How can I get my 23 month old female black lab to sit on a whistle command all the time?

Question

I have been training my lab since she was 7 weeks old to be a waterfowl retriever. She does great on whistle commands when in close (less than 10ft) but does not immediately respond to the "sit" blast when working out away from me. I have to blast several times plus yell "SIT ! !" to get her to respond. When she responds she sits very well. I want her to react quicker. She can take hand commands such as back, left and right once she sits. She retrieves great, comes to heel great, delivers to hand and all but she is struggling with sitting on my command. She will STAY as long as I want her to also. This is frustrating me as it is hampering her training.

Answer 1

keep working with her. start at the 10 foot distance or closer and slowly work your way out to where you want her to be able to take the comand from. Keep it so that she feels she is doing it as she is supposed to and soon enough she will be out at a distance and be able to plop her butt down on one whistle to follow the hand signals. keep up the good work.

Answer 2

I can pretty well tell that you are using "Amish" training methods, so I won't even go into the advantages of the E-collar for this training.
Where your problems lie is in the timing of your corrections.
Set up a "single T" in your back yard (looks like a baseball diamond) Place an "I bolt" into the ground at the pitchers mound. Place bumpers at 1st, 2nd, and 3rd bases. Run a rope from home plate through the "I bolt at the pitchers mound and back to home plate. In the beginning you will only be running the "stem" of the "T", so bumpers at 2nd base is all that you need. You will want to send your dog all the way to the bumper 10 times for every time you stop it in route. When you want to stop the dog to the whistle simply use the rope to stop it's forward progress AT THE SAME INSTANT you blow the whistle.
If you haven't yet, be sure that your dog fully understands "3HC" before you start "T" work.

Here is a site that can better help you with your retriever training.
http://retrievertraining.net/forums/viewforum.php?f=1

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Answer 3

my only suggestion is i've known hunters with great dogs but just this one problem. and they have used an electronic color or one that emmits a ultrasonic correction that you control from a hand held remote. start off with her nearby and give the sit command with the whistle if she doesn't respond give a correction. once she has learned it close to your control, send her out further. then whistle and if she doesn't sit then immediatly give the correction. you might want to also consult your local dog hunter's club and see if they have any suggestions. i'm sure it's something easily corrected since she's doing so well otherwise. good luck.

Answer 4

Google Jim Barry, the Rhode Island Dog Guy; he's an APDT member who trains gundogs positively, and is a co-author of a recent book:

'Positive Gun Dogs: CLicker Training for Sporting Breeds', with Mary Emmen and Susan Smith.
SusanSmith is the founder of RaisingCanine.com, a website for dog-pros with teleconferences, seminars, etc. Continuing education is good for HUMAN and beast!
;-)

there's also 'Clicker Gun Dog' by Helen Phillips; she trains and hunts her Viszlas, a very fast, wide-working Euro versatile-hunter; they will hunt and retrieve fur or feathers.

Answer 5

every time you blow the whistle, say sit and make him sit, then give a treat