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  1. #1
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    Default Help with new Puppy please

    Good Day

    I was considering getting a gundog for waterfowling purposes for such a long time, then something happened yesterday, yesterday morning my GF saw a guy trying to sell a puppy in the intense Worcester heat, she then saw him again late in the afternoon with the same puppy, now in a dehydrated state. Long story short , she bought it, and when I arrived home yesterday from a IPSC shoot, I saw this doggy.

    This puppy looks like a real pedigree Golden Retriever and I guess is about 7 weeks old, it sure looks as if this was a stolen dog and not some pavement special, after studying 100's of pics, it is either a pure golden/golden x lab/ lab.

    We are keeping it, and though not how I planned to source a gundog, this is going to be my gundog, she is 7 weeks old now more or less. What now?

    I will be getting a book or 2 soon on the matter, but how should I go about from here? Just basic obedience trainingfor now? When do I start introducing him to Waterfowling,gunshots,real geese, water etc.?

    Thanks

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Help with new Puppy please

    Sit stay fetch give and take - bring - down first, while insuring that everything around guns is nice. I have had a few make people "wow" collies, but this is my first collie I am training to work with me. Tell a bit about how it went. I cut droe wors into 1cm pieces just for her. When I cleaned rifles I gave her every few mins those tiny pieces. First range visit I left her in car and gave a ruffle and piece of wors after every group shot. Later I had her at my feet and same thing - but she would go back to vehicle after first shots own choice. At about 8 months I brought a dead duck home tied it to a rope and we played in park with it. Threw it and used same commands as with ball. Later as she got to it I jerked it away and it was a great game. Went geese shooting first time at about 9 months. By second shotgun shot she broke collar and bolted. luckily she did as taught and went straight to her safe haven the bakkie. Second shoot took my 5yr old with and he was told to hug and pat and "good girl" her after each shot and a small wors piece. When collecting ducks she tried stealing the ducks from my sons hands. The first duck she eventfully pick up herself was a big treat event. I gave her a raw leg on the spot. I threw sticks into dam and she went to fetch, when geese came one fell in water and she started that indecision thing - you good see she wanted to but ?????? she eventually fetched one and that lead to another. Still takes ten mins to get her in water sometimes. I see from yesterdays shoot that she likes fetching the geese to side but loses interest on land. Still will not bring to your feet.
    This is not a how to do it suggestion - just a how my first try worked out. Perhaps you can use some of it. PS remember its still a puppy for at least a year and a bit, none of my clever dogs came to there own before second year.

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Help with new Puppy please

    Inoculations, DeWorm and Microchip should be top of your list. Then basic obedience.
    Last edited by Tracker_WP; 26-01-2014 at 16:56. Reason: grammar

  4. #4
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    Default Re: Help with new Puppy please

    Quote Originally Posted by Tracker_WP View Post
    Inoculations, DeWorm and Microchip should be top of your list. Then basic obedience.
    Of Course, when the vet opens tomorrow.

    Took him down to the dam and he decided to have a little swim all on his own , I did not force him or anything, that really pleased me!!

  5. #5
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    Default Re: Help with new Puppy please

    Quote Originally Posted by treeman View Post
    Sit stay fetch give and take - bring - down first, while insuring that everything around guns is nice. I have had a few make people "wow" collies, but this is my first collie I am training to work with me. Tell a bit about how it went. I cut droe wors into 1cm pieces just for her. When I cleaned rifles I gave her every few mins those tiny pieces. First range visit I left her in car and gave a ruffle and piece of wors after every group shot. Later I had her at my feet and same thing - but she would go back to vehicle after first shots own choice. At about 8 months I brought a dead duck home tied it to a rope and we played in park with it. Threw it and used same commands as with ball. Later as she got to it I jerked it away and it was a great game. Went geese shooting first time at about 9 months. By second shotgun shot she broke collar and bolted. luckily she did as taught and went straight to her safe haven the bakkie. Second shoot took my 5yr old with and he was told to hug and pat and "good girl" her after each shot and a small wors piece. When collecting ducks she tried stealing the ducks from my sons hands. The first duck she eventfully pick up herself was a big treat event. I gave her a raw leg on the spot. I threw sticks into dam and she went to fetch, when geese came one fell in water and she started that indecision thing - you good see she wanted to but ?????? she eventually fetched one and that lead to another. Still takes ten mins to get her in water sometimes. I see from yesterdays shoot that she likes fetching the geese to side but loses interest on land. Still will not bring to your feet.
    This is not a how to do it suggestion - just a how my first try worked out. Perhaps you can use some of it. PS remember its still a puppy for at least a year and a bit, none of my clever dogs came to there own before second year.
    Thanks, but how do you walk around with droewors in your pocket without eating it yourself!!! No, seriously thanks for sharing treeman!

  6. #6
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Bauermn View Post
    Of Course, when the vet opens tomorrow.Took him down to the dam and he decided to have a little swim all on his own , I did not force him or anything, that really pleased me!!
    Labs and retrievers are notorious for loving water.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bauermn View Post
    Thanks, but how do you walk around with droewors in your pocket without eating it yourself!!! No, seriously thanks for sharing treeman!
    I had this problem too... solution? Try buying droewors thats meant for pets.

  8. #8
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    Default Re: Help with new Puppy please

    oh and one of the more pleasing things all my dogs knew was "away" - the more away repeated meant the further. My old sheep dog would move back 5/6 ft then look back away again she went like almost out of talk command distance and a last away she would go back to a point, be it where we came from or the kitchen or the bakkie. a really good command to have at hand. I also found that after teaching a dog to take - hold till give command was a good Rosetta Stone to under standing each other. If you can try from early to write down and learn and use from beginning a few absolutely basic hand signs,(really impresses the mates) (actually so useful.). Mine are basic - Give her the beady eye and point away = away. Flat hand = stop. A directed fist like salute and knock slowly down is = a bit of stop lie down wait stay all in one.( I have found that even collies I have never met seem to know this one instinctively to some degree). A karate chop type salute hand held like to slap = you been warned = behave - you know what you doing wrong. ( the hand warning works very well if the dog has been disciplined by flat hand before) ---=====----- you can trust me on the hand signals, if done from beginning they happen by self. DO NOT USE THE COMMON BECKONING MOTION TO CALL DOG - the universal come here motion - sooner or later it will be misinterpreted and the dog will run across a road by accident or jump off vehicle at bad time. Come here is two hands slapped on chest. Also avoid the word "ok" as a command - it is used to often in conversation . Example your dog is watching cat intently thinking " I would love to have ago at the cat", you chat to neighbour, end off " Ok I see you tomorrow" next minute your dogs laying into his cat because you said its OK. I could not work out why since I had my boy 5yrs with me in the bush my old dog would suddenly just do some thing out of order. I only noticed / realized that through all the years it was her and I and if in company it was adults. Now with my boy I am constantly say come - wait Cody Cody "no" or come boy lets go. I would look two foot behind me where she normally was and find her at the last ravine we crossed cause I told Cody to wait and she did just that. I figured it out when Cody put his food down on the ground and I was impatient for us to get going. I said Cody eat your food its getting late" and she had being eyeing that plate with great desire - when she heard eat your food GOODBUY CHOW. Oh and one more thing put bits of bones and meat down and freak at animal if it eats off the ground and with out "eat" command. You will be happy when you find a dead Jackal and not a dead dog at the farmers poisoned jackal bait.

  9. #9
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    Default Re: Help with new Puppy please

    Quote Originally Posted by Tracker_WP View Post
    Labs and retrievers are notorious for loving water.
    I know , but this this pup is about 7 weeks old walked to the waters edge, looked around , entered and swam around as if it was something he had done so many times before, for me personally it was amazing, he was not terrified at all, guess that is behaviour engraved onto their genes.

  10. #10
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    Default Re: Help with new Puppy please

    guess who is already proud of his mutt ?. - Its your dog - was meant to be - give wife a kiss and buy her a O/Under that you always wanted.

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