# 9 month old



## Gettinbirdy (Jun 15, 2006)

My pup will be 9 months this waterfowl season. What is a reasonable enough level to expect my lab retrieving at this fall? This is all assuming I put a little effort into him each day. Casting is more than likely out of the question but what 'should' he be able to do his first year in the field at 9 months of age?


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## Mallard Island (Mar 5, 2006)

HAVE FUN WHEN HE GOES HUNTING WITH YOU IS THE BIG THING! START WITH BASIC OBEDIANCE BEFORE THE SEASON AND SIMPLE MARKS. WORK WITH HIM WITH DEAD BIRDS THIS FALL AND LOTS IF GOOD BOYS. GET A GOOD BOOK IE. SMARTFETCH, AND START FROM THE BOOK. THEY ALL PROGRESS DIFFERENTLY. I HAVE A BLF THAT RETRIEVED HER FIRST DUCK AT 11 WEEKS WHILE HUNTING AND BY THE END OF THE SEASON WAS ON THE E-COLLAR . MY YLF WAS GUN SHY THE FIRST SEASON, BUT WE WORKED THROUGH IT AND IS NOW A GREAT HUNTING DOG SO BE PATIENT.


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## BROWNDOG (Nov 2, 2004)

My 6 year old female was 6 monthes old her first trip tp ND thought about not taking her but we had worked hard through the summer and i am glad i took her. Her first two trips she retrieved 50 some birds and got better every day, plus I never have had to put my waders on since :lol:

What can be expected??? Have fun and don't expect to much if he/she will sit for 10 minutes with out moving be happy with that and bring a pocket full of rocks it is cheaper than throwing shells. Just have fun and let her laern what he/ she was breed to do. It is fun to watch a young dog go from a puppy to a dog that knows it's purpose in life is after a few days in the field. They go from chasing butterflys to scanning the sky for birds..Enjoy it now because the years will fly by and you will wish you could have the first ones back again.


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