# Great First Year



## Perry Thorvig (Mar 6, 2002)

My little golden retriever pup just had his first birthday on Dec. 29. He has been a great dog so far. He is three times the hunter that my first golden was. He has been used primarily for hunting pheasants, but also got a little time in the goose blind this fall. His nose is good, he actually points the pheasants, works hard in cattails, will run a 10' deep drainage ditch while I'm on top, and then retrieve and deliver to hand while sitting at my side.

I really couldn't ask for much more than he has given this year. Well, if he would just stop stripping the toilet paper off the roll, he would be perfect!


----------



## cedarsedge (Sep 21, 2006)

Sounds like you have a great hunting friend


----------



## gonehuntin' (Jul 27, 2006)

Perry Thorvig said:


> I really couldn't ask for much more than he has given this year. Well, if he would just stop stripping the toilet paper off the roll, he would be perfect!


It's just amazing how many dogs do that!!! Mine never destroy the paper, they just unroll it with their paws. My draht delights in carrying sheets of Bounce around the house. Gives her beard a nice fragarance.


----------



## mccoyam (Jan 18, 2007)

What did you do to train him so well? I have male golden that just turned one on Jan 14th. he is not nearly as developed as yours. Any suggestions would be great.

Thanks

Aaron

[email protected]


----------



## DJRooster (Nov 4, 2002)

I wish mine would just stick to the toilet paper! This morning it was the Qtips and tommorow it will be....


----------



## Perry Thorvig (Mar 6, 2002)

Aaron,

I didn't do anything to teach him how to unravel the toilet paper. It just came naturally.  :lol:

Seriously though, I did work with the dog a lot this last year. We went to an 8 week basic obedience class when he was four months old and then I enrolled him in a six week gun dog class at Blaine Kennels here in the Twin Cities when he turned six months. At first, It didn't seem like they did a whole lot with the dog. But, that would be an incorrect assessment. They did a lot of live pigeon, pheasant, and duck retrieving work. They also introduced Tuey (the dog) to the e-collar and the shotgun. That was just enough to get him ready for last fall's hunting. That was my goal and my budget!

Tuey had about 15 days in the field this fall. So, you combine basic obedience, professional training, a lot of my time training with standard retrieving drills and conditioning the dog, days in the field, and probably most important of all, basic breeding and you get a pretty nice dog.

Like I said in my previous post, Tuey is three times the hunting dog as my other golden, Kirby. Kirby didn't have any professional training, but I know that I could not push him very far before he got bored with drills. Tuey won't quit. So, I think it is about 80% dog and 20% trainer. But, even a good dog has to be trained.

Finally, don't feed the dog so much that it gets fat. My wife thinks Tuey looks too skinny. But, his weight is just right for upland hunting. Whoever saw a world class marathon runner that wieighed even 200 pounds? You have to keep that weight down if a golden retriever is going to be able go all day

Hope that helps a little, Aaron.


----------



## mccoyam (Jan 18, 2007)

Thanks for that advise!

I have not had nearly the exposure that you have with your dog. That makes all the diffence. We got into some quail and a few pheasants but that was all this season. 
I don't think that he realizes that there are birds in the field until he gets on the first one. 
he hunts close too close to me and also doesn't use his nose as much as I would like. 
I have got to go to a game farm I think and try to get him on a lot more birds. 
I have used dumbies and wings but nothing is quiet like going out and getting the real thing.

Good luck with your goldens!!
p.s. he is only 70lbs and when he is wet he is rail thin!!
[/img]


----------

