Guys I been contemplating buying a lab for a solid three years now. The only reason I haven't yet is because I don't know much about training. I don't have four hundred dollars a month to pay a pro so I been considering tackling this task myself. I haven't taken the plunge because I always been unsure if I have what it takes. I don't wanna buy a dog just to mess him up or to just have him as an outside pet. I read 10 minute retriever a few times but still am uncertain about many things. I have never owned a lab r trained anything. I couldn't even train my wides poodle to sit. This is a big step for me and I
Just looking for advice I suppose. I read somewhere the book that if the dog sleeps inside a kennel is a good ideA. And from what I gather I bring the dog home and it stays in the kennel when I'm not around.'come home from work take itto potty at the same spot every time. Pay it no attention until it does it's business then bring her in and play with it for upto thirty mins and put her back n the kennel. Within that thirty mins I can play with it, throw it no more than three retrieves and can also teach it to sit. But train it no longer than ten minutes. Put her back in the kennel and later if she Portia I can repeat this process. My question is at what age would be good to put her in her kennel outside? I planned on it living outside. Also the book says when I throw hold throw hold her back and say back when I let her go. If she doesn't wanna return bumper r ball to try it in a hallway where she has to come back towards me, and Incan curbed off and tell her to drop it as I take it out of his mouth. I just ain't sure how to convert that into jumping out the boat and goin retrieve me a duck. U think I'm ready for a pup? Hate to act like a puss but feel overwhelmed

your over thinking it man i got my first dog at 15 and just started with a few old duck wings he was 6 weeks old when i got him and i looked for the most laid back biggest head and feet dog i could find in the litter when were not duck hunting you would think this boy was dead you get him in a duck blind and he is a new dog all day long he will wear your arm out fetching we take him down to the go course and hit golf balls with a baseball bat for him to work with just start out small biggest mistake i think people make is either gun breaking them or water breaking my dog was lucky and took to both quick he loves the smell of gun poweder forth of july is his favorite time at first he was shy with water i just waided in holding him before to long he was swimming and loving it soon he was bring me back stuff now he has been know to go into the pool and bring stuff out th shallow end the commands are as simple as just going over them daily and staying repetive i made the mistake of having two dogs with close names now the puppy responds to his name and the other ones name as well its can be annoying keep learning fun for the dog really try the book water dog its a great book for what your doing starts out and goes threw every part of the dogs life

Maybe you should join your local retriever club. I think its called Bayou HRC. The should be able to point you in the right direction.

Well I got my first lab last year and have been training him myself, being in the same shoes as you my suggestions are talk to as many people as you can, gather as much information as possible, go talk to any trainers or people you know that have trained a dog and #1 have patience with your dog and dont push too hard too early. As for selecting the most laid back out of the litter I did the same and he was real calm and mellow until he turned one and now he is like a dog on cocaine. I cant calm him down for nothing. As for reading 10-Minute retriever and still being a little confused I know what you mean I did the same thing, I would suggest trying to find a good video that way you can see first hand what they are talking about.

For a DVD, I suggest FOWL DAWGS just enter that into the search field. It is by Tom Dokken... He shows you step by step and puts it in a time line. Its like 24 buck or so.

I'm def gonna order fowl dawgs, thanx for the suggestion. I just hate to not succeed. It's hard to imagine how it will go because for instance what do I do when I tell the dog sit force it to sit and praise him for three months and it still don't sit lol.

The amount of training you do is directly related to what you want you dog to do...The more you watch and learn, the more you will try and teach your dog. Go out to a training day with a group and see first hand what you want out of your dog by watching the different experience levels there.

Training for a meat dog is easier than trials training. My dog is 6months and loves to retrieve. Make everything a game of fetch.

Mine even runs out and gets the paper in the afternoon and brings it right back to me. Doesn't tear it up at all.

Take it slow... don't over do it and make it fun for the dog... you can use a shock collar to teach sit also. put it on the back of the dog near its butt and give the command then use light stimulation. it will drive it rump to the ground faster than you have ever seen.