Three Principles for Creating the Perfect Retriever

Pretty much any dog can play fetch; in fact, any dog can benefit greatly from playing fetch. Fetching provides exercise and mental stimulation, both of which help keep dogs out of trouble. But playing fetch does not a retriever make.

Retriever training teaches a dog a well-defined skill set pertaining to hunting, and certain dog breeds have been bred for many generations to have the qualities necessary to excel as hunting retrievers. Of course, the qualities vary somewhat based on the whether the dog is bred to hunt upland birds, retrieve waterfowl or both. But the primary quality they all share is a strong predisposition for retrieving.

But a dog's desire to hold something in its mouth and bring it to you is only the foundation. It takes a lot of training to convert a dog into a solid retriever. If you want a dog who is crazy about retrieving, and skilled at it to boot, here are some things you should keep in mind.

Keep your dog hungry for retrieving.

I recently watched a television show in which a man used a device to throw tennis balls a great distance for his Golden Retriever. He would take his dog to the park and throw the balls until the animal got bored and stopped retrieving.

A hunting retriever doesn't have the luxury of getting bored and quitting. He must retrieve whenever or wherever a bird drops, whether it be in an icy pond, a swampy cattail patch or the fiery depths of hell. A lot goes into developing this much resolve in a dog, but a big part of it is making retrieving the absolute pinnacle of joy in your dog's life.

Retrieving should be her reward, her play, her job and the thing he looks most forward to. When I need to reward my dog for being obedient, I toss her a bumper. When she wants to play, I toss her a bumper. Before she eats, I toss her some bumpers. Before bed time, I toss her some bumpers. I toss her hundreds of bumpers. But here's the key: I never ever let her get bored with it. Typically, I only throw three or four bumpers in a session. But that's it. Always stop when she's still excited about it, and she'll always be ready for more.

Everything points toward the hunt.

Not only should a well-built retriever training program make the dog crave retrieving, but it should culminate in her being crazier than a loon to hunt birds so he can retrieve them.

When gun proofing the dog early on, he should learn that gunfire means there will be something to retrieve, usually a bumper thrown from a distance. He also learns that birds are an absolute blast to retrieve. Then gunfire and her love for birds are knit together when he learns that gunfire means a bird will drop from the sky for him to retrieve.

When we're teaching him to sniff out birds and flush them, he learns that doing so results in that beloved gunfire that makes birds fall from the sky... you guessed it, for him to retrieve.

Retrieving should be honed constantly.

In the initial stages of teaching dogs to retrieve in a structured way, bad habits must be avoided at all costs. And if they do start to surface, they must be dealt with quickly. A retriever must learn, and occasionally be reminded:

• They must not play tug with what they are retrieving. If you're going to let your dog play tug, do it with a piece of rope, and never send the dog to fetch the rope.
• They also must learn to to get to the mark quickly and return to you quickly. If you keep the dog hungry for retrieving, you should never have a problem with him getting to the mark quickly. If he starts to slow down on the return, turn and run away from him. That'll speed him up and remind him that returning to you is as fun as getting to the mark.
• They also must learn not to "mouth" or chew what they retrieve. Once a dog becomes hard-mouthed, it can be difficult to cure. The dog must be stopped immediately with a stern "No!", and the training session should immediately end. If your dog is loony-tunes for retrieving, that will get her attention pretty quickly.

Following these principles will make the difference between a snappy, disciplined hunting dog that is a joy to shoot over, and a sluggish, unenthusiastic hound that embarrasses you in front of your buddies.

And most importantly, don't forget to praise your dog lavishly and tell her what a pretty retriever she is when she gets it right. Flattery will get you everywhere.

For more dog training tips and information on obedience classes in Denver, Colorado, visit the  FetchMasters website or email Tom directly.