The Labrador Shooting Dog: Training the Labrador Retriever as an All-Around Sporting Dog
Product Description
This is destined to be the classic work on training the Labrador retriever as an all-around hunting dog. Noted breeder and trainer Mike Gould takes us from the very beginning-selecting a puppy for athleticism, “birdyness,” conformation, intelligence, and personality-to the end result, a top-flight, do-anything, go-anywhere Labrador shooting dog. Mike teaches his special techniques of using love, solid obedience and faithful attention to detail to build-brick by brick-a powerful, poised and confident gun dog that can handle any challenge, from quail, grouse and dove to geese, ducks, and even wild turkeys-yes, wild turkeys. Mike talks about the factors that other trainers overlook: habitat, terrain, scenting conditions, conformation, and most of all, birds. The book includes a stunning 16-page color section featuring the famous Grand River gun dogs, with photos by K.D. McGraw and Gary Hubbell.
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This is by far the best training manual for sporting dogs on the market today. The author not only takes you there but shows you step by step how it is done. If you follow his instructions and do not end up with the best shooting companion and friend….well you had better just give up bird hunting as you just are not suited for it
Rating: 5 / 5
The Labrador Shooting Dog: Training the Labrador Retriever as an All-Around Sporting Dog
I have got the chance to meet the author myself as for my uncle helped Mike train his dogs and guided bird hunts in Northern Idaho and Colorado. I have got to read all of Mikes books and they are outstanding and can be seen in his view of life and nature. I have worked with a few of Mikes pups and own one today, Spring. All of these dogs are outstanding in attitude and loving passion. Mikes views on training are very humane and done in a loving manner. Mike has profected the use of love to train. I will never train any other way or buy anyone elses pups.
Rating: 5 / 5
The Labrador Shooting Dog: Training the Labrador Retriever as an All-Around Sporting Dog
Mike has a philosophy for sure. How well that fits the average American hunter living in suburbia is questionable. I enjoyed the book – do not get me wrong. The parts on force training I find very curious. Mike, just what are you accomplishing for the average hunter here with force training? You say the gains out-weigh the loss. Is that really applicable to Suburban Joe? I think probably not. And does having a retriever run wild on a grouse hunter of northern Great Lakes make sense? Definitely not. Mike talks as though all of us live in a country of open draws where we can figure exactly where a flushing grouse will fly. Mike, come hunt with me a day on the shores of Lake Superior and then tell me it was A-OK that the dog flushed everything so that we heard it but never saw it.
Overall – a good read.
Rating: 3 / 5
The Labrador Shooting Dog: Training the Labrador Retriever as an All-Around Sporting Dog
The minute I started reading this book I couldn’t put it down. I love the way Mike shows you on how to let your dog be an actual hunting dog and not just a dog for field trials. By reading his book you can tell Mike has an extreme love for dogs. I highly reccomend this book!
Rating: 5 / 5
The Labrador Shooting Dog: Training the Labrador Retriever as an All-Around Sporting Dog
While it is obvious that the author loves his Labs, this book isn’t very useful for the average joe looking for training techniques. He spends more time talking about the dogs traits and his love for the dogs, telling stories (getting side-tracked) than specifics. If you already have one or more good training books, this one might supplement your knowledge on a deeper level, but that’s about it. I do believe that the author is an excellent dog trainer, he has a great reputation, but this book won’t make you like him. It’s more of a novel, with a little training thrown in, than the manual I was expecting. If you are looking for a novel type book, you’ll be satisfied, if you are looking for a manual, like me, you’ll be disappointed and have to order another book.
Rating: 2 / 5
The Labrador Shooting Dog: Training the Labrador Retriever as an All-Around Sporting Dog