Gundog Training Forum

Hi,

I have a 12 week old Red Fox lab, and is lovely, however he is super chilled!

I have got him to sit and stay, but I am having problems getting him to come to me. He just sits and looks at me most the time, I don't really want to use treats, as I would prefer to use praise as he will be a gun dog.

Also he doesn't want much fuss of me which is sad.

Any tips on recall?

Thanks,

Out of interest why, just because he’s going to be a gundog are you ruling out treats? They are invaluable for early hand training and moulding behaviours. I would blow the recall whistle at feed time, so he associates it with food and I would also call his name followed by the recall whistle and treat him as soon as he comes. With a dog that doesn’t want fuss as a reward treats are even more useful. Remember at 12 weeks you need to keep it fun!

Rascal

No problem, I have been told by a few game keepers just try to avoid treats because the puppy is too interested in the treat than doing what he’s told, as it may distract him.

Thanks for the advice, I will deffo start using treats and the whilst together.

I use treats for a good recall with pups, a nice high value treat, something like Simpsons Premium sausages. My pup is 5 months old next week, and is just hitting a stage where she thinks she can start to ignore me, so I'm upping the rewards.

Tarimoor wrote: ↑Wed Dec 04, 2019 1:56 pm I use treats for a good recall with pups, a nice high value treat, something like Simpsons Premium sausages. My pup is 5 months old next week, and is just hitting a stage where she thinks she can start to ignore me, so I'm upping the rewards.

How often and how long would you recommend training a puppy similar aged to Sam?

I no he is young but want to ensure he starts on the right path if you get me.

Rascal wrote: ↑Wed Dec 04, 2019 1:24 pm Out of interest why, just because he’s going to be a gundog are you ruling out treats? They are invaluable for early hand training and moulding behaviours. I would blow the recall whistle at feed time, so he associates it with food and I would also call his name followed by the recall whistle and treat him as soon as he comes. With a dog that doesn’t want fuss as a reward treats are even more useful. Remember at 12 weeks you need to keep it fun!

You are a Rascal after my very own heart! - The OP needs to have the reply above by stitched into a wall-hanging.

The 'keepers are stuck in the antediluvian era of training - well, Our Naj would say that, anyhow. Rascal has shown you the one true way of modernity! - training in the guise of fun and play. Make it so for a good while to come and you and the fox red will prosper as a team.

MG

Samlab wrote: ↑Wed Dec 04, 2019 1:43 pm No problem, I have been told by a few game keepers just try to avoid treats because the puppy is too interested in the treat than doing what he’s told, as it may distract him.

Thanks for the advice, I will deffo start using treats and the whilst together.

The idea is that the puppy gets the treat for doing what it's told

Yeah, great post from Rascal, MG, I concur.

Samlab, I’m currently shooting-in a pup that has been trained completely through the use of treats and rewards and without corrections. I still use edible rewards for recalls/maintenance on my 10 year old and her training was reward based, too. Shot hundreds of head of game over her. Rewards are great providing you understand them and know how to use them. But just because you think that praise should be a suitable reward it doesn’t mean that the dog will. Handlers who say that they only need praise to reward a dog are invariably relying on corrections to do the heavy lifting.

Naj

Samlab wrote: ↑Wed Dec 04, 2019 2:23 pm

Tarimoor wrote: ↑Wed Dec 04, 2019 1:56 pm I use treats for a good recall with pups, a nice high value treat, something like Simpsons Premium sausages. My pup is 5 months old next week, and is just hitting a stage where she thinks she can start to ignore me, so I'm upping the rewards.

How often and how long would you recommend training a puppy similar aged to Sam?

I no he is young but want to ensure he starts on the right path if you get me.

I am absolutely not a trainer at all, but it does depend on the individual pup. My current pup is a real hard nut, she is bomb proof, full of herself and really wants to push limits. But she's also very food orientated, so treats do work. At home, she's retrieve orientated, so I'll work on taking that out into the wider world, but until then, good quality treats.

You’re training a puppy every time you are with it. So in essence, if you’re not training the puppy then the puppy is training you.