I do not mean any insult with this post. Just something that I have personally started to feel here recently going through this process. What are y'all opinions when it comes to training working dogs.

Genetics mean everything. If it's their blood, they pick it up naturally. If not, they never will.

Yeah couldn't agree more. I was more thinking outside of genetics and drive. Of course it is impossible without drive but even with drive training is key to fine tune those habits when in the field. I hope that makes sense

Man aint that true My gal is a natural

I also believe that genetics are critical in avoiding dogs with undesired behaviors. IMO, a dog is never broke from a behavior that exists in his/her genetics. You can put a shock collar on them until Hell freezes over and the tendency will still be there. Pit bulls are a good example.

Definitely Texas Dan! Yesterday with my retriever we were going through everything from the hip swing to listening and comprehending hand signals given, and running a mark. Good genes usually are the make or break of a dog but it amazes me all the work that goes into it beyond that. There has not only been a learning curve for my pup but for me as well. A lot goes into training a great dog and I am sure we can all agree on that. They can have the genetics but they have to be tailored!

Some things are genetic. Desire to retrieve is genetic and can be enhanced. You use these genetic traits to teach dogs to do certain things. A retriever is not naturally steady. They do not naturally sit on a whistle and turn to look at you. They don't naturally take a cast at 100 yards away. It takes a lot of time and effort but they must like to do the work or it's much tougher. You may eventually get there but it won't be fun for you or the dog.

I agree with BradyBuck. I think the original question is asking if retrievers take more time to be trained than other dogs? And the simple answer is "it depends on what you expect from your dog."

In general, a well bred Labrador will have some desire to retrieve. That is natural. Or a cattle dog to have some innate abilities. You can have a great Labrador that gets every bird when hunting that doesn't have that much training. However in retriever training, especially at the advanced levels, it is much more than just your average working dog. There is A LOT that goes into it. There is a big difference in a "meat dog" and a dog training for competitive events. Both dogs can be wonderful animals, it's just a different standard and more advanced training.

My question is... with comp dogs, outside of comp, do you ever really USE those tools?

I hunt mine every year.

My dog was trained at Best retrievers also, and yes, I have used her "tools" many times in the field. Blind retrieves are pretty common when hunting with multiple guns and a well trained comp dog can easily pick those up. That's not to say all competitive dogs are good hunters, but with good genetics and quality training you can have the best of both worlds. Getting a retriever that handles smoothly in the field doesn't happen over night, and some definitely take longer than others but the end result is a great hunting partner for many years to come.

triggerbowtx, Yes, I think you understood what I was getting at and I couldn't agree more. am quickly learning through these experiences that there is defiantly a big difference between a dog with good drive and a dog that has the drive and has been given the time and finely tuned.

I have trained a lot of coons dogs and blood trackers in my lifetime growing up in Louisiana but have found it more extensive and in dept training good bird dogs or retrievers through my recent experiences and research.

When you field hunt, geese and ducks, you often see "sailors", which can land several hundred yards from the spread. Most "pure" hunting dogs won't go that far for a retrieve. Most "competitive " dogs will.

Robby

I started with meat dogs and then I switched to train trial dogs when bird populations were bad in the mid to late 90's. Takes a lot more polish if you want to place in trials. I am now back to meat dogs with my cockers but they will be polished too by the time they are finished.

Good to know, I've heard guys with NON comp dogs say it's a waste.b This is the most honest answer I feel I've got.

Absolutely when it comes to retrievers. I would bet the majority of hunters out there with labs used for dove and waterfowl aren't steady or at least creep and can't run a blind retrieve. I've hunted over several like that and you can always throw rocks and dirt clods but it's a lot more enjoyable with a well trained retriever.

Everyday. I don't mean that to be a ridiculous statement either. I do run blinds with my dog almost daily but that's not what I mean. Besides the ability to run blind retrieves and things of that nature which are extremely useful for hunting, I have a very high standard for obedience for my "comp dog" which I use everyday. If I am at my house in the front yard or at a local park, it is very common for people to be completely amazed at my dogs obedience. Will your dog sit on command and look at you and not move until asked to move from 200 yards away (or 5 or 10 or 50 yards away)? My "comp dog" is just our family dog/hunting partner that runs in hunt tests.