# Retriever trainers and advice



## Trutalk3 (Dec 22, 2013)

I have a chocolate lab I have started myself he is 4 months but I'm looking for a trainer or advice on marking anybody that can recommend a good trainer that you have used let me have it I thought I could train him on my own and we have made great progress on the sit and retrieve part but his marking and obeying skills lack I know he is young I just want to get it lined up thanks


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## krazybronco2 (Dec 22, 2013)

If I were you I would check out Dakota Mealer with Folsom Kennels. think he is pretty close to you he is a young and up coming trainer and a pretty good one from what I have seen at a couple of hunt test.


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## Tag-a-long (Dec 23, 2013)

Trutalk3 said:


> I have a chocolate lab I have started myself he is 4 months but I'm looking for a trainer or advice on marking anybody that can recommend a good trainer that you have used let me have it I thought I could train him on my own and we have made great progress on the sit and retrieve part but his marking and obeying skills lack I know he is young I just want to get it lined up thanks



What is it that he's doing that makes you think his marking and obedience is not up to par?  It's hard not push too fast.  Remember 4 months =  16 weeks  He's still just a baby.


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## Trutalk3 (Dec 23, 2013)

He's doing great for his age I have am teaching him all that I know and I don't know how to train for marking and temperament so that's why I though I should line up a trainer or ask for advice


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## Joe Overby (Dec 23, 2013)

He is a baby. Let him be a baby. He needs marks, water, and birds EVERYDAY. Formal obedience shouldn't start for another couple of months. All of my pups learn ob commands as babies BUT I don't make puppy life all about stringent obedience. You have been given some great advice on trainers. Yes, Brad is good and his facility is top notch BUT, Dakota Mealer is 15 minutes from you. There is a lot to be said for being close to your trainer and being able to learn along with your puppy. Give Dakota a call.


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## Tag-a-long (Dec 23, 2013)

Trutalk3 said:


> He's doing great for his age I have am teaching him all that I know and I don't know how to train for marking and temperament so that's why I though I should line up a trainer or ask for advice



OK ... so it's not so much his skills that are lacking as it is yours??    Perfectly understandable!  A good pro or experienced amateur can do you a world of good to build your confidence and make sure your expectations are realistic.


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## Tag-a-long (Dec 23, 2013)

Joe is right.  The most important thing in choosing a trainer is to have someone you're comfortable with and can communicate with.  All else being equal, having someone close enough that you can work with them means a lot.  Their monthly rates usually fall somewhere further down the scale.   

I travel 180 miles round trip to go work with my trainer every week.  It's a drain on my time and adds about $120 a month to my training bill.  Don't get me wrong, it's worth every penny and I wouldn't change it for the world ... it's just something else to consider when deciding where to go.


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## gobbler1 (Dec 23, 2013)

Trutalk3,  take it from experience and don't go to a trainer because they are close and are cheaper. Go to one that has the tools to make your dog the best it can be.


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## Joe Overby (Dec 23, 2013)

Are you saying Dakota doesn't know what he's doing?? If so that's a pretty bold statement. Do you even know him?? 
From experience, there is a veritable laundry list if reasons for choosing a pro. Price SHOULD be the last thing considered. Certainly a pros track record and experience are highly important but so is your individual ability to work WITH said pro. Your trainer can be the best in the world but if you and him don't geehaw then its a doomed relationship. Gobbler, proximity to the trainer IS VERY IMPORTANT...especially if its the ops first dog. The ability to learn the rights and wrongs of training and handling is invaluable and is extremely difficult if the trainer is 5+ hours away. We all have our favorites and for varying reasons.


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## gobbler1 (Dec 23, 2013)

Yes I know of Dakota and seen him train. Can't say anything bad about Him.  What I'm saying is just ask a few trainers some very important questions. Like many times does your dog get action daily. Is your dog sitting In a kennel when these trainers go on hunt test. Most of them yes. Very important, how many times does your dog see live flyers, weekly. That's why I said go visit as many different trainers as possible and then go to MPR and you'll see the difference!!


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## Joe Overby (Dec 23, 2013)

You obviously have it all figured out. Glad you're happy with Brad. He is a great guy and runs a great operation. Tell him I said hi next time you see him.


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## gobbler1 (Dec 23, 2013)

Yes I do, the truth hurts, also I'll tell Brad hello.


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## southgahoghunter (Dec 23, 2013)

Swamp creek retrievers are the best www.swampcreekretrievers.com


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## brownceluse (Dec 23, 2013)

Jeff Mann http://www.fowlmasterkennels.com/ But like Joe and others that have posted if you have someone close that can help you then that would be your best route. We need to be trained as much as the dog and that that time with your pup is very important.


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## Joe Overby (Dec 23, 2013)

gobbler1 said:


> Yes I do, the truth hurts, also I'll tell Brad hello.



What truth?? Its your opinion and that's all it is. Again Brad is good..as are SEVERAL other trainers in Ga. But your blanket statement isnt true.


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## gobbler1 (Dec 23, 2013)

It's not opinion it's a fact.  Yes, there are some good trainers but there a few that are above the rest. And like I said just go watch different guys and you'll see what I mean. There are some guys that will feed you a bunch of crap  and there are guys that produce w/ great all around gun dogs and multiple Grand passes and AKC Plates.


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## Joe Overby (Dec 23, 2013)

Listen man, I know them...ALL of them. I have been running HTs for a decade now. I've seen old ones retire and newbies rise to glory. I know who passes Grands and MNs and that doesn't make them all good trainers. It is ONLY your opinion and nothing more. The only truth in this matter is that you know ONE good trainer and in your OPINION, NOBODY else compares to him. And for the sake of blowing your own horn and promoting your pro you gave the op some very poor advice concerning consideration of a pros proximity to you. Again, I'm glad you're happy with your pro. FWIW, I like your pro. He's a friend of mine. But none of us walk on water...


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## gobbler1 (Dec 23, 2013)

First of all, this has nothing to do w/ Brad. It has everything to do w/ people thinking they can blow smoke  and talk a big talk but has no results in the end. All I'm saying is ask your trainer your thinking of using and ask him if they use real ducks or frozen and actually see them. If they don't have live ducks on the grounds, you should say bye-bye .


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## mschlapa (Dec 23, 2013)

Easy boys lets not get this one shut down too. I know Mike Pierce, Chad Baker and several more, big deal.


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## HuntinDawg89 (Dec 24, 2013)

Well if we're counting Master National plates I'd like to know who has more of them than Ray Shanks at Swamp Run Retrievers.


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## quackwacker (Dec 24, 2013)

gobbler1 said:


> First of all, this has nothing to do w/ Brad. It has everything to do w/ people thinking they can blow smoke  and talk a big talk but has no results in the end. All I'm saying is ask your trainer your thinking of using and ask him if they use real ducks or frozen and actually see them. If they don't have live ducks on the grounds, you should say bye-bye .


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## gobbler1 (Dec 24, 2013)

This is another Very important thing to look for in a Great trainer. Go to some of these hunt test. Watch the dogs that go up to the line with the trainer. The dogs that have there tails tucked and are scared to get lit up by the e-collar, probably don't want to use that trainer, he lives by the collar. The dogs that go up to the line wagging that tail, and have the drive to go, that might a trainer to look into. You'll have a heck of a lot more dog left at the end.


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## quackwacker (Dec 24, 2013)

gobbler1 said:


> This is another Very important thing to look for in a Great trainer. Go to some of these hunt test. Watch the dogs that go up to the line with the trainer. The dogs that have there tails tucked and are scared to get lit up by the e-collar, probably don't want to use that trainer, he lives by the collar. The dogs that go up to the line wagging that tail, and have the drive to go, that might a trainer to look into. You'll have a heck of a lot more dog left at the end.



That is a very uneducated response and bad way to determine a good trainer. What about the dog who's owner sent off to trainer A and that trainer burnt the dog up and used to much force. Thus making the dog very timid and scared to do the work, because his system/program wouldn't work with said dog. The owner realized the mistake and took the dog to trainer B because he was determined that his dog could do the work. Trainer B, modifies his approach, gets the dog doing the work well but still looks timid and scared, tucking his tail between its legs and so on. Trainer B has done a magnificent job with the dog, helped it through some big fears, and the owner is tickled to death because the dog now has a finished Title, and his buddy will make him a great hunting dog. With your mentality you are going to just assumed that trainer B has beat the dog down- when in all reality he has rehabilitated a once over-pressured dog that trainer A said couldn't do the work. My friend give me trainer A any time of the week. Sometimes you may need to look a little further into a situation before you pass judgement on a trainer at a test. Does this happen a lot? YES. I know of 4 dogs just this year that have gone through this with a friend of mine and even seen uninformed people talking badly about trainer B because they didn't know the background of the dog. 

I saw some Turkey Trax today!


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## brownceluse (Dec 26, 2013)

Wow!


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## brownceluse (Dec 26, 2013)

I have learned one thing in this thread if your trainer doesnt have live ducks on site get back in your truck and find one that does.


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## quackwacker (Dec 26, 2013)

brownceluse said:


> I have learned one thing in this thread if your trainer doesnt have live ducks on site get back in your truck and find one that does.



Yeah, its not easy enough to drive a few mins down the road to a plantation that raises them and get what you need every week.


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## gobbler1 (Dec 27, 2013)

Well it's what you want. You want a couch dog or you want a gun dog? You choose


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## bkl021475 (Dec 27, 2013)

gobbler1 said:


> Well it's what you want. You want a couch dog or you want a gun dog? You choose



Not trying to argue, but you really don't know who you are talking to here. I can easily say by your posts that you are the lost one here, these guys that have commented would blow you away training dogs, and that's not saying that your trainer isn't really good. But you are being very pompous and looking really bad, take that for what it's worth. #TurkeyTrax


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## Joe Overby (Dec 27, 2013)

quackwacker said:


> Yeah, its not easy enough to drive a few mins down the road to a plantation that raises them and get what you need every week.



Guess mine will never make it off the couch!!  Maybe I should quit...I OBVIOUSLY dont know what im doing...


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## brownceluse (Dec 27, 2013)

quackwacker said:


> Yeah, its not easy enough to drive a few mins down the road to a plantation that raises them and get what you need every week.


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## NGaHunter (Dec 31, 2013)

Joe Overby said:


> Guess mine will never make it off the couch!!  Maybe I should quit...I OBVIOUSLY dont know what im doing...



Well Joe I have been meaning to talk to you about your couch dogs....lol


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## Tag-a-long (Jan 1, 2014)

Joe Overby said:


> Guess mine will never make it off the couch!!  Maybe I should quit...I OBVIOUSLY dont know what im doing...





NGaHunter said:


> Well Joe I have been meaning to talk to you about your couch dogs....lol



Nothing wrong with a good couch dog.  



He likes watching TV in bed too.  



And he really enjoys resting his head on a soft pillow.  




Shame I couldn't have had a good gun dog too!


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## king killer delete (Jan 1, 2014)

It is a dogs life


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## Tim1980 (Jan 2, 2014)

These kind of threads make my head hurt.


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## krazybronco2 (Jan 2, 2014)

Tag-a-long said:


> Nothing wrong with a good couch dog.
> 
> View attachment 768636
> 
> ...



seeing those pics mason looks worthless but watching mason work I know very differently. 

if I can say one thing a good dog trainer doesn't need live ducks all the time to make a good retriever. the trainer needs to be able to read and work with each individual dog and pull every bit of desire and trainability out of that dog . I know a trainer that trains a lot of dogs with very little desire, (would drive me insane) but he pulls everything he can out of the dogs. Will these dogs be national field champions NO but will they make someone a nice gun dog that will pick up ducks when they are done and do a basic blind if the training is maintained yes.


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## Ga Woodrow (Jan 3, 2014)

gobbler1 said:


> Well it's what you want. You want a couch dog or you want a gun dog? You choose



You ain't helping your cause here.  As others have stated the more you post the more obvious it is you ain't no dog whisperer.  Know many a MH, HRCH, and yes one national field champion who not only lays on the couch, but sleeps in the bed.  Your measure of a good trainer is vague and off point.  To the original OP being able to train often with your pup and pro is super important when you are getting started, and should weigh in on your choice.

Got your opinion I got mine...America.


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## KNorman (Jan 3, 2014)

In general, I would suggest having fun with your pup and work on basic OB and marking. It's really not too difficult with a young pup. 

In the meantime, spring HT season is right around the corner. Take some time to rub elbows with various pros and ask questions. Hopefully, you find a nearby pro that you gel with. There is no hurry, your dog won't be ready for awhile. 

I don't know any of the pros mentioned, and I don't even run HT's anymore, but it's not terribly hard to find a good trainer if you do the legwork in person. Watch, ask questions, and narrow down your choices to a very short list...then try to set up kennel visits with the one or two pros you like and offer to throw birds. Leave your dog home, do what they tell you, and above all do not waste their time.  Most pros will appreciate your effort if you take your birdboy job seriously. 
You'll learn a lot about training and the trainer.

You may take my advice or discount it....I don't know anything and my dogs love my couch....


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