Water Dog: Revolutionary Rapid Training Method (Hardcover)

~ Richard Wolters (Author), Art Smith (Introduction) "Since I'm a guy who can't even find his shoes when he gets up in the morning, it's paradoxical that this book can teach you..." (more)
Key Phrases: simple retrieves, working retriever, blind retrieve, Hamilton Station, Long Island Sound (more...)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 179 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Adult; 90000 edition (September 24, 1964)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525247343
• ISBN-13: 978-0525247340
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,509 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #1 in	Books > Outdoors & Nature > Fauna > Dogs & Wolves
  #2 in	Books > Home & Garden > Animal Care & Pets > Dogs > Breeds
  #13 in	Books > Home & Garden > Animal Care & Pets > Dogs > Training

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

63 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Reading two books is better than reading one, December 10, 1999

By	Robert Gesslein (Upstate New York) - See all my reviews

Wolters is very precise on telling and showing one of the ways to train a water dog. He is simply right about starting the training as soon as you bring the pup home and he shows the proper way to achieve success with the pup. Starting the training at 7 weeks is something that other trainers find hard to overcome.

Being I use my dogs for both water and upland I also read The Labrador Shooting Dog, by Mike Gould. I find that Gould's training techniques are alot better and make more sense than Wolters. Gould is more precise with training techniques for the retrieve. However, Gould doesn't start the formal training until the dog's approximatley 6 months old.

If you want to learn how to properly train a hunting dog then read both Water Dog and The Labrador Shooting Dog. You will learn from both Wolters and Gould how to train a pup starting at 7 weeks old and the proper techniques for training.

58 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WATER DOG - The Bible of Retriever Training, March 18, 1997

By A Customer

Richard Wolters understands how to train a retriever. More importantly he understands that retrievers very much want to retrieve, not be pampered friends. The key to the successes found by using his book is his focus on "fun" training after 7 weeks and the enforcement of those lessons in future weeks. Making lessons fun and practicing in repetition is everything and Richard Wolters recognized that fact. Another critical aspect of dog training is that point in a dog's life where they test their owner. Richard Wolters makes it clear, if you are not willing to spank, "stop reading the book". I have found that it is critical to develop a balance between punishment and praise. I quickly reprimand the dog and then follow-on with the lessons. If the problem persists, I stop and start again later. Richard Wolters understands that the desire is there, in the dog, to please its owner. This has resulted from the attention paid to the dog in weeks 8 through 12. But never let the dog "win" by playing the part of a "sensitive dog". As my comments focus on the first weeks of training a dog, I am convinced that Richard Wolters has written the "Bible of Retriever Training" because he understands that those weeks after a dog is taken from the breeder at 49 days are the most critical. It is where the dog gets "started" and allows the dog to *learn how to learn*. WATER DOG is a timeless reference on training a retriever.

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Water dog training book ever read., October 22, 1999

By	Vern Eckel ([e-mail]) (Burlington North Dakota) - See all my reviews

This book is by far the best book I have ever read for training your retriever. I have used Richard Walters method for over 10 years and have had nothing but success. I have even written him once about a training problem and he wrote me back! with the answer to my question. This is a time proven book and method. You cannot possibly go wrong if you follow his method!