By Ryan Eder
This time of year is historically “puppy time.” It seems when the spring months come, more people contemplate bringing a new puppy home with better weather, increased daylight hours, and summer months on the horizon. The philosophies around raising a good puppy for a gundog have evolved quite a bit over the years. If you combine that with enhancements to equipment and technology, along with the plethora of information available to us via the internet and social media, you will hear so many opinions that it can be confusing. With nearly 20 years of breeding retrievers for the home and field, and most of my clients being do-it-yourself dog trainers (many of whom have minimal experience), there are a few keys that should be considered when you bring your puppy home with goals of training him to be your next brag dog.
Genetics Matter
Some very basic attributes that a great gundog will need include desire, drive, a strong nose, and strong marking ability. Additionally, I value a dog that has resilience as well and can handle adverse conditions (emotionally, environmentally, and physically). You can influence some of these things by raising and training your puppy the right way, but ultimately, these are inherited characteristics. Training can refine talent but it cannot manufacture it! Choosing a puppy from genetics of dogs that display exactly what you are looking for in your own dog is critical.
Notice I did not say titles or pedigree, I said genetics. Do titles and pedigree matter? Yes, absolutely. But there are dogs that hold prestigious titles in field trials or hunt tests that may still not represent what you are looking for. While pedigree and titles are part of the equation, genetics represent more than a piece of paper or a ribbon. I am interested in learning about parents, a pup’s littermates, puppies from previous litters (if applicable), and understanding what kind of experience the sire and dam have in the field versus just running events.
Talented dogs are not always great producers. Some dogs produce far better than their own talent. You need a breeder that is honest about this. Without question, I love to see a pedigree full of Field Champions, Master Hunters, and so forth; but there is more to the equation. Hunt tests and field trials both show how trainable a dog is and that they possess exceptional skills (like the ones mentioned). I have always said, I would rather make a duck dog out of a Master Hunter than a Master Hunter out of a duck dog. Earning ribbons is wonderful, but to be a great gundog, a dog needs a lot of time in the field and blind as well. Balance is something I’d suggest looking for in your next breeder who you select a puppy from.
Health Testing
In today’s world, and with how easy it is to health test breeding stock, there is simply no reason to buy a dog from a breeder who does not do at least the basic health testing on their dogs. Education is key on this. At a very basic level, I would require that the sire and dam have the following health tests (this is for the Labrador retriever):
- OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals): Hips, elbows and eyes
- Genetic tests: Many laboratories offer a full panel these days very affordably. At minimum, you want to see EIC, CNM, PRA, PRCD, Stargardt, RD/OSD, and the dilute gene tested for.
These basic health tests are very easy to accomplish.
Socialization
Moving on from genetics and health testing, the biggest shift I have seen over the last two decades is the focus on early socialization of puppies and how they develop. This starts in the whelping box. Puppies raised in a barn or kennel with minimal human interaction in their first few weeks of life are already behind. Can it be salvaged? Yes. But puppies that are handled by the breeder, and around the noises and typical commotion of a home environment will be far more tolerant of their surroundings.
Furthermore, from six to 16 weeks of age is a window of socialization and environmental acclimation that is irreplaceable. Prioritize introducing the following to your pup: new surfaces such as gravel, grass, water edges, boat floors, various flooring in the home. Every time the puppy explores, let him win! Have a toy nearby he can grab and enjoy once he braves a new surface, or throw him a fun retrieve anytime he is somewhere new. Trust me when I tell you that this single portion of socialization is essential. You can spot a dog who is environmentally nervous from a mile away and regardless of genetics, that likely stems from poor socialization as a puppy.
Having a dog that is confident in all environments is far more important than training itself. How well can a dog learn if he is distracted by uncertainty and even fear? I have seen this often in kennel-raised dogs. The handler gets the dog out and immediately goes to control and obedience work. The problem is that the dog now associates coming out of the kennel with this militant situation, which is largely not positive.
Instead, get that dog out and focus on bonding, going to new places, and making sure the dog is rewarded and having a positive experience. Soon, the dog looks forward to leaving the kennel and engaging their handler. Now, we have a dog ready to learn! As a bonus, the relationship between the dog and handler is strong, which is key. There was a time where puppy buyers were told to dive right into formal obedience and make the puppy do what you want him to do. This was sold as earning respect of the puppy. Some of that may be true to an extent, but more often than not, the results are not consistent. Remember, confidence is the priority, then comes control!
Drive and Desire
Earlier I referenced that strong drive to work and prey drive are important in a gundog. While genetics is a part of this, so is how we train and develop the puppy. As I often tell my clients, your first thing to do is always build confidence, and then “stoke that fire” when it comes to retrieving and birds. I want a puppy that loves to retrieve, and when birds do become part of the routine, I am not concerned about obedience or control. I want to see enthusiasm to get that bird, carry it around, and if he wants to take victory laps with that bird in his mouth, so be it! Do not demand a perfect delivery or correct dropped birds. We want to protect desire above all else at the puppy stage. Encourage chasing and carrying birds, and allow for “sloppy” retrieves and indirect returns to you with the bird.
If that dog has a natural desire to possess that bird and shows enthusiasm, you are doing great. If not, keep working at it. A quick note: Safety of the puppy is always key. If you train in a yard or public area where cars, roadways, other dogs, or any other potential hazards exist, account for this by using a long checkchord or some mechanism to intervene if the pup goes in an unsafe direction. I like to use a hallway in the house or the side of the garage to help guide the puppy back to me.
I can say with certainty that if you prioritize socialization and exposing your puppy to all kinds of things, along with building confidence and desire before any structured formal training, you will not regret it. In most cases, once a pup is confident and driven, you will be able to begin simple obedience tasks because the pup is focused and in a much better place to be taught. A healthy, well-bred puppy in this situation will thrive.
