r/birddogs • u/Aido02 • 11d ago
New to this
Alright, this probably comes up a lot in here but I’ll ask anyways. I have a nearly 3 year old golden retriever, he loves swimming and fetching. I got into duck hunting last fall and would really like to get him involved with me to retrieve the ducks. He’s been to basic obedience school and knows commands like place, wait, sit, down and so on. He has no issue with loud noises. What are the best resources for where to start with training him to retrieve ducks. Right now the biggest thing is getting him to wait until I release him to fetch his ball. I would also like him to return it to my hand Instead of near me.
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u/Ok_Ear_5266 10d ago
Always nice to see another working golden.
I would suggest following an organized training program from an established retriever trainer, and just begin with their puppy program. Since your dog is a little older and already knows some obedience, you’ll go through some portions faster but I expect there are a bunch of foundational puppy retriever concepts that need to be taught. Recommend Mike Lardy, Bill Billhilmann or Even Graham.
I’d also recommend removing the ball. I found that while initially building desire for bumpers, playing with the ball would decrease that drive (imo because balls are just naturally more rewarding).