duck dog trainig?

My 2 cents is this. Don't rush. Enjoy your puppy. Socialize it as much as possible. Teach it good manners and work on obedience and retrieiving. Always keep the dog wanting more.

A good video I watched on raising a retriever puppy is Bill Hillman's puppy video. They aren't cheap, but lots of good information, and it makes a lot of sense.

You'll hear to find a program and stick with that program. Lots of times that is spot on, but I liked being able to have different philosophies and ideas to choose from.

If you use Water Dog or the other Wolters materials, throw out the timeline. Every dog is different. Every dog has a different temperament and retrieving drive. The better you can learn to read your dog the easier the training will go. Being able to tell when the dog is confused vs blowing you off can save you a lot of time and your dog a lot of confusion. Above all, be consistent and have fun with your pup!

Just started to train my 10 week old female lab pup. The thing is to bond with the pup, show lots of attention and start slowly. There are many books to read that will train you and your lab. I am fortunate enuf to have the time and energy to spend with my pup Belle. Have had many water dogs in my long years of water fowling. Your concern that your pup will not retrieve to hand is nothing to be concerned about at this point as long as the pup will chase the thrown training dummy. I have mine retrieving to my side, but will not attempt to take the dummy until she has played with it a moment. Make it a game just now. Training time is an every day ritual and spend lots of time to bond. In hopes my little Belle will be ready for some water fowling this upcoming season. Not too much tho', just still a game. The real advanced training will come as she matures. Keep up the good work and be patient. Your pup will be a great water dog. MTG