Five Things I Learned Training My First Retriever
Are you considering training your retriever? If so, you probably have many concerns, and at the same time, you are probably eager to get started. Not too long ago, I was in the same position as you. I remember how it felt. It was a feeling of great excitement, but it was also a weight knowing that I was going to be responsible for how my retriever turned out. It is one of those things that you know will be challenging, but so rewarding when you complete it. With all of that said, I am going to share five valuable lessons that I learned training my first retriever. These five lessons will enable you to avoid some of the pitfalls that many fall into and will accelerate your journey for success. Are you ready to get started?
Number One: It Can’t Be Done In A Day… Or A Few Months For That Matter
This is something you are probably already familiar with and have heard before, but I want to emphasize this point and shed some new light on it. We all know and have probably even said, “It’s a marathon, not a sprint.” We say that, and then the next day, we take our pup out and start hammering away at retrieves while only skimping by on obedience. We rush through because we can hardly wait until we can do “real retrieving work” with our pups. I say “we” because this is something that I struggled with as I began training my first dog. Here is the main thing here. Everything you do with your dog matters. Every skill, every rep, and every time you have your dog sit patiently, all matters.
Go ahead and tell yourself now, this is going to take a while, but it is worth it. Once you embrace that, you can start moving forward faster. Don't be overeager to achieve the next skill. Drill down and invest in what you are doing. Aim for excellence in each skill even if it takes three weeks longer than you anticipated. You aren't going to do yourself or your dog any good by just rushing through until they can complete a task. They need to be able to do it, then do it again, and again. Everything you teach your dog should become conditioned to the point that they could do it in their sleep.
Number Two: Success Starts With Your Mindset
Training your dog is more of a mental game than you think. Just a quick note here before I go further: There will be MANY opportunities for you to get frustrated when you are training your retriever. Keep that in mind, and continue reading. In the following paragraphs, I will give you tips on how to manage these frustrations so that you can have success and not a failure.
Your mindset will be your greatest asset or your greatest adversary as you train your dog. When I was growing up, my dad always said to me, “Attitude determines your altitude.” He said it so many times that anytime, things started going south; I would repeat that to myself and change my mindset from negative to positive.
This principle and mindset made the difference for me as I trained my first retriever. Whether you are just now starting or you've been training a couple of months, it will quickly dawn on you that there are a lot of tough training days. I would try something expecting it to go great, and then I would get the exact opposite of what I imagined and hoped for. When that happened, I had a decision to make. Do I allow my frustrations to take over and yell at the dog or do I stop and ask what is really going on here? I didn't get it right every time at first, but I noticed that when I would stop and observe, I was able to keep a cool head and make better decisions.
A positive attitude allows you to keep a clear mind and make clear decisions. With that said, I don't want just to tell you to think positive. It isn't that easy. That is why I am going to give you a few action steps that will make it easier to remain positive. When things go south, try this first before you react:
Ask: Why is my dog responding this way? Did I do something wrong? Did I give the wrong command? Have I taught my dog all it needs to know to accomplish this drill?
Respond: Now that you have asked these questions, you can respond instead of reacting.
IF you do these two simple things first, you will save a lot of heartache and frustration. One final word on mindset- give your dog an abundance of grace. Know ahead of time that your dog will make many mistakes and not perform to expectations as you begin working with them. This is a part of the path to success with your dog. Each error, coupled with a calm response is one step closer to achieving your goal of finishing your retriever.
Number Three: Don't Be Afraid To Give Your Dog A Few Days Off
Many times you will get into a rhythm of training, and things will be going great. You will be going and going and making tons of progress but then all of a sudden, it's like you ran into a brick wall. One of the most valuable lessons I learned was that it really is ok to take some time off and let your dog recharge.
Let's clarify what I mean here. If you have one or two lousy training sessions where things just don't seem to go right, then I don't recommend taking a few days off. If you have three or more consecutive training days where nothing goes right, it is probably time for a short sabbatical. This will happen periodically, and the best thing to do is stop and just relax. This time of rest allows you and your dog to refresh, recharge, and get ready for what’s ahead. For me, it is a night and day difference every time I do this. Three or four days, maybe even a week later when we go back out to train, my dog is fresh and ready to get going. Applying this has allowed me and my dog to overcome many hurdles.
Number Four: My Go-To Drill
A go-to drill is a great way to bring about confidence in your dog and yourself. For me, my go-to exercise is memory retrieves. I know it's simple, but it is highly effective. Having a simple go-to drill in your back pocket will enable you always to start and end every session on a good note.
You can choose any drill that you like, but it is best to pick one that is simple and one that can be performed without any bad habits. I prefer memories as my go-to because I can work on multiple things at once: heeling, lining, and distance.
Number Five: Get Connected, And Ask Questions
One of the best things you can do is find a couple of like-minded individuals that you can train with on occasion and find a support group that you can ask questions with. We are all stronger together, and this is one of the best ways to grow. Don't be afraid to ask questions. All questions are good questions, just make sure to ask the right people. The right people, are those that are like-minded and have similar goals as you. As I was training my first retriever, asking questions expanded the way I thought about specific drills and even allowed me to learn new aspects of training that I hadn't considered.
As we created Cornerstone Gundog Academy, we put measures in place that allows our members to get connected with other members and ask questions. Our private member's group on Facebook is a perfect example of a place where you can get connected and ask questions. Our members post videos of their dogs and receive timely feedback that allows them to grow and make progress in an efficient time frame. This group also allows our members to connect with other members in their area so that they can get out and train in person as a group.
The important thing here is that whether you choose to go with us, or another route, find people that you can connect with and train with. You will be happy you did!
BuildFromHere,
Joshua Parvin
P.S. If you like the tips shared here and are considering training your retriever, then click here to learn more about the Cornerstone Gundog Academy.
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