Product Description

This is destined to be the classic work on training the Labrador retriever as an all-around hunting dog. Noted breeder and trainer Mike Gould takes us from the very beginning-selecting a puppy for athleticism, "birdyness," conformation, intelligence, and personality-to the end result, a top-flight, do-anything, go-anywhere Labrador shooting dog. Mike teaches his special techniques of using love, solid obedience and faithful attention to detail to build-brick by brick-a powerful, poised and confident gun dog that can handle any challenge, from quail, grouse and dove to geese, ducks, and even wild turkeys-yes, wild turkeys. Mike talks about the factors that other trainers overlook: habitat, terrain, scenting conditions, conformation, and most of all, birds. The book includes a stunning 16-page color section featuring the famous Grand River gun dogs, with photos by K.D. McGraw and Gary Hubbell.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #49116 in Books
• Published on: 1999-02-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 303 pages

Review
"Mike Gould is the most brilliant gun dog trainer in the world. He has raised dog training to a higher plane. Mike's dogs are happy dogs, enthused and birdy dogs, hunting fools, who love their human companions and bond with them so the two of them become a hunting machine miraculous to see. 'The Labrador Shooting Dog' is the best dog training book I've ever read-and I've read 'em all!"-Bill Tarrant, late gun dog editor of Field & Stream and author of 12 dog training books as well as the Pulitzer-Prize nominated "The Magic of Dogs." " 'The Labrador Shooting Dog' is just what it says-it's about dogs that think on their feet, dogs that will take you hunting. It's a great read for the beginner or the professional. Even more important, it touches on the spiritual connection between man, his dog and their environment."-Jim Charlton, professional Labrador breeder and trainer, featured in Bill Tarrant's "Training the Versatile Retriever" and "Gun Dog Training: New Strategies from Today's Top Trainers." -- Publisher Comments

From the Publisher
"Mike Gould is known as one of the greatest thinkers in the world of dog training. He uses love, dedication and a clearly defined structure to train a super-confident shooting dog in the most humane way possible. Some of his comments in 'The Labrador Shooting Dog' are sure to raise the hackles of some of the guys who are deep into field trial training, shock collar training and forceful field training, but this book isn't for them. This book is for the millions of dog owners whose Labradors are part of the family-pet, hunting companion, protector, buddy, and friend. 'The Labrador Shooting Dog' will make ultimate sense to those people who love their dogs as part of the family and want to see them excel in the field as the best possible gun dogs they can be. I think this book is destined to become the classic work in the field of Labrador retrievers." -Gary Hubbell, publisher, Clinetop Press

From the Author
" 'The Labrador Shooting Dog' is a fresh look at a real old game. It's cutting edge. Just as the title implies, 'The Labrador Shooting Dog' is an attempt to distinguish between the 'retriever' and the 'shooting dog.' I think the term 'retriever' has been unfortunate, because it tends to stereotype these dogs as just retrievers. As you well know, a lot has to happen before the retrieve occurs, and these dogs make that happen."-Mike Gould

Customer Reviews

Two books are better than one
Mike shows the most precise ways of proper obedience and retrieve training. His training techniques are certainly useful and make more sense than most trainers techniques. However, I believe that Mike starts his pups with obedience training way to late. I attempted Mike's "late" obedience training and found that my dog was already going through the "I'm the boss" stage.

Water Dog, by Richard Wolters shows how and why obedience should be started at 7 weeks old. A dog goes through many stages during growth just like a human (example: the terrible two's). Wolters shows exactly how to overcome these stages by starting the training early and immediately.

Mike, you can't take a dog hunting if you're not the boss. Dogs are naturally very competative. This comes from years of ancestery of living in packs. Try to show an untrained 6 month old dog who is boss. Your obedience training must be quite frustrating.

Even though Mike Gould's book is mostly for upland training and Richard Wolters book, Water Dog is for water training I would suggest that both be read if you plan on having a good hunting dog. Both present very good points and training techniqes. However, the best way to train your dog is by combining the two's techniqes together.

You, your dog, and freedom...
This book is sometimes a little disturbing to those dog enthusiasts who insist on having constant control over their dogs. You know the type...the guys who are constantly tootling on a whistle to get their dogs to quarter 25 yards away from them. Those are the same guys who strap a shock collar on their dogs before they even let them out of the kennel. Mike's training methods are difficult for those fellows to understand. For them, a perfect day is to flush and kill every bird that they see. After all, with their insistence on total control, they may only see three or four birds in a day.

Mike sees it in a totally different way. For him, the perfect day is to flush 40 or 50 birds, pass up shots on a dozen or more, and put two or three in the bag. He will often let his dogs range as far as 300 or 400 yards away, and yes, he gets plenty of shooting. He loves dogs and he loves nature. He would much rather form a team with his dog so that the two of them work in concert with one another, with rarely a word spoken or a whistle blown...and certainly not a knock-down, drag-out battle with the handler screaming at the dog and jolting the hell out of an unwilling dog with a shock collar. Not that Mike lets his dogs run wild. Far from it. His obedience techniques are without peer.

If it sounds like fun to you to spend a lot of time with your best friend--your dog--and do it in peace and quiet, then this is the book for you. Just be willing to open your mind and try Mike's revolutionary training techniques. It's a lot of fun.

For a hunting companion
I've been doing a lot of research on different breeds in an effort to determine one that would best suit my needs. To accomplish this I had amassed a large library of training books and videos among which was Mike Gould's book The Labrador Shooting Dog. I had thought I was purchasing another book on dog training when I acquired the book and it therefore sat on the shelf for reference for a period of time until I met a dog named Annie and her friend and hunting companion Rob. Annie worked hard for three days in some of the nastiest winter weather that December in North Dakota offered and in silence and in cooperation with Rob rewarded this tag along with some impressive dog work. It was Annie and Rob who enticed me to read this book and I owe them a debt of gratitude for doing so. This book is so much more than training and is a must read for anyone who values the true experience of man and dog working together in the enviroment that we have been blessed with and too often take for granted. If you are interested only in a quick route to a mechanical or robotic performance from your dog do not buy this book. If you love your companion or wish to develop a relationship that will reward you for a lifetime this book is a must read if not for yourself then certainly for your dog whichever breed it may be.