# what is the best retriever training dvd??



## kyleb8907 (Feb 7, 2013)

_Just got my new pup and wanting to start watching some videos on training him. I have water dog now but was going to see if there is any new ones out with better training material or any that are better then it. I have been looking at the avery dvds but wasnt for sure about them i couldnt find much on them. If somebody has used one of them or any others i would appreciate the advice. I will be training my lab for duck and dove only no upland or field trials._


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## Dallas2256 (Nov 9, 2012)

kyleb8907 said:


> _Just got my new pup and wanting to start watching some videos on training him. I have water dog now but was going to see if there is any new ones out with better training material or any that are better then it. I have been looking at the avery dvds but wasnt for sure about them i couldnt find much on them. If somebody has used one of them or any others i would appreciate the advice. I will be training my lab for duck and dove only no upland or field trials._


Sound beginnings by Jackie Merten or Bill Hillmanns puppy DVD is probably your best bet then move on to something like Mike Lardy, Evan Graham, or the Fowl dog series. You'd have a very sound pup either way. Good luck with your pup!


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## thelast2 (Dec 7, 2012)

Dallas2256 said:


> Sound beginnings by Jackie Merten or Bill Hillmanns puppy DVD is probably your best bet then move on to something like Mike Lardy, Evan Graham, or the Fowl dog series. You'd have a very sound pup either way. Good luck with your pup!


+1 Agree Welcome to the forum


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## Kenneth Niles Bora (Jul 1, 2004)

yup x3 and Mike's banner is the brown one on top of page here. Lots of great reading to do now while the pup grows. Tips and stuff, you can spend an eve on that site. And the vol 1 of the printed stuff is a must have!


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## kyleb8907 (Feb 7, 2013)

thanks for the replies everybody. if anybody else has any opinions i would still appreciate them. where is the best place to order the videos have been looking on ebay but didnt really see any besides the avery videos. I did see the fowl dogs videos or a few of them but never have heard anything about them


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## kyleb8907 (Feb 7, 2013)

also looking for videos for when he gets older or should i just try to get all the fowl dawgs and follow them. sorry for all the questions. nobody around here trains their own so this is my best bet for opinions.


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## Wayne Nutt (Jan 10, 2010)

YBS Media for Lardy and Mertens. Gundogsupply.com has lots of videos including Fowldog and Smartworks. Hillman has their own sales outlet.

There is lots of information on this site on the various programs if you will do a search.


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## Jacob Hawkes (Jun 24, 2008)

http://www.dannyfarmer.com/dannyfarmer.com/Training_DVDs.html


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## claycruncher (Dec 10, 2012)

I have a pup coming in mid-April and have been reading a number of books and this forum like mad for the past 2 months. I have Evan's Smartworks Puppy DVD, Jackie Merten's puppy DVD, am in the middle of Bill Hillmann's video and just received in the mail Mike Lardy's complete program including all three volumes of his books. All are very good but as has been discussed on this forum it doesn't make sense to re-invent the wheel... select a program and follow it. Read as much as possible, select one that you think best suits you and follow it. Good Luck!


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## Dallas2256 (Nov 9, 2012)

kyleb8907 said:


> thanks for the replies everybody. if anybody else has any opinions i would still appreciate them. where is the best place to order the videos have been looking on ebay but didnt really see any besides the avery videos. I did see the fowl dogs videos or a few of them but never have heard anything about them


http://www.retrievertraining.net/fo...6-Bill-Hillmann-Training-a-Retriever-Puppy-CD
once you've put him through it you can resell. Win win situation for you and your pup.


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## HuntinDawg (Jul 2, 2006)

To your question "what is the best retriever training DVD?" the single best retriever training DVD I have ever seen is the collar conditioning DVD from Mike Lardy. I've got all of his DVD's (first DVD version), Mertens, Rorem, Farmer/Aycock, Stawski, some of the Smartworks DVD's, some not worth mentioning and I've seen several other retriever DVD's but Lardy's CC DVD was the best one (for me) hands down. I probably wouldn't have tried to CC my dog on my own without it.

The only puppy DVD I've seen is Sound Beginnings and I would recommend it.


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## kyleb8907 (Feb 7, 2013)

well i just ordered the fawl dawgs series new off of ebay for $65. i hope its a good one. Now trying to decide about the puppy dvd others suggested. i just hated spending more money but i guess if i can get him trained its better then spending $5000 to have him trained.


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## Keith Stroyan (Sep 22, 2005)

While this isn't what your asked: If you can, join a retriever club and get in a training group with some experienced people. The DVDs suggested are good, but you can't beat "boots on the ground."


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## kyleb8907 (Feb 7, 2013)

i wish i could but i have not been able to find any close to me. Has anybody used the fowl dawgs before should i return it while i still can. Not for sure why i bought it already im just anxious to get started watching the dvd and studying about what i need to be doing. I have trained three labs first was a just a back yard retriever i was 12 second one done was a lil better could of took hunting probably and the third one got a lot better with just the little help from water dog video and used her dove hunting. Now i want to go farther and have a well trained duck dog. And the more i look up stuff on fowl dawgs it just looks like its more for field trial training.


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## jd6400 (Feb 23, 2009)

I think all are similar when you come down to it,but probably the best is "father time".............Jim


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## Beau M. (Feb 9, 2013)

Chris Akin Duck Dog Basics is a good starter DVD for when it's a little older


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## kyleb8907 (Feb 7, 2013)

thanks to all the answers


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## kyleb8907 (Feb 7, 2013)

going to pick up a puppy one to help get him worked up to fowl dawgs cause im sure thats not one to just start training on from what everybody else posted. Just have to figure out which one to get and do some research on them havent got to do that yet was just looking for the advanced retriever training ones cause i have water dog that shows some. But would like to see some stuff more into detail. But hillman is out of the question i just cant swing that right now with having my own side buisness and its tax time makes everything hard to get.


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## 601handryan (Feb 10, 2013)

i am new to this forum. this question is the reason i joined. i have a 1-1/2 yr old lab that i have also put through advanced obedience training. Sit, Stay, here, heel, all off lead. i would really like to train him to retrieve myself. i was also wondering what dvds are out there to assist with this. also, what tools i would need to help me in this training (dummies, launcher, etc...) any help would be appreciated.


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## kyleb8907 (Feb 7, 2013)

601handryan said:


> i am new to this forum. this question is the reason i joined. i have a 1-1/2 yr old lab that i have also put through advanced obedience training. Sit, Stay, here, heel, all off lead. i would really like to train him to retrieve myself. i was also wondering what dvds are out there to assist with this. also, what tools i would need to help me in this training (dummies, launcher, etc...) any help would be appreciated.



Gundogsupply.com has about everything you can need. That is where most have told me to go to but there may be some others that other people may know. I would also appreciate the help cause i am going to be ordering some when my pup gets older.


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## kyleb8907 (Feb 7, 2013)

George hickox Great beginnings has anybody ever used this one for a puppy from what i have read it is kinda like hillmans and follows one dog not sure if this is correct but what it seems. The one i am looking at says they follow a yellow lab through its training. Would it be better then the Sound Beginnings. Others i have looked at was the gun dog one for puppies with tom dokken, Retriever Fever, and a few others but can think of the names


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