How to Train Labs to Hunt

Labrador retrievers make enthusiastic hunting partners.

The Labrador retriever, or Lab for short, is the most popular breed of dog in the world. Labs are exceptionally intelligent and gentle, making them popular pets in many countries, and their ability to learn quickly has made them a popular breed for assisting those with disabilities. However, the Lab is fundamentally a retriever and a hunting dog. For those who enjoy hunting water fowl, such as ducks and geese, or who enjoy hunting upland birds, such as quail or pheasant, the Lab cannot be matched. A little training will give you a Lab that is both a loyal companion and an enthusiastic hunting partner.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Labrador retriever
• Gun
• Wading pool
• Bird dummies
• Bird scents

1. Select your puppy. It is helpful to obtain your dog at a young age so it will develop a stronger bond and loyalty to you. Even more important in your selection is the background of the puppy. Puppies that are born from Labs that have been house pets for generations are less likely to develop hunting skills than a puppy that comes from stock that actively hunts.

2. Begin basic obedience training for your dog at an early age. "Sit" and "Heel" are probably the most important commands for your dog to learn. Your Lab should learn to sit in place until it is time to retrieve a bird.

3. Familiarize your puppy with water from an early age. Teach him to play in a child's wading pool, and reward that play time with a treat.

4. Train your Lab to not be gun-shy. Take your Lab puppy with you when you target-practice.

5. Use dummies with bird scent for the type of fowl you normally hunt. You can use a launcher to toss the dummies, starting out with short distances, then farther. It may help to start in grassy areas where your Lab will need to use a larger degree of scent to home in on the dummies, and then move to water retrieval after your Lab can find and retrieve dummies on land.

6. Create simulated hunts with your dog during the off-season using dummies. Launch the dummies and then fire a round of ammunition to signal your Lab to retrieve the dummy.

Tips & Warnings

• Give your dog plenty of treats to reward his performance.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish