Golden Retrievers?

[sandbender]

Can anyone point me in the direction of websites, or books that will provide info on raising one of these dogs?

It will be a working dog rather than a family pet, any thoughts, given the choice on whether I should choose a male or female puppy?

And finally, given that I've never owned a dog before, how hard an animal is it likely to be to train and live with?

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[Indoorsout]

If you have never trained a dog before it will be difficult. I wouldn't say impossible but certainly very difficult. Is it going to be a working gundog? If so, I would suggest forgetting training your own dog and talk to a gundog breeder about getting a trained one. It is very easy to mess up a dogs training with only a few wrong cues and in a gundog you can't afford that level of uncertainty. It's the same as any working breed, especially one that will work off lead. The basics have to be bombproof.

It can be done, but I'd not want to risk it. I don't know what the system is in Hungary but here the breeders will sell you a dog with various levels of training according to your skills and your wallet, obviously the more trained it is the more it costs. If you can't get one like this try and find someone local who trains dogs and enlist their help.

 

[sandbender]

Sound advice, thanks indoorsout

No I wasn't planning on training her up to be a working gundog, but had hoped to have a disciplined beast that I could walk with off a lead and not have to worry about it running off into the bush, not without my say so anyway.

I would build a sizable shed and enclosed run for her to sleep in and she'd travel with me for pretty much the whole day, either afoot or in the back of the landrover.

 

[Indoorsout]

Ok, lets look at the recall.
Your new dog is exploring the area, sniffing and peeing up everything in the vicinity. It's having so much fun it doesn't hear you call. Eventually it notices you standing there, jumping up and down and turning purple as you scream its name, and comes over to you - what do you do now?

 

[deeps]

Couple of tips;

Put a lot of time in.
Be consistent setting boundaries of behaviour.
Don't let it think it is a human by treating it like one.
Don't let kids spoil the dog.
Buy a dog crate - takes all the hassle out of keeping a puppy and stops the place being destroyed - its not cruel, they need a 'den' where they are secure. I have had a couple of dogs and tried a crate this time for my lab - kicking myself for not having done it before.
You don't really need to use an e-collar.
Read 'The 10 minute retriever' by John and Amy Dahl - ISBN 1/57223-303-6.
Get a damn good hoover!

 

[sandbender]

Couple of tips;

Put a lot of time in.
Be consistent setting boundaries of behaviour.
Don't let it think it is a human by treating it like one.
Don't let kids spoil the dog.
Buy a dog crate - takes all the hassle out of keeping a puppy and stops the place being destroyed - its not cruel, they need a 'den' where they are secure. I have had a couple of dogs and tried a crate this time for my lab - kicking myself for not having done it before.
You don't really need to use an e-collar.
Read 'The 10 minute retriever' by John and Amy Dahl - ISBN 1/57223-303-6.
Get a damn good hoover!

All useful stuff, thanks deeps

There will be kids around the dog and I'd be keen for them to realize the difference between an animal that is kept as a household pet and this one.

 

[sandbender]

Ok, lets look at the recall.
Your new dog is exploring the area, sniffing and peeing up everything in the vicinity. It's having so much fun it doesn't hear you call. Eventually it notices you standing there, jumping up and down and turning purple as you scream its name, and comes over to you - what do you do now?

Well, I'm admitting I don't know too much about the subject, however in my experience dogs like to know their place in the world and that place is as a lesser dog to my 'top dog' status.

If she deliberately ignores an instruction to return, she'll be punished, when she returns at my command I'll make sure she knows that I'm pleased.

 

[Indoorsout]

That would be the standard answer for most people and could wreck your recall, which is why I used that as an example. You should ALWAYS reward a return, even if she's ignored 50 calls previously. Punishing a dog at that point associates the punishment with the return, rewarding a return makes her more likely to return next time.

The point is, dogs do not think like people and do not understand us anywhere near as well as we sometimes like to think they do. Your comment:

If she deliberately ignores an instruction to return,

is a case in point. You have atributed a human response to the dog, that of being deliberately wilful. To the dog it may simply have been that there were far more interesting things where she was and she felt no desire to return to you. It is not deliberately ignoring, it is a case of making yourself a better option than the sights, scents and sounds of the environment.

Try and get The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson, it's a great book that explains this concept and how to use it to your advantage far better than I ever could

ps: forgot to add, my partner took canine phychology as part of her dog training qualifications

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

Get it at 7weeks, feed it then outside and don't let it in till it's done the biz. Best way to house train it. Great dogs, just don't let it eat too much.

Males harder to train than females. Don't castrate it, kills the spirit.

Nick

 

[sandbender]

That would be the standard answer for most people and could wreck your recall

Learning a great deal already, thanks for this, I will check out the Jean Donaldson book.


:You_Rock_

 

[DoctorSpoon]

Ok, lets look at the recall.
Your new dog is exploring the area, sniffing and peeing up everything in the vicinity. It's having so much fun it doesn't hear you call. Eventually it notices you standing there, jumping up and down and turning purple as you scream its name, and comes over to you - what do you do now?

that sounds rather familiar

Males harder to train than females.

same for humans

Seriously though, what you have to remember is it takes time and patience. A young dog is never going to be 100% reliable, but if you are calm and consistent the obedience will grow and your relationship with your dog will be based on trust not fear.
Nicola

 

[fishy1]

That would be the standard answer for most people and could wreck your recall, which is why I used that as an example. You should ALWAYS reward a return, even if she's ignored 50 calls previously. Punishing a dog at that point associates the punishment with the return, rewarding a return makes her more likely to return next time.

The point is, dogs do not think like people and do not understand us anywhere near as well as we sometimes like to think they do. Your comment: is a case in point. You have atributed a human response to the dog, that of being deliberately wilful. To the dog it may simply have been that there were far more interesting things where she was and she felt no desire to return to you. It is not deliberately ignoring, it is a case of making yourself a better option than the sights, scents and sounds of the environment.

You are absolutely right. For example, if it bites a child, and you call it and it comes running, you should reward it, not punish it. Although perhaps it is best to do this quietly, otherwise the childs parents will think you are encouraging it to bite. And it should never bite people anyways.

My dog is fairly well behaved, although it is not very easy to call it back when chasing hares. I'm working on it.

One thing I mean to do is see if I can train it to find chanterelles, similar to truffle dogs. That would speed up harvesting significantly I think.

 

[a12jpm]

Also might want to consider a part trained dog. Some keepers get rid at about 18 months to 2 years if the dog is not up to their standard. The local free ads normally list them or sportingshooter.co.uk is a good port of call.

For my 2 pence i always use a stick and the same bunnet all the time, had working labs for 20 odd years now. The dog knows that the stick is there for discipline, you don't have to use it but i trained all mine to walk at the back of my stick then when I'm on a peg the stick goes in the ground and dog sits next to it. The bunnet is like a trigger mechanism. When it goes on the dog allways goes into "work" mode. Might just be a mental thing but it works for me. God help me if I ever loose the blooming hat!

Most of all remember they are pack animals and the pack must have a leader, always be firm but fair. It's a fine line between good working dog and pet.

 

[Indoorsout]

The bunnet is like a trigger mechanism. When it goes on the dog allways goes into "work" mode. Might just be a mental thing but it works for me. God help me if I ever loose the blooming hat!

Actually, this is the same way assistance dogs are trained, except its the dogs harness or vest that signals work time and not your hat It is a well known system used all over the world

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

Just like when I pick up a poly bag, the dog bolts to the door.

Nick

 

[Barn Owl]

A Golden Retreiver bitch should be easy to train,make sure the breeder is reputable though.

I've had my lass for 10 and a half years since she was 9 mth old.

She was brought up in an ordinary household and is the most placid and obedient dog i've known.

The old girl is getting on though and I fear she won't have a quality of life in the next few months,then she'll be put down without suffering.

You won't regret getting one,easily trained,obedient and loyal to the core.

 

[jamesoconnor]

I can lend you a book or two on training gundogs if you want, just PM me. My dads main passion is training gundogs and he's field trialled a few aswell as working them on both rough and pheasant shooting. Growing up around gundogs( labs and springers) I know a fair bit on training them and can give you a bit of advice along the way.
I'm waiting till one of his springers is bred in 4 months to take a pup myself. I also fancy a wee daschund as I want to train a dog for tracking deer and have heard that they are pretty good at the task. Also would be good company for the springer when its kennelled outside.

 

[sandbender]

I can lend you a book or two on training gundogs if you want, just PM me......I know a fair bit on training them and can give you a bit of advice along the way..

Thanks for the offer of books and advice, as I live a thousand miles away and am served by a less than perfect postal service its probably a better idea for you to recommend some titles, this'll also be helpful for others who may search the forum in the future.

I may quiz you for advice in the future though

Thanks

 

[h2o]

Well, I'm admitting I don't know too much about the subject, however in my experience dogs like to know their place in the world and that place is as a lesser dog to my 'top dog' status.

If she deliberately ignores an instruction to return, she'll be punished, when she returns at my command I'll make sure she knows that I'm pleased.

what punishment? punishment does not work with dogs, praise good behaviour ignore bad!!!

 

[marshall4771]

The most important thing is to find the right breeder. I have known three Golden Retrievers that have attacked, to varying degrees, their owners. This has been due to a combination of bad breeding and bad habits in raising them ( ie treating them as a child and not a dog).
Have you set your heart on a Golden Retriever or are you open to change ?

Shaun