Customer Reviews

Game Dog: The Hunter's Retriever for Upland Birds and Waterfowl - A Concise New Training Method

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

My husband and I purchased this book 5 years ago when we bought our first Labrador pup. We were immediately taken by the methods used by Mr. Wolters - kindness and fun being of the utmost importance when training a retriever. Following the instructions to the letter, we had great success - first duck retrieved to hand at 12 weeks, no problems whatsoever with hardmouthing or breaking at the shot. What we now have is a bird hunting machine that sleeps on our bed; a dog that hunts quail and chukar as well as he does ducks and geese; a dog that responds equally well to voice, hand and whistle commands (all important in varying hunting conditions). While we never had any interest in hunt trials (we wanted a working dog and pet), we have received scores of complements over the years, with most people commenting that this is the best dog they've ever hunted over. We're hitting our prime in the 5th hunting season, and will use this book once again when we start a new pup this winter.

Really - buy this book (Water Dog is also a good additon to your library). You will have a great blueprint for both a great hunter and a good friend!

We recently bought a female black lab pup...and actually picked her up on the 49th day, just as it says to do in the book. We did this without knowing that was the best day, but later borrowed the book from the library and found out so. Our "Cricket" is now 9 weeks old, and will sit, stay from about 6 ft., and will come enthusiastically. We've also been playing fetch with a goose wing, and find her to be getting the hang of things real fast. Had we not picked up the book when we did, we would have waited half a year to start training her. The book is easy to follow, and his manner of training isn't abusive to the dog. We hope to have an expert hunter when her schooling is done.

This book along with " Water Dog" will provide the beginnig trainer everything needed to have a good hunting dog for a finished product. If a person has just gotten a dog or is thinking of getting one it would be well worth the time to read these books. How ever don't get to flustered if your dog is not doing everything at the times Wolters has set. Every dog is different.

Dick Wolters was a friend. We trained Labs together when the only field trials were AKC, and then we were instrumental in the formation of NAHRA. Retriever owners, especially hunters, will gain many tips, good advice, and much help from Game Dog. Wolters' technique is unlike training in the "old school" practice, but you will find it a very successful, easy to follow method. I recommend Game Dog without reservation.

Hey fellow readers, I picked these books up last year when i bought my lab pup. Let me tell you these training techniques work wonders for you. All of Richard Wolters books are fabulous. I have read them all. At 8 months old I had my pup at junior hunter level. He will eventually become a master hunter because of the techniques that i learned in these books.

If you have a "lab" puppy and you want to turn him/her into a hunting dog this is the book. I have had many dogs and trained many dogs. Although "labs" are puppies for years, this book is the only true method for training a "lab" as far as I am concerned. It shows you week by week what to do starting as soon as you bring him/her home and only 15 min. a day.

Concise, clear, well formatted, and an enjoyable read. If you want to train you labrador to hunt "the right way" this is the only book you need. Wolters offers keen insight to understanding how your labrador retreiver thinks, acts and feels. It is obvious Wolters (now deceased) was a lover of labs before a trainer and hunter. Wolters treated his labs the way everyone of them should be -- like family.

Wolters is the master at making it happens. Not only will your puppy love and obey you for life but you and your dog will have fun doing it. The instructions are so clear and precise people don't believe it. Here's the scoop, the training method described by Wolhers works.

I am currently training my 2nd dog, (3/10/99) using the methods in this book. the first dog turned out great, number two will be great too!!

Great Trianing tool for the amateur trainer. I also use the DVD as a quick refresher course. Wolters understood dog psychology 30 years before it became cool. Your dog will love doing his job and doing it for you. Now you have to remain consistent.