Rating: 
Summary: Best Ever...
Review: After reading many guide books on this subject, I believe that Mr. Milner has written the best available work on retriever training. His book is a simple, easy to follow, and complete reference. I highly recommend it!
Rating:
Summary: Highly Recommended
Review: Excellent! If you want to use your brain more and the whip less when training your dog, this book is for you. Robert Milner's new book shares the experience and insight of a lifetime of dog training and learning. It's not just a bunch of tips and trick, but rather an improved understanding of the relationship of human and dog. It is always refreshing to read an author's new book and find that they have been learning, not just getting older. I read Milner's first book, "Retriever Training for the Duck Hunter", fifteen years ago. It is a good book still worth reading. This new book has the same practical approach, but utilizes canine understanding and dog psychology more and rigid routines less. I don't think the author intentionally became "kinder and gentler", it's just that more knowledge and better understanding have brought about a more effective training method that requires less harsh punishment. I have been lucky enough to know several dog trainers over the years. I have invariably thought, at first, that they had a heavier hand than I was willing to use but I was aware that I was interested because they trained dogs better than I did and I could learn from them. Without exception, as time passed, they became better trainers and used the whip less and less. A perfect example is Robert G. Wehle in his first book, "Wing and Shot" and his latest book "Snakefoot". Read both of Milner's books and see what I am talking about. "Retriever Training" has excellent information about dog training, no matter what breed you have. Read this book! Your dog will appreciate your improved understanding.
Rating: 
Summary: Useful for even non-huntring Labrador owners
Review: First ... We neither hunt nor compete in field trials ...However, we do own a 5 month old Labrador whom we have been training for the last 3 months ... Although much of the book focuses on training a Lab to retrieve game in the field, we decided to buy this book because it teaches owners how to train a Lab for good off-leash behaviour (something many training books/manuals do not do) ... and also because it's specifically tailored for the Labrador ... Mr. Milner's training style comprises of both traditional & more modern methods of training ... for instance, although Mr. Milner advocates the use of slip & pinch chains, he discourages use of physical punishment ... and utilises plenty of positive reinforcement ... The book is well organised and structured ... making it easy for the reader to progress gradually and successfully from stage to stage in the training of the dog ... from basic sit, stay & heel ... to the more complex lesson of teaching a dog to obey hand signals at a distance ... What we found particularly useful is Mr. Milner's insistence that the Lab should maintain an air of calmness and steadiness at all times ... The Lab is a happy, easy outgoing going breed that loves people, is easy to train but sensitive ... Mr. Milner obviously understands the breed very well ... His thoughts on how the breed is progressing today, his opinion on field trail competition in the States ... also make interesting reading ... All in all ... a good book for hunting and non-hunting Lab owners alike ...
Rating:
Summary: I Recommend This Training Guide
Review: I bought this book soon after bringing home my lab six months ago. I don't hunt. But I figure that if hunting is what this dog was bred to do, I would spend some time giving him something of the experience. We do walk the forest preserves and farmer's fields frequently. The methods are based on understanding trainer and pup's behaviors, simple obedience commands, creating a steady dog, and training in habits that you want your dog to have. The lessons are set out as self-paced exercises. They are described concisely and clearly. I have found them to be easy and fun. My pup seems to like them, too. This book is very enjoyable to read. I have read the chapters over and over again, getting some new insight nearly every time. We still have a ways to go before we have mastered all of the skills, but we have the confidence to keep trying because Milner's book has produced successes along the way we've passed.
Rating:
Summary: I Recommend This Training Guide
Review: I bought this book soon after bringing home my lab six months ago. I don't hunt. But I figure that if hunting is what this dog was bred to do, I would spend some time giving him something of the experience. We do walk the forest preserves and farmer's fields frequently. The methods are based on understanding trainer and pup's behaviors, simple obedience commands, creating a steady dog, and training in habits that you want your dog to have. The lessons are set out as self-paced exercises. They are described concisely and clearly. I have found them to be easy and fun. My pup seems to like them, too. This book is very enjoyable to read. I have read the chapters over and over again, getting some new insight nearly every time. We still have a ways to go before we have mastered all of the skills, but we have the confidence to keep trying because Milner's book has produced successes along the way we've passed.
Rating:
Summary: Steady goes it
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I am presently training my first labrador retriever to be a hunting dog and this book gave me a different approach than many of the regular authors waterfowl hunters read in order to train their own dogs: Richard Wolters, Bill Tarant, etc. I found this book to be well written and full of examples that really hit home after I had a chance to take a step back and access my own weaknesses as an amateur trainer, as well as, the weaknesses of my retriever. It offered a means to improve not only my abilities but also a positive manner in which my dog responded well to what I was asking her to do. I felt the book was well organized and the time the author takes to hammer home the importance of training a steady dog is well worth the read. After reading several books on the subject, I feel that the more knowledge you can arm yourself with, the better results you will achieve in your training efforts. I don't believe there is one book that is the end all be all of dog training. That said, I would recommend this book to any amateur trainer that is more concerned with producing a confident and capable dog for the hunting field than with winning ribbons at a hunt test.
Rating:
Summary: Steady goes it
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I am presently training my first labrador retriever to be a hunting dog and this book gave me a different approach than many of the regular authors waterfowl hunters read in order to train their own dogs: Richard Wolters, Bill Tarant, etc. I found this book to be well written and full of examples that really hit home after I had a chance to take a step back and access my own weaknesses as an amateur trainer, as well as, the weaknesses of my retriever. It offered a means to improve not only my abilities but also a positive manner in which my dog responded well to what I was asking her to do. I felt the book was well organized and the time the author takes to hammer home the importance of training a steady dog is well worth the read. After reading several books on the subject, I feel that the more knowledge you can arm yourself with, the better results you will achieve in your training efforts. I don't believe there is one book that is the end all be all of dog training. That said, I would recommend this book to any amateur trainer that is more concerned with producing a confident and capable dog for the hunting field than with winning ribbons at a hunt test.
Rating:
Summary: Perfection!
Review: It is very difficult for some to "think outside the box" with regards to training their dogs. Sometimes one needs to explore the results of the most popular training methods and realize the room for significant improvement. We trained our first dog using these familiar methods. She would retreive anything, anytime, anywhere. She would bring anything she could find to anyone who would throw it to her. She was as far from a "steady" dog as you could find.
Now, using Mr. Milners techniques (which are very different than the "popluar techniques") we have an incredibly obedient and steady young lab. The difference is amazing. Both dogs came from similar lines (field trial)and they couldn't be more different. It works, and works well. Very easy to read and implement. You must buy this book! You will not regret it.
Six stars from us!!
Rating:
Summary: Perfection!
Review: It is very difficult for some to "think outside the box" with regards to training their dogs. Sometimes one needs to explore the results of the most popular training methods and realize the room for significant improvement. We trained our first dog using these familiar methods. She would retreive anything, anytime, anywhere. She would bring anything she could find to anyone who would throw it to her. She was as far from a "steady" dog as you could find.
Now, using Mr. Milners techniques (which are very different than the "popluar techniques") we have an incredibly obedient and steady young lab. The difference is amazing. Both dogs came from similar lines (field trial)and they couldn't be more different. It works, and works well. Very easy to read and implement. You must buy this book! You will not regret it.
Six stars from us!!
Rating:
Summary: Perfection!
Review: It is very difficult for some to "think outside the box" with regards to training their dogs. Sometimes one needs to explore the results of the most popular training methods and realize the room for significant improvement. We trained our first dog using these familiar methods. She would retreive anything, anytime, anywhere. She would bring anything she could find to anyone who would throw it to her. She was as far from a "steady" dog as you could find.
Now, using Mr. Milners techniques (which are very different than the "popluar techniques") we have an incredibly obedient and steady young lab. The difference is amazing. Both dogs came from similar lines (field trial)and they couldn't be more different. It works, and works well. Very easy to read and implement. You must buy this book! You will not regret it.
Six stars from us!!
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