# Labrador waterfowl Training



## Population Control (Oct 16, 2007)

Does anyone have or know of someone locally who will take my 2 year old lab and work with her on waterfowl and upland game?
It's like she just turned off a switch that says retreiving isn't fun anymore AND I don't have to pick up that bumper you throw.


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## Gumbo (Sep 22, 2007)

Do you want to turn the dog over to a trainer at $400+ per month? Or would you like some ideas you could try before laying out the cash? How is the dog's current training? Do you think it's a desire issue or a dominance issue?

First thing I would do is take off the e-collar and lay off applying pressure, take the dog on walks, and just socialize with it. Instill confidence.

If you feel it's a dominance issue, try a few sessions of the alpha-male wolf rollover, where you get on all fours and roll the dog over on its back, holding it down, then stare in its eyes. It sounds weird, but it works (read about it in the Monks of New Skeet books).

Go back to basics. Help the dog regain its confidence and desire to please. Give lots of praise. Try to eliminate or minimize e-collar use in each session. Instead, coerce him using praise. Punish him by not giving him the retrieve, etc.

That's my 2 cents worth, and probably not even worth that.


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## Jesse Higgins (Sep 11, 2007)

Actually, some experienced help would likely be a very good thing for both you and you're dog. Problem is - not a lot of choices available locally.

Laura Nordberg of North Mountain Retrievers is a pro out of the Boise area that contributes to these forums. She is certainly a qualified trainer. http://www.northmountainretrievers.com/index.htm

Contact her and see if she might be able to help you out. She's regularly out this way during the testing/trialling season.

Good luck with your dog.

J


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