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i’ve had a couple seasons duck shooting and have decided to pickup a purebred lab bitch to assist. looking for tips and tricks on how to train her to retrieve ducks once she’s a bit older as she’s only 11 weeks old at the moment
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Find book "game dog" by fella wolters,read it through three times and you will be set. Start retrieving as soon as pup wants to play,doesn't matter what it is,if dog wants to bring it to you get into it,make pup mad for retrieving and your over half way there. Do not punish for walking around with mums slippers. Take them off pup and go play retrieve with something more appropriate.
I liked Tom Dokken's Retriever *Training, he has a book on the basics and a good progression through what you should be teaching and introducing at certain ages. I just ignored all the electronic collar stuff. He also has an advanced book.
You could always look at joining one of the gundog clubs to meet others and get advice off people who compete in gundog trials.
Plenty of youtube video's if you have a specific issue that you want to remedy. Just find a trainer or two that fit in with your style of training
I would add - make sure the parents have a high retrieve drive. I've owned and shot over labs for 30 years and if the parents have drive you are half way there. Best Lab I had had no papers but came from a long line of hunting parents.
Plus get them used to loud noises when they are young. Start by making mild noises when they are feeding and gradually make them louder and louder over a few weeks. Goes a long way to them not being gun shy. When you do start shooting a gun (once a bit older) - keep them inside your truck when you fire the first shots. Dogs always want to be with you and so are always keen to get out of the truck - so if they are inside your truck they will badly want to get out and when they hear the shots being fired they will still want to get out. Its positive reinforcement guns are fun
Plus always remember to teach your dog to heel whenever you have a gun and to stay after you fire. On opening day my current lab who is super active and high energy heels the moment I take the gun out of the truck and stays there for the 300 metre walk to pond with out any worries. My hunting mate always asks me - how did you get him to do that. its easy when you start off with early and are consistent. I always tie up my young dogs in maimai and they only get to go and retreive when I say - forms a great habit of only going to get ducks when you say.
There was a rascal on here for sale if your training it to duck shoot :P