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Table of Contents

  1. How do I keep my pointing dog from busting birds?

  2. My dog picks up the bird and brings it back to me but drops it 10 feet away.  What can I do?

  3. My dog is gun shy.  What can I do?

  4. Is my dog too old to learn?

  5. My dog has come up lame every time I run him.  Any ideas of what may be the problem?

  6. How do you train an old dog?

  7. Do I need to use a shock collar?

  8. How do I train my dog to point and bring back game for me. 

  9. I have a 5 mo. old lab who is easily distracted and will not fully pay attention to his lessons. What do you recommend?

  10. I am trying to find out a little more about the Delmar Smith Training System.  Is it only for pointing dogs?

  11. I have a 12 week old lab and need to learn some tips on retriever training. I am a first timer at this and would like to make the right choices can you help?

  12. I want to train my German Shorthair with a whistle. Are there certain universal conventions for directions?  I don't want to be in the field with other dogs and everybody using different whistle signals.

  13. Are gun shy dogs born or made that way by bad training methods?

  14. I'm a handler and I have just recently picked up a new client with an 8 week old Spinone, and part of my job is to train this dog to hunt, my husband is going to be doing this part of the training, he has trained English Pointers and other breeds for pointing. Can someone please tell me if the spinone is trained the same way and is there information that I can get on this breed?

  15. Am considering getting a chocolate lab and want to hunt ducks and upland birds with me. There is a one year old available nearby. Is it possible to train this type of dog for use in the field as a good flusher/pointer dog for pheasants, etc? I know they make good duck dogs. Also is it preferable to get a puppy and train her, or can I train a one year old and obtain similar results, assuming the dog has not been treated poorly, etc.?

  16. I have an eight month Lab that never gave me no problems retrieving. About a week ago she totally shut down. She won't bring me nothing back anymore. I sit there and tease her with a dummy or a quail wing and when she gets it I encourage her to bring it back but she either drops it or leaves it there. She seems like she isn't interested in retrieving anymore. My question is should I try to make her force fetch or is this a phase that she is going through?

  17. Why does my dog growl and snarl at me when I try to pet him after I bring him his food? I have kids, so I just want them to be safe if they get between the dog and his food. How can I fix his behavior?

  18. Have a 2 yr old GSP. He is blinking birds and it is associated with gun fire. I got the dog at 15 months so I do not know his early history. Any suggestions on how to correct this behavior?

  19. I need advice on getting my setter to swim. The purpose for getting him to swim would be in case a pheasant is shot which lands across a creek - it would be valuable to have the setter retrieve the bird. The problem is he doesn't swim efficiently - whenever he tries he raises up his head and splashes with his front feet - getting through the water very slowly and inefficiently. He is then reluctant to go into deeper water.  I tried having him hold a dummy and swimming (to weigh down the front) but it didn't help. I don't want to get into a battle with him as he is doing very well with his pointing, steady to wing & shot, and retrieving on land.  Any ideas on getting him to be more efficient in the water? Or should I abandon the idea and just let my lab retrieve when water is involved?

  20. My son has a 4 month old Chesapeake Bay Retriever. He wants to train his
    dog for hunting as well as obedience. I have been told you train first for
    hunting and last for obedience. We don't know which is true and believe him
    to be getting to the right age.

  21. What is the best way to stop the dog from flushing the birds without a
    e-collar?

How do I keep my pointing dog from busting birds?

The key to keeping a pointing dog steady is to teach him WHOA.  There are numerous methods of teaching WHOA, but which ever one you use the dog must have a thorough respect for this command and must obey it every time.  After this has been accomplished  you then start putting the dog on planted pigeons or quail and reinforce the natural pointing instinct by telling him to WHOA when he hits scent.  Then when you get into the hunting field, your dog should stop when he hit  scent and you reinforce it with a WHOA.
Brent

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My dog picks up the bird and brings it back to me but drops it 10 feet away, what can I do.

There is saying that Ron Craven quotes regularly, "Volunteers can always quit".  The only sure method to fix this problem is to go through a trained retrieve program, also known as force fetch.  There are several books and tapes in the club library on this subject.  Also the club holds a trained retrieve class during the winter months.  Trained retrieve is usually a 6-8 week process.
Brent

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My dog is gun shy.  What Can I do?

Most gun shy dogs are made that way, not born that way.  The best way to fix this problem is preventing it from becoming a problem.  Careful, slow introduction to the gun is the key.  Start with loud noises while they are eating, then progress to firing a blank gone a good distance away from the dog when they are distracted doing something else.  Gradually progress till you are firing near the dog.  The cure for a gun shy dog is basically the same as described above, but be much more careful and slow in your approach.
Brent

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My Brittany broke his leg when he was about 6 mos. old. The surgery, and healing process took 4 mos. I had him fairly well trained when he broke his leg. He had even been run on some pheasants and was showing great promise. During the healing I had to keep him in a portable kennel as he had 2 pins in his elbow and it needed to heal before he could run on it. I have worked with him some since but due to my late job, trucking, it hasn't been as much as it should have been. He's smart, and still seems to be able to handle the learning curve. He's now a little over 2 years old and this will be his first hunting season. Is it too late to gain a good quality dog, with patience, or do I get what ever he's learned and no more. Been told that once they learn how to learn they can always be taught. Do you find this to be true in your experiences? Your input would be appreciated. Thanks, Joe.

The old adage that you cant teach an old dog new tricks is bunk.  And besides, your dog is not old at all.  A lot of trainers don't get serious about training until the dog is at least a year old.  The first year and maybe two socialization and basic obedience are the most important things to work on.  From my experience you do more harm by going to fast and too soon than too slow or too late.  Sounds like your dog has a good foundation to build upon and at two will have the emotional maturity to really excel with some well structured training.  I would start putting a good "whoa" on this dog and you should have a lot of fun during hunting season.
Brent

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For the past three months Max has come up lame everytime I run him.  The vet had isolated the discomfort into the right front shoulder but could not find a problem on the x-ray.  We put him on medication and rested him over a month but he again would not use that leg after his first run.  It appears the damage happened at the regional elimination and I guessed that he may have jammed it by tripping on a hole which were quite common there.  Has anyone ever ran into a similar problem or have any ideas. 

One of our Brittany's had a similar thing happen, it turned out to be a broken bone in his carpel joint. You might have them x-ray his foot.
Conrad

 

I am a physical therapist who has done some work with dogs. I may have some insight into your dog Max's lame shoulder problem. Without seeing him I would not want to commit to any "diagnosis" however here are two ideas you might want to discuss with your vet. Infraspinatus contracture is one possibility. The infraspinatus is a muscle in the shoulder blade. This problem occurs almost exclusively in hunting and field trial dogs and consists of shortening of the infraspinatus muscle and its tendon due to scar tissue formation. The history of the dog usually involves minor trauma, such as a fall, that resulted in foreleg lameness. Over time the leg appears shortened and is held out to the side, and the gait pattern is affected. Treatment involves surgical resection of the tendon with physical therapy following. The outcome is very good. Another possibility which is fairly common is biceps tendonitis, in which the dog presents with chronic, intermittent front leg lameness that is usually worse after exercise. X-rays would be normal. Treatment for tendonitis is conservative, consisting of rest, anti-inflammatory and physical therapy. I hope this information helps. Veterinary physical therapy is an emerging field.
Stacy

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How do you train a old dog?  He is only 4yr old golden retriever. I just got him.

In my opinion , 4yrs does not make an old dog. In fact, a healthy 4yr old retriever is just coming in to its prime. I do have to make some assumptions about this new dog.

1. He is healthy and physically complete (no major missing parts)

2. He has some basic obedience and is socialized-to people and other dogs.

3. Since you contacted our web site you want to end up with some type of gun dog.

I would start as I do with all my new pups. Get to be buddies and earn his trust. Play with him and slip in a little dominance training. Go for long walks and runs to get him in to shape for field draining and slip in a little obedience refresher while you are at it, You might even enroll in an obedience class at a local club. While this is going on, decide what you want to end up with, a non slip retriever or a flushing-all-around gun dogs. Golden’s can do both very well. You might even consider training him for hunt tests. More on that later.
The foundation of all retriever work is a fully force broke dog. He must retrieve to hand RELIABLY.  Force him to retrieve, it is not as bad as it sounds. (The club holds a force break clinic each winter). For a good non-slip retriever you need to work on two things. #1. Impeccable obedience and manners, and of course #2 a desire for birds. Any good retriever book or video will help. (The club has a good selection of both that can be checked out). And for a good all around gun dog (upland flusher) you must teach quartering drills. Get a book put out for training Springer Spaniels, those folks know how to teach quartering. The methods I have used to teach flushing require a dog that retrieves to hand and, has a desire for birds. The dogs I’ve trained comes out of this training WILD for birds. If you got to the point of having an “in control retriever” that loves birds, enter a Junior level Hunt Test. You will meet people with like interests with more good ideas, and maybe get a ribbon f or your efforts. Remember, retriever training is always a work in progress. Good Luck, I’ll see you out training. 
WP Stigma

PS   He really does it this way. From Way More Jak’s Surprise SH, One Hip Dude JH, & Way More Come On Baby

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Do I need to use a shock collar?

NO. You can train a dog without a electronic training collar, (shock collar is no longer politically correct), but it will take you longer and be more difficult. It will be very crucial to be very consistent in the enforcement of your commands and to never give a command that you cannot enforce until you are fully confident that the dog will obey it every time. For example, if the dog is loose and running around, do not call him back if you don't have a check cord on him. If he ignores you, you will have no ability to correct him. The most likely response to this situation is for trainer to repeatedly yell at the dog to COME, to which the dog quickly learns to ignore. Without a training collar you will have to more fully engrain the commands into the dogs behavior because you wont be able to correct them at a distance.

Your question brings to mind a few comments about the use of a training collar. If used correctly an electronic training collar is a great training aid. The best way to think of a training collar is a long check cord. It will speed up your training and in my opinion is a much more humane than more traditional correction methods. The stimulation that the dog gets is very small and can be proportioned to the situation. At most electronic collar clinics, the first thing everyone does is feel the stimulation the dogs will be receiving. Most people are amazed that they can just barely feel the stimulation. Training collars are never used to teach a command, the are simply used to train the dog to respond properly to a command that has already been taught. For example you do not stimulate a dog because he wont come if he doesn't know what the come command means. Once he knows the command, you put on the collar to train him to come every time he is called.
Brent

Dogs where trained for hundreds of years without train collars.  Training collars can make life easier to train a dog if used properly.  A training collar if used improperly will create many problems that will be harder to solve than have no collar.  A collar is not a  cure all for all dog problems.  So, do you "NEED" a training collar?  NO!!!
Marty

The question is pretty vague w/o knowing what kind of problems he's having or wether he know's how to use a shock collar? If it is basic control No! a membership in GTSDC and involvement in a training group would benefit both dog and handler most. 
Michelle

I've got a dog that is 4 years old and has had hundreds if not thousands of birds shot over her and is ran actively in field trials and she has never had a shock collar placed on her except for a snake break clinic. However, your situation maybe different and your question leaves much to the imagination (What kind of dog work are you planning to do, are you just going to punish the dog when it misbehaves, do you hunt 5-6 times a year and you want to add some control; this is a very short list of question and doesn't even factor in the mature of your dog and the types of correction it can handle). I think you be way better off spending 30 bucks to join the local dog club and joining a training group than running out and spending $300 and not having a clue of how to use one. In general, If you have to ask--you should use one!
Kirby

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How do I train my dog to point and bring back game for me. 

Your question is pretty broad but will do the best to give you an answer. To get a dog to point you first need to teach him WHOA which means to stop and stand still no matter what. The point is then built off of that command. It is easy to answer the retrieve question, which is to teach a "trained retrieve". This used to be called force fetch. Space does not allow a description of how to teach these two commands, WHOA and FETCH. Suffice it to say there are several books, tapes, seminars that can teach you how to train the dog on these commands. There are several methods of doing both, especially WHOA. Check out material put out by Rick & Delmar Smith or Tri-Tronics.
Brent

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I have a 5 mo. old lab who is easily distracted and will not fully pay attention to his lessons.  Because of this he is lagging behind in training what should I do?  I was told to use live and dead ducks. It is hard to get a duck without poaching one what do you recommend and is there a school for him in the Ohio area that I can take him to?

It's a puppy--not a military recruit.  It cant learn "it's lessons" until it's ready.  Let him/her grow up.  
Kirby

My answer to your question is I think that you are pushing your pup a little fast. My short hair at 2 1/2 yr. is just finally starting to mature where his training is coming easer and he remembers. I am no expert by any means, but let your put grow up.  I pushed mine the first season and caused my self a lot of problems
Dennis

You have to have three things at this point:
    1. sit on command w/o fail 
    2. come on command w/0 fail 
    3. stay on command W/O fail 
If he will not do these consistently any time, go back to them until he will. If he gets bored w/ retrieving easily play fetch until your arm falls off. no pressure only fun. distractions are a blessing it allows corrections use them as often as possible and join a dog club it will give you great experience in training.
Michael

Keep your training sessions very short & keep it simple.  5 minutes may be all you get in.  Do lots of short sessions in a day vs. one long session.  Teach your puppy like you would a pre-schooler.
Brent

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I am trying to find out a little more about the Delmar Smith Training System.  I am  looking for some books and videos but first I would like to know what this system is all about. Is it only for pointing dogs?

Our club has sponsored 2 Rick Smith Clinics so we have a little knowledge about the Smith "Silent Command System".  There is a book about Delmar system which is good but it is rather old and his son Rick has greatly enhanced and broadened it.  The book is BEST WAY TO TRAIN YOUR GUN DOG-THE DELMAR SMITH METHOD BY BILL TARRANT.    You can also check out Rick's web site http://www.ricksmithkennels.com/.  It should give you some more info.  Rick's method is for all breeds of sporting dogs including flushers and retrievers.  Rick has trained all 3 disciplines and has labs in his string when you go on one of his guided hunts.  his method is very productive & easy for both the handler and the student.  This will be the best money you ever spent on your dog.  It will last you a life time.
Brent

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I have a 12 week old lab and need to learn some tips on retriever training. I am a first timer at this and would like to make the right choices can you help?

  1. This is the age you set the stage for sound obedience.  In all good retrievers obedience is the building block to everything else.  You can work on sit and get the dog used to a lead at this time.  Understand the dog is young, KEEP YOUR TRAINING SESSIONS SHORT, no more the 5 or 10 minutes.  You can do multiple sessions in a day, but a pup has a very short attention span. 
  2. Make he training fun at this age.  Praise for your dog is important.  I started in a hallway that was blocked off to prevent the dog from going anywhere except to the item to be retrieved.  I would tease the dog and then throw the object.  Another reason for the blocked off hallway is that there are no distractions for the dog.  When the dog retrieves the item and brings it praise the dog.  As the dog gets older you will be able to determine the level of praise based on accomplishment.
  3. I was lucky, the breeder of my dog gave me a 24 week training list that he used on his, check with your breeder to see if they have something along those lines.  It worked great.  I would also encourage you to seek out a Retriever/Dog Club in your area.  In addition, there are many videos and books out on this subject.  One of the best and easiest to use in my opinion is the Tri-Tronics Retriever Training by Dobbs.  The book takes you from the pup to the finished dog.  It gives you options on what you want to do (sit to flush, trained retrieve, and handling).

Bryn

Since your Dog is 12 weeks old you should have already started training him w/ sit and come. The Three most important foundations are come, sit and stay, all training for retrievers are based on these three commands. I recommend two books Game Dog by Robert Wolters, and Retriever Training by Jim and Phillis Dobbs (Tri-Tronics) is where you can order the second book. Find a Dog Club in your area and play fetch and throw training dummies until your arm falls off. 
Mike 

You need to find a local club or buy a book or both.  At 12 weeks the puppy should be retrieving socks in the hall.  This pup is to young for much else.
Kirby

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I want to train my Ger. Shorthair with a whistle. Are there certain universal conventions for directions?  I don't want to be in the field with other dogs and everybody using different whistle signals.

Not really, everyone is a little different.  I use one toot to turn and several short toots to come in.  Not much more complicated than that.  A few have used a stop whistle command but I wouldn't recommend it since someone else may be able to stop your dog.
Brent

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Are gun shy dogs born or made that way by bad training methods?

A distinction should be made between gun shyness and gun nervousness (noise intolerance). Gun shyness is a hereditary condition and is incurable. Such an animal should not be breed. Gun nervousness is a relatively common condition. It is seen most commonly in young sensitive, dogs and is often made worse by poor training methods. A gun shy dog will show TRUE TERROR at the sound of a gun. It will run and hide and remain very nervous for a considerable time. It may be unmanageable if attempts are made to handle him. A gun nervous dog will be startled by a gun shot. He may run off a distance but in a short time regains his composure. He does not appear terrified. Gun sensitivity is treatable and most dogs will get over the condition if properly treated.

Recently, a new training technique has been developed for noise sensitive animals. This technique is based on the principle of subliminal suggestion. The heart rate of a bitch is approximately 120 beats per minute and the puppy, when in-utero, is constantly subjected to this beat. It is a pleasurable time for the puppy. A 45 minute audio tape has been produced that starts with a song being played that has 120 beats per minute. In the back ground, imperceptible at first, is the sound of gun fire. Slowly, over the 45 minutes of the tape, the intensity of the music fades while the intensity of the gun fire increases. Proper and repetitive use of the tape is said to help the noise sensitive dog
Jim

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I'm a handler and I have just recently picked up a new client with an 8 week old Spinone, and part of my job is to train this dog to hunt, my husband is going to be doing this part of the training, he has trained English Pointers and other breeds for pointing.  Can someone please tell me if the spinone is trained the same way and is there information that I can get on this breed?

yes you train them the same way as any other pointing dog. There is a man in Missoula that owns some dogs of that breed.
John

The only Spinone I ever saw was at a NAVHDA training clinic near Hot Springs, Montana.  I believe they are considered a versatile pointer and think they probably would do well with the NAVHDA training techniques.  Check GunDog magazine for info about NAVHDA and the chapter nearest you for potential contacts.  My thought is they may need a little "softer" handling than pointers.
Terry

Dave has judged several Spinones thru the NAVHDA testing program.  One of the main breeders/handlers in the U.S. is Alison Schultz.  Contact NAVHDA at  www.navhda.org for more info on the organization and some specific info on the breed. 
Sissy

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Am considering getting a chocolate lab and want to hunt ducks and upland birds with me.  There is a one year old available nearby.  Is it possible to train this type of dog for use in the field as a good flusher/pointer dog for pheasants, etc?  I know they make good duck dogs.  Also is it preferable to get a puppy and train her, or can I train a one year old and obtain similar results, assuming the dog has not been treated poorly, etc.? 

A lab can make an excellent companion with which to hunt both water fowl and upland birds. I'm not sure what you mean by a "flusher/ pointer".  Some labs do both but as a breed labs are retrievers and flushers. A one year old dog, given the proper conditions, should be trainable.  I would check out the background of the owners/breeders and the dogs pedigree. Is the dog healthy? Do the parents have good hips? Where are the litter mates and are the owners of the litter mates happy with their dogs? Is this dog the product of a repeat breeding? The siblings from a prior breeding often give a good idea of how a young dog will develop.
Jim
 

First, check on the parents of the l yr. old and see if they have had their hips X-rayed, and if so, what is the rating on each.  Find out some history on the parents, as to whether they were used to hunt or were just companions.  It is preferable to get a dog whose parents hunt.  It will take a lot of tender, loving care to train a l yr. old dog, just because of the size of the dog.  I start my dogs at 8 weeks old when they are smaller and easier to handle and haven't developed any bad habits.  Also, they seem more willing to learn when younger.  I'm not saying it can't be done, to train an older dog, but it is a lot of work. You want to also consider the cost of a l yr. old dog. I sell my pups for $600-800 and all of them have developed into excellent hunters, field trial dogs as well as companions and a started hunting dog usually would run about $3,000 or more.  A fully trained hunting dog could cost over $10,000. These are factors to take into account when making your decision. You need to train a dog for one type of hunting at a time.  I usually hunt for one year on up-land and the second year they go to the river for ducks and geese.
John

1. Labs make great duck dogs and upland dogs both but normally will not point.
2. When trained well a lab makes an exceptional pheasant dog
3. Buying a year old lab w/ no training is taking a gamble it can be trained but might be more time than you want to spend. I would suggest a puppy unless you’re getting the dog for free.
Michael

Not sure what you mean by pointer/flusher.  Traditionally labs are flushers.  There is a sect out there that are breeding "pointing labs" but then they are not flushers any more.  Labs are one of the recognized and widely used flushing dogs for upland birds, especially pheasants.  I feel their real strength comes out in retrieving wounded and running birds.  A well trained lab can trail a wounded bird for literally a mile and come back with the bird.  Labs are probably the most popular breed in the US so consequently there are a lot of pups and dogs out there.  The gene pool goes from the dogs that have had all the hunt bred out of them to National Champions with deep hunting roots.  The hunting gene pool is fairly shallow in chocolates and the predominate hunting dog is black.  That does not mean that there are no good chocolates out there, only that they are harder to find.  Same goes for yellow labs.  Since this chocolate is a year old you have the opportunity to see what he has as far as drive and desire.  Take him out in the field and if possible expose him to birds.  If the lack of desire and drive is there, don't waste your time no matter what the price is.  A free dog that you put a lot of training into that is worthless is certainly not "free".  You certainly can train a 1 year old dog but the physical size of the dog makes it harder.  Also watch out for disposition.  If the dog has aggressive tendencies, I would run not walk away from the dog.  There is too many dogs out their to deal with a dog that has no desire or is aggressive.  Desire and good temperment are what God puts in the dog and you can not train them in.  By looking for a pup you open up your possibilities a bunch.  Look for a pup from true hunting parents.  Watch out because everyone claims their dogs are "hunters".  If you can get a dog from a line that has hunting trial or test experience that will help narrow the prospects.  Also if possible watch the parents work.  Hunt over them if possible.  Get with your local hunting dog club and they can help you a lot with the local gene pool.
Brent

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I have a eight month Lab that never gave me no problems retrieving. About a week ago she totally shut down. She won't bring me nothing back anymore. I sit there and tease her with a dummy or a quail wing and when she gets it I encourage her to bring it back but she either drops it or leaves it there. She seems like she isn't interested in retrieving anymore. My question is should I try to make her force fetch or is this a phase that she is going through?

See the question #2.  Especially with Retrievers you need to go through force fetch.  Actually this is becoming an outdated term and we are using the term "Trained Retrieve".  Let me rephrase your question into another training situation.  "My dog wont heel.  She used to walk at my heel with no problem, do I need to train her to heel."  No one expects a dog to heel without training but for some reason we expect dogs to retrieve EVERYTIME with no training.  Ever here of a natural heeler, course not.  So why do we say natural retriever.   Brent

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Why does my dog growl and snarl at me when I try to pet him after I bring him his food? I have kids, so I just want them to be safe if they get between the dog and his food. How can I fix his behavior?

In my opinion, get rid of the dog! There is no way I would keep such a dog
around children. I doubt this behavior can be fixed permanently. This is
why I recommend Labs for families....they are gentle and obedient and
willing to learn, as well as being great hunters.
John

first

  1. How old is the dog
  2. What kind of dog?
  3. This is definitely a strong trainers job
  4. The dog must be punished severely any time it growls or snaps after getting food.
  5. If the dog is a puppy this is easy! Just give the dog food then take it away if the dog growls or snaps slap the dog across the nose tell it no then give it the food again take it away again same procedure until it quits growling EVERY TIME YOU FEED IT!!!!!!!!!!
6. Then have one of the kids try it WITH THE TRAINER there to punish the dog if it even starts to growl or snarl.

7. This should be done until anyone can come up to the dog and take it's food....
Michael

This is a dominance issue and you need to get it fixed.  I would agree with the drill that Michael suggest above.  The dog needs to be the lowest member of the "family pack".  This includes the kids.  If you cant get this fixed, I would agree with John and get a new dog before your kids get bit.  There are too many dogs in the world to keep a dog alive that might bite someone.  If you do get rid of it, don't sell it or give it away, you need to put it down.  You don't want to hear that this dog bit someone after you sold or gave it away.  That is a hard line but kids are much more important than any dog. 
Brent

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Have a 2 yr old GSP.  He is blinking birds and it is associated with gun fire.  I got the dog at 15 months so I do not know his early history.  Any suggestions on how to correct  this behavior?

Not sure what you mean by blinking birds.  But if you think you are having an adverse reaction to the gun, quit what you are doing.  You need to slowly introduce the gun.  See the question on gun shyness.  You need to work in the sound of a small gun like a 22 pistol. Fire the blanks in pistol when you are out on a walk in the field with the dog.  Be sure the dog is quite a ways away.  If the dog reacts just act like nothing happened at all.  Do this a few times on each walk.  Once the dog doesn't react, fire the gun at closer range.  Keep doing this till you can fire a gun when the dog is close.  Then go back to your training on birds with a gun.
Brent

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I need advice on getting my setter to swim. The purpose for getting him to swim would be in case a pheasant is shot which lands across a creek - it would be valuable to have the setter retrieve the bird. The problem is he doesn't swim efficiently - whenever he tries he raises up his head and splashes with his front feet - getting through the water very slowly and inefficiently. He is then reluctant to go into deeper water.  I tried having him hold a dummy and swimming (to weigh down the front) but it didn't help. I don't want to get into a battle with him as he is doing very well with his pointing, steady to wing & shot, and retrieving on land.  Any ideas on getting him to be more efficient in the water? Or should I abandon the idea and just let my lab retrieve when water is involved?

Two things:

1.  Concentrate on the last sentence, just get rid of the pointer!

2.  We actually put our waders on and get the dog used to going in the water.  It sounds like the dog is "puppy" swimming.  Just hasn't figured out how to swim.  I would get in with the dog and continue throwing bumpers. 
Bryn

If the dog likes to retrieve you can try throwing dummies or birds near the edge of the water first. Then further out and see if he will swim after them, if you have a good swimming dog to take with the setter that might work. Some dogs are not going to like water no matter how hard you try.
John

I had a Lab that did the same thing, just keep letting the dog swim while retrieving or having fun he will eventually learn to be efficient at swimming.. as long as he likes the water if not at least ya can send the good dog!!!
Micahel

Practice and more practice, Jack finally started swimming nicely after a two week vacation up at the lake and swimming with Max.
Jeff

 The only real solution is to keep at it but keep it fun so the dog will like the water.  Slowly progress the dog from just walking in the water to short swims to long swims.  You can use a check cord to gently pull the dog in once he gets the bumper. This tends make them level out.
Brent

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My son has a 4 month old Chesapeake Bay Retriever. He wants to train his
dog for hunting as well as obience. I have been told you train first for
hunting and last for obiedience. We don't know which is true and believe him
to be getting to the right age.

SHORT ANSWER:  obedience first then hunting

LONG ANSWER:
The most important thing you can do now is to socialize the pup. Take him
for walks, let him run in the woods/fields.  Let him get use to new smells,
expose him to kids, old people, black , white, green, etc.  Put him in his
kennel and take him for rides in the truck.  Anything you can think of but
do not expose him to gun fire/loud noises (there will be plenty of time for
that a little later when he is chasing a bird or retrieving bumpers and
someone is 100 yards away with a blank gun.  I would not introduce him to
water until the water warms up in the spring.  You want his first experience
to be a good one, cold water is not fun.
Jeff

Your puppy should be trained for obedience first.  But your incorrect in
your assessment that he's capable of handling more than a few mins of
instruction. Let your dog grow up!
Kirby

ALWAYS Train for obedience first at four months your 2months behind in obedience training hunting instinct comes naturally obedience doesn't...
Mike

What is the best way to stop the dog from flushing the birds without a
e-collar?

Be faster then the dog.
Jeff

Have him join the dog club and train his dog.  There are no quick fixes to
his mess ups in life!
Kirb
 

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