Bill explains his way of starting a retriever puppy, to get him started in the right direction.

This beginning training will create habits and form a relationship that will be the foundation for any retrieving activities whether it's hunting ducks, chasing a tennis ball in your backyard, or going into competitive events. The most important part of the beginning stages of Labrador retriever puppy training is to develop a relationship with the puppy that will create a bond or a partnership. This will be based on respect and kindness. This will create a partnership that will last forever. Good training is not one giant lesson, but small and gentle lessons that mold the puppy to be the model that we want. If you have the idea of going forward into advanced retriever training or competition this information will be an excellent introduction to the basic program of almost any professional gun dog or retriever trainer.

Training a Retriever Puppy – Revised Edition shows three different retriever puppies being trained in front of the camera.  This video does NOT show dogs that are already trained.  This is a training method dedicated to how you want your puppy to BE more than what you want your puppy to do.  Emphasis is put on keeping your puppy in BALANCE.

New topics are:

• Reinforcing the SIT command as compared to making a correction on the SIT command.
• Introducing “Here” with a line before the puppy is ready for the “Here” command.
• Using “Fetch” as excitement, making it a game, in essence INTRODUCING the command “Fetch.”
• Two kinds of puppy marks used before a puppy is steady.
• A meaningful 5 min indoor session when time is short.
• Progression of marks with thrower/bird boy, once a puppy is steady,  advancing his level of steadiness.
• Developing a pup’s marking with “walking marks” and the “Firedrill” once he has learned the mechanics of doing a mark.
• The Y Drill: “We want a dog to learn how to focus on a spot,” as Bill demonstrated his favorite marking drill.
• In depth discussion of when Bill likes to use orange bumpers or white bumpers.
• Homeplate:  Bill shows how to teach a dog to “go back to homeplate.”  Also an experienced dog with the Homeplate skill runs the Y Drill, essential to develop a great marker.

In Bill's words: "In retriever puppy training the key is to get the retrieving going first. You have to have a wild puppy before you start to do obedience. First thing is to get them wild to retrieve. If they aren't wild to retrieve, you don't want to start making them sit and walk on a lead. First they get wild, then you balance that with the leash and the sit command. The same balance should be carried throughout the dog's life. Every dog is different and the training program must match and balance their unique personalities. All dogs need balance, and a puppy trained with the correct balance is eager to retrieve, obedient on the line, and in the field, and extremely HAPPY."

Bill shares his many years of experience and explains his way of starting a retriever puppy. Contained in this newly released 5 1/2 hour Training a Retriever Puppy video are the methods and secrets to produce a fabulous retriever whether you are interested in a family pet, a hunting dog, or a dog for competiton. This is an opportunity to learn Bill's way of creating a special balance needed to create desire and trainability.

Bill teaches steadiness very young and introduces excitement very differently than most conventional training. He becomes a "traffic cop" in his introduction to steadiness, as he throws the bumper himself. To counter this early steadiness Bill uses a lot of happy bumpers to keep the excitement level of the puppy high.