If you could give just one tip for a puppy owner....

[Cass]

I completely understand (and yes even agree hahaha) with you Rascal - my wording was a bit simplistic and should have included a little more information. As far as preferring birds over dummies though, that is something I do feel strongly about. As a retriever (or gun dog in general) that dog should retrieve whatever you send it for. My guy obviously loves retrieving birds, but I use dummies more often than I use birds for the convenience that they bring. He understands the dummy is a retrieving item and if he didn't pick it you better believe he'd be hearing from me lol.

[Rascal]

As far as preferring birds over dummies though, that is something I do feel strongly about. As a retriever (or gun dog in general) that dog should retrieve whatever you send it for.

Then we agree on that one too as I said in my previous post, viewtopic.php?f=6&t=20553&start=20#p230270 I give a pup fur and feathered game to retrieve it prevents any problems in the future in my experience...Once they've done it they don't forget even if it's a few months before they do it again..

But as a newbie I could have read your post differently is all I'm saying...

Rascal

[Gundogguy]

As far as preferring birds over dummies though, that is something I do feel strongly about. As a retriever (or gun dog in general) that dog should retrieve whatever you send it for.

Then we agree on that one too as I said in my previous post, viewtopic.php?f=6&t=20553&start=20#p230270 I give a pup fur and feathered game to retrieve it prevents any problems in the future in my experience...Once they've done it they don't forget even if it's a few months before they do it again..

But as a newbie I could have read your post differently is all I'm saying...

Rascal

Rascal You are exactly correct. Newbie's place way to much emphasis on live birds and usually over look the basics that are being forgotten about. Once a dog decides to avoid inanimate targets (bumpers, balls ) many problems in the training come to the surface. Even here in N America where training with liberated game is legal, way to much attention is place on bird work and not enough on the basics. With proper balance birds should be about 10 % of the teaching and training process. As I recall this thread was begun by a retrieving type dog.

[Springfield Pointers]

I think any newbie reading this thread will be more confused than enlightened I don't thing one could, nor should they, put a percentage on work with game. Train the dog in front of you, they are all different, in many ways. It also depends on what ones own expectations are for the dog.

[Nickheref]

I agree with Springfield, this will be getting pretty confusing for a first time pup owner.
All I would say is this, in Britain, I see far, far more dogs who are poor/useless gundogs due to the owner lacking control rather than the dogs lacking enthusiasm. So much so that more and more I shoot over my dogs either alone or in the company of very carefully chosen companions, particularly when bedding in a young dog in it's first season.
My trigger finger gets very very twitchy when one of my young dogs has a nice flush, has stopped and is waiting to be sent and out of the corner of my eye I see someone elses dog running in to pick it with the usual cacophany of whistle blowing and shouting in a vain attempt to stop it or worst still those who believe it is acceptable for their dogs to romp around picking anything at will, usually prior to them clearing the next bit of ground of game prior to the guns getting anywhere near it.
Sorry bit of a raw nerve.
.

[Springfield Pointers]

...out of the corner of my eye I see someone elses dog running in to pick it with the usual cacophany of whistle blowing and shouting in a vain attempt to stop it or worst still those who believe it is acceptable for their dogs to romp around picking anything at will, usually prior to them clearing the next bit of ground of game prior to the guns getting anywhere near it.

I shoot over my dogs either alone or in the company of very carefully chosen companions

Sorry bit of a raw nerve.

Methinks you should tighen up on your criteria for selection of said shooting companions.
(apologies, couldn't resist that...)

[Nickheref]

All ready have done, sadly good ground is at a premium over here, I am pretty lucky that I have quite a lot to go at but sometimes accept invitations and groan when I see what sort of day it is going to be, but being a Brit am far too polite to go home in a huff or give my hosts friends a b********g, just try and keep myself out of the main group. I get particularly peeved when afterwards they tell me how lucky I am with the dogs I get to work with. Would have put up the head banging into a wall smily if I wasn't such a luddite!!