# Help With New Lab



## McLintock (Oct 11, 2014)

Hey all. I'm hoping you can help me out. I just bought a 3 year old black lab a few weeks ago, and I'm hoping to hunt with her. She comes from hunting bloodlines, but she's never hunted or had any hunting training. Where and when should I start?

One of my concerns right now is that she doesn't fetch well at all. In the house she'll fetch a ball or toy a little bit, but outside she will run up to whatever I throw, sniff it, then start doing something else. She also doesn't care for treats much right now, so I can't use those as incentive/reward. When she was fetching well inside, I got out a duck dummy, and she could not figure out how to grab it. She clearly hasn't had to fetch anything that size/shape before. She quickly gave up.

A lot of this I'm attributing to her still being in a new home and adjusting. I know that can take weeks and even months sometimes. But I'm hoping you all can give me some tips and advice for training an older dog. She is pretty obedient, and is only getting better as she adjusts.

Thanks in advance for any and all help.

-McLintock


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## hazmat (Apr 23, 2009)

I would try to find a friend coworker neighbor relative etc. Who has a dog that loves to fetch let them hang out and let your dog see another dog doing it. She will soon catch on. As far as treats labs are people pleases high praises will go along way with her.
I trained my lab to retrieve shed antlers without any treats


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## Steve G (Nov 29, 2016)

I think you may have a tough road ahead. Not all labs have a desire to retrieve. As hazmat wrote, "labs are people pleasers". I would experiment with the following.

Keep play times very short and limit play to only play with a retrieving training dummy so that she builds an association with retrieving and happiness/play. If she loses interest in retrieving than no more play and back in the kennel she goes. When she gets back out its potty time and then training dummy till she loses interest. Repeat.

Labs are lovers and their value is far greater than that of a retriever so if you don't see definite improvement in a short period of time maybe she just doesn't have that drive. Let her out of the kennel and let her be part of the family.

Good Luck to both of you.


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## USMARINEhuntinfool (Sep 15, 2007)

I had a Lab I got when she was 5, sounds very similar to yours. Came from hunting lines but had never been trained or hunted. I started with a tennis ball, I would throw it initially she paid no attention to it, just wanted to be by me and be loved on. I started throwing the ball a short distance and chasing after it myself. When I would get to the ball I would get really animated. After a few times of this the dog started to want the ball. I would then throw the ball and we would race to the ball but she would still not pick it up, but would mouth it. We did this for a week or so until she started picking the ball up on her own. She would then pick it up and carry it around. We did this for a couple weeks. Once she got to where she really enjoyed playing this game we started working the fetch. I put her on a long lead would throw the ball a short distance then reel her in heaping on praise and staying happy animated as I brought her to me with the ball. Then we moved to the retrieving dummies and did the same. It took several months but, I hunted over that dog for 6 years, just had to put her down last year. She was by far one of the best hunting dogs I've hunted behind. She LOVED to hunt after all that. It was a real pleasure to hunt behind her. Biggest take aways, everything is a training opportunity, ALWAYS be positive and happy with them or you will lose everything you gain, and take your time.


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## ZEKESMAN (Sep 14, 2007)

Its always nice when the OP comes back on to say thanks and lets you know how iyt is going


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Good advice given already.

My initial thoughts to add are:

1.) Work on shooting around your dog. If that means lighting a firecracker just for the "bang" at home, then do it. Don't act like anything is wrong, and just pretend that loud noises are normal. Some guys will even use wood blocks to slap together to make noise. You just don't want a gun-shy dog. 
2.) Work on fetching. A lab that wont fetch is a sad day in the gun dog world.
3.) Spend some time learning on here: http://utahbirddogs.com/forum/ there are some AMAZING guys on here that know their stuff.
4.) If you want to do some dry runs, you can buy pigeons on KSL and take your dog out to train before hunting season starts. Just kennel your dog, pull a pigeon out and dizzy it up and stuff it in a bush. Let your dog out and try and let it find the bird on its own. When the pigeon flies, shoot it with your shotgun and try and get the dog to do a retrieve. Lather, rinse, repeat as many times as necessary.
5.) Have patience. These things take time. Don't get mad at your dog, don't hit your dog if they don't do well. Just be patient and work with them.
6.) Buy a dog bumper to play fetch. Don't leave the bumper out for the dog to chew up when you aren't working together. My dog LOVES her bumper and knows its fun time when we work together with the bumper.
7.) I like to play hide and seek with my lab by dragging a pheasant wing around my yard and have her find it. I have an extra wing if you want it.
8.) Have fun together. Man and dog in the field = happiness. The only thing that makes it better is sharing it with others.

Hope this helps!


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## McLintock (Oct 11, 2014)

Some great advice everyone, thank you. I've been out of town so I haven't been able to try much yet (sorry zekesman). However just tonight I tried playing fetch with her. She ran out and retrieved the first time I threw it out, so I was over the top with my praise, and I got her to retrieve 3-4 more times. The last time I could tell she was starting to lose interest, so I stopped there and didn't push it. I'm afraid she just might not have much drive, but time will tell. Realistically she'll be 20% hunting dog and 80% family dog. And so far she's been an amazing family dog, so I can't complain. But I'm still hoping to be able to hunt with her. I don't need any ribbons or trophies, I just want her to go get the duck/pheasant after I shoot it.
Also, she did just have a litter in April (c-section), so I don't know how long it takes them to fully recover from that. But maybe that's part of it?
Thanks again, and keep the advice coming if you have some. I'll keep you guys posted with her progress.

-McLintock


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Worse case - even if she doesn't end up being much of a hunter, it's extra feet on the ground which increases your odds of kicking up a bird. You just gotta be sure she isn't gun shy and watch where your bird lands.


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