Home Forums Birds & Dogs Hunting Dogs Rick I need your help

Hey Rick I really really really need your help...we now have two yes TWO(2) new additions to our family. They are both black labs and one is an 8 weel old female and the other a 7 week old male. We already have the female "Tessa" and the male arrives this sunday. They both are from great blood lines. Tessa's Mom is a great hunter and her Dad was a field trial champion. The little boy comes from parents who are both excellent hunters...in short we feel maybe we have some great potential or a great shot of one of the two being good dogs.<P>Mark has already been absorbing the book Gun Dog, Water Dog, and Game Dog by Richard Walters. But one thing the books do not seem to cover is why the male likes to retrieve and bury yes bury what he retrieves. Ever hear of this novel act? If so how did you break this nasty little habit? <P>The other questions is our soon to be 2 year old is apparenlty terrified of the pup and I can only imagine how she will be when teh second pup arrives. She has never been harmed by any type of animal in any way, yet you would think she was mauled the way she reacts, this munchkin does not even like the zoo. About the only time she will even get near Tessa is if she is in her kennel. BUt God help you if you let the pup while she is around. Any ideas on what we should do to help her overcome this phobia? <P>Toons<P>------------------<BR>Don't be ashamed to say what you are not ashamed to think.

Hi Toons:<P>Good to hear from you.<P>First off, congratulations. Getting one new pup made me almost bust with excitement. Two must be quite a wallup!<P>OK, first things first. The biggest thing you can do right, especially since the pups are so young, is to let them be pups and socialize them, socialize them, socialize them. That means to slowly but surely expose them to as many new situations as possible without overwhelming them. If they seem to cower at something, try to urge them along with strong reassurement. Show them it's OK, and try to get them over it before pulling them away from something new. The payof in a confident, well-adjusted dog down the line will be well worth it.<P>Second, which I kinda mentioned, is to let them be pups. I wouldn't worry too much about the one dog burying anything right now. Just make fetching and everything about fetching an absolute joy and a game. There will be plenty of time for disciplie later on. Play, play, play, and expose, expose, expose.<P>Third, find "Best Way To Train Your Gun Dog: The Delmar Smith Method." Buy that book. It's mainly about pointers, but it is a trove of training info, most especially when it comes to acquiring a training philosophy and mindset. Also, get "Tri-Tronics Retriever Training." This is the best Lab book I've seen, and if you get an e-collar later, it will go hand in hand.<P>As to the older Lab, this is the kinda behavior I would expect to see from a dog that has not been socialized well, that is, unreasonable timidity or fear at something harmless. Not saying that's what it is, just that it might be. From what you've told me, I'd make a huge game of it. Cut everyone loose in the backyard or an enclosed area, and ignore the older dogs expressions of fear. Don't say anything like "It's all right. She's just a puppy. She won't hurt you." Nothing like that. Just start playing and fetching and fetching and playing and have patience. Let that older dog slowly but surely start getting over the pup. Pretty soon, if I guess right, she'll start investigating and sniffing, etc. Don't interfere unless she tries to hurt your pup. Otherwise, let HER get over it on her own. Just sit back, for an hour or two if need be, and let the process take place.<P>I'd love to hear how it goes.<P>Congratulations.<P>Rick

hey Rick I think I forgot to mention the almost two year old is our daughter!!!! Not another lab! I have been laughing til my sides hurt on this one!!! <P>Tessa the female is a very and I do mean very confident pup. Her curiosity usually gets the better of her and certain things scare her at first but then her curiosity gets the better of her and off she goes to check it out. She is a doll of a pup and seems to love attention, although trying to house break her has been a monster job any suggestions? Especially with another one on the way I would like to break them both immediately. I do not want them to be solitary outdoor dogs. I want to have them be indoors and outdoors...basically I want them to be where we are as much as possible. I mean they are family so unless we are out where they cannot be then it would be the only reason they would not be around. The breeder suggested Mark take them with him to the gun range in the kennel and park the truck to see how they react to noise. Is this safe at their age for their ears? Geesh I sound like a Mom to lab pups...I am so whipped by puppy breath!!! I will snap some photos and post them as soon as the little boy arrives. Any suggestions for a name on the boy? Mark prefers either Astro or Major. I prefer Major but I did nick name the little one. Her registered name is LaContessa Spritzer, hence the "Tessa" and it seems to suit her personality. One final question when she runs she does not quite run she hops like scooby doo?!!? And she gets about 3 feet away from you when you are sitting down, runs at you and jumps up like a kangaroo...she looks hilarious but i have to give the little one credit in that she does not agive up until she gets what she is after. Thanks for the advice and I will let Mark know. Any toy suggestions for her and him, I cannot play favorites...!?!?<P>Toons<P>------------------<BR>Don't be ashamed to say what you are not ashamed to think.

Toons:<P>Big sheepish grin. <P>And here I was sounding like I halfway knew what I was talking about. <P>I wouldn't take them to the range quite yet. I'd start by clapping your hands when you feed them. You wnat to get to the point where when you clap your hands, they come running for food. Then I'd start banging the posts around a bit when you feed them, all the while talking them up real happy like. Then bang the pots hard from a good distance away as you're bringing them food, then in the pen, and keep on progressing.<P>I start gunfire with a .22 short pointed away from them as they make a good run for a retrieve. If you see the tail drop, or the dog hesitate, back off. If they keep their run up after the shot, you're almost home. Start with a low level of gunfire far, then move closer. Every time you increase the charge (say to a .410), move away again and point the barrel away from the dog. Let the dog tell you how ready he is for you to move closer.<P>Whatever you do, try not to startle him/her.<P>As to names, anything but "Jack" will do. <P>Rick<P>

No Jack? Well....okay if you insist .<P>So what should we do about the two year old?<BR>The human one.....hehehehe<P><BR>Toons<P>------------------<BR>Don't be ashamed to say what you are not ashamed to think.

Pots and pans, and firing .22's over pup or dog at mealtime is the "OLD" school of thought! Imaginge how you feel if your Mother, Father or Spouse fired a gun over you at the table when you'd least expected it! Or Grannie suddenly started smacking the old cast irons together! <BR> This is so ridiculous!<BR>Gunfire should "ONLY" be introduced when a bold, confident pup or dog is in full persuit out at 40 yards after a pigeon or quail in training, not at dinner! The vacccum, t.v., doors, phone & and other odd or loud nioses is plenty to get any dog ajusted to loud and unusual noises. When I got my Setter he was nine months old and Didn't even know what a car sounded like. When I brought him home the first day that dog was terrified of any sound that was made. This dog came from a quiet country setting and was kenneled with 12 other dogs. Daily exercise and human contact was done with all of the dogs. He had never been in a house before, But I instisted that he be a house dog & kenneled when I had to work. He reacted to almost any noise that happend around him; the Hiway Traffic near the back yard, scared him to death, but at the same time he was courios enough to look through the fence at a distance and watch them go by...Mac trucks would blast their 'Jake brakes' for the traffic light down the road, gunshots & backfiring exaust pipes sometimes would ring out in the day or even night, horns would blair and even a "rearender" or two. And all this is out along a Country hiway!<BR> He got over it in about 2 weeks time but then, there was the indoor noises to contend with. The Dreded VACCUUM. The doors slamming,(on purpose} the washer & dryer lids closing, the water in the sink running, the T.V., Stereo, the parrot screeming, the phone ringing, and the LAWN MOWER in the front & back yard going by. All of these sound to a dog are very loud the their acute' hearing. He would run in the other room, then come halfway out and stretch out on all fours and reach his neck as far as he could to investigate were the sounds where coming from. It was funny as hell. He is now the boldest dog I ever owned (Un-cut) and tries to protect me from strangers and wierd noises! But I'm the BOSS, not him. If I let him get away with acting like this he would soon be in controll. He was introduced to GUNFIRE with a .410 in the field chasing a flying pigeon that was shot for him. He was all over it and didn't even flinch to the sound. I was really worried that he would be afraid after all that noise training in the past. It paid off BIGTIME! just my .02<p>[This message has been edited by Lady Grouse Hunter (edited June 21, 2001).]

LG:<P>I'm for whatever works. The old school way worked for me and Jack, so I thought I would pass it along. It certainly isn't "ridiculous," though I'm perfectly willing to admit that there are other and maybe better ways to do it.<P>But me and Jack are just fine.<P>Rick Bin

fwiw...zeus (my male lab) got his introduction the hard way...he was standing next to my drag car (unbeknownst to me) when i fired the open headered 440 up. no, he didn't appreciate it, but he didn't run, and has been a fabulous waterfowl/pheasant dog for me.<P>hera (my female lab) got introduced a little easier. the dummy thrower went off, she ran after the dummy, the 12 ga. went off. again, she has been a fabulous hunter for me, too.<P>anyway, that's how my dogs got their introduction to excessive noises, right or wrong.<P>------------------<BR>Hunting is not a matter of life or death. It is much more important than that.