This complete retriever training series guides you step-by-step from choosing your puppy to preparing them for their first hunting season. Each stage builds on the last, starting with positive early foundations (8–12 weeks), progressing through obedience and field confidence (3–7 months), including e-collar conditioning and force fetch, and finally hunt prep (7–12 months). Through patient, reward-based methods and real-world training scenarios, you’ll learn how to raise a confident, steady, and reliable retriever—ready to perform both at home and in the field.
This module explains how to prepare for success before bringing your retriever puppy home, guiding new dog owners through breeder selection, pedigree evaluation, home setup, and early socialization planning. It covers how to identify responsible breeders, understand genetic health and hunting potential, and choose the right puppy for your lifestyle and goals. The lessons also include practical tips for puppy-proofing your home and gathering essential training tools to create a safe, structured environment for your new companion. By the end of the course, owners will feel confident and prepared to start their retriever training journey on the right foot.
This module explains how to build a strong foundation for hunting retrievers between 8–12 weeks old through safe, positive, and structured early training. It covers basic obedience, crate training, housebreaking, and early retrieve work. Each lesson emphasizes positive reinforcement, patience, and confidence-building techniques to help young puppies develop good habits, focus, and enthusiasm for training. By the end, owners will understand how to guide their puppies through critical early stages while setting them up for long-term success in the field and at home.
This module explains how to develop obedience, confidence, and early field skills in retrievers between 3–5 months old using positive, reward-based training methods. It covers essential foundations such as leash manners, heel and sit commands, and the kennel/place cue, while also introducing puppies to retrieves, marking, and water in a fun, confidence-building way. Each lesson emphasizes consistency, motivation, and adapting techniques to suit your puppy’s temperament and drive. By the end of the course, handlers will have a well-rounded, eager puppy ready to transition into more advanced obedience and retrieving work.
This module explains how to advance training for 5–7 month old retriever puppies by building precision, control, and confidence in the field and at home. It covers advanced leash and heel work, e-collar transitions, marking drills, gunfire introductions, and water-based steadiness exercises. Lessons focus on developing calm, reliable hunting behavior through positive reinforcement, consistent handling, and real-world training scenarios. By integrating obedience with field skills like quartering, marking, and blind work, this course prepares young retrievers for their first hunting season with steadiness, focus, and enthusiasm.
This module explains how to safely and effectively introduce e-collar conditioning to retrievers, refining obedience and communication through precise timing, low-level stimulation, and consistent reinforcement. It covers essential setup principles, from proper collar fit and working level determination to overlaying stimulation on known commands like sit, here, heel, and kennel. Lessons focus on building confidence, maintaining control, and achieving fast, reliable off-leash responses. By the end of the course, handlers will understand how to use the e-collar as a clear communication tool that enhances—not replaces—positive training foundations.
This module explains the complete Force Fetch process for retrievers, guiding handlers through every stage from calm hold conditioning to confident, reliable field retrieves. Designed for at-home trainers, it covers foundational techniques like the ear pinch and toe-hitch methods, transitions to e-collar pressure, and ground-based drills that reinforce responsiveness and delivery to hand. Each lesson emphasizes patience, proper timing, and consistent pressure to build understanding, drive, and control. By the end of the course, dogs will demonstrate polished performance, confident retrieves, and steady obedience in both training and real hunting environments.
This module explains how to advance retriever training for 7–12 month old puppies, focusing on steadiness, marking accuracy, honoring, and realistic hunt preparation. It covers advanced obedience, doubles and memory marks, honoring drills, diversion bird setups, and simulated duck-hunting scenarios. Each lesson emphasizes confidence, patience, and control through structured repetition, positive reinforcement, and real-world distractions such as gunfire and multiple dogs working together. By the end, handlers will have the tools to prepare their young retrievers for hunting season with reliable obedience, calm steadiness, and strong marking performance both on land and water.