Absolutely Positively Gundog Training: Positive Training for Your Retriever Gundog

by Robert Milner

With Absolutely Positively Gundog Training, Milner has taken the latest scientific research into how dogs learn, and combined it with his own vast experience and commonsense training methods. The result is an approach that is as effective as it is easy. For the hunter who wants a calm, steady, and obedient retriever, there's no better training method.This book provides everything needed for you to turn out a sporting dog that excels at life. Whether you want your dog to be a gundog, a water dog, a shed dog, an upland dog, a deer tracker or a fishing companion, this book charts the courseEvery other page exclaims, “That makes perfect sense”. Milner debunks a number of groundless myths and counter-productive training practices that proliferate in today’s sporting dog culture.A big divide exists today in the gundog sector in America. The opposing views are tradition-based compulsion training versus the science-based positive training model derived from B.F. Skinner’s operant conditioning theory. Robert Milner’s new book bridges that gap. Milner brings to the table vast experience in both training methods. He has trained over two thousand gundogs with traditional compulsion and has trained several hundred gundogs with a positive training model. He pronounces the positive model a definitive winner. His new book covers all the bases for a beginning gundog trainer. Milner covers the dog’s history and domestication as it relates to training. He shows you how the dog perceives the world, how the dog communicates, and how he learns. Big surprises await some readers. Milner cites many examples of recent dog research that upend traditional training theories.This book gives the reader a simple roadmap to success in producing a gundog that is extremely well-mannered, a persistent hunter and very responsive on whistle stops and hand signals. The simplicity of the training model will be a pleasant surprise to many new trainers. Most importantly, Milner’s training model is fun for the trainer and the dog.

Genres: Dogs

157 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 9, 2015

About the author

In 1996 Robert Milner sold Wildrose Kennels, a retriever training kennel which he had owned and operated since 1972. That same year he retired from the USAF Reserve after 26 years of service as a disaster response officer. Those two paths would cross again in 2002. Shortly after the tragedy of 9/11 Milner got a call from the Memphis Fire Department requesting his assistance with their FEMA disaster search dog program. He took the job and went to work rebuilding their disaster search dog program. Slow progress of the transformation led him to reexamine the traditional dog training model of compulsion. He adopted B.F. Skinner's positive training model and was able to speed up the training program by 300%. Subsequently he adapted that training model to gundog training and discovered positive training to be much faster, easier to learn and decidedly more fun for both dog and trainer.

Milner has trained over 2,000 dogs with compulsion and since 2002 has trained hundreds of gundogs with a positive training protocol. He owns and operates Duckhill Kennels at Somerville, TN, breeding and training Labrador Retrievers for gundogs and also for disaster search and for explosive detection. His website is www.duckhillkennels.com

Reviews

[David Crosby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This looks to be a very thorough and practical handbook for training Labradors or retrievers. The framework makes sense and should be useful for all types of dog. The writing style is very reader friendly. Sadly we are puppy-free at the moment but have passed this on to a relative who is excited to get started with his new canine family members.

I received a copy of this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.

[Ann Smorado · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am thrilled to see a crossover gundog trainer who had trained with compulsion and made the effort to see out a different way and go public with it. I think this is a must read when you have a young dog you haven't started yet. I wish I had this resource years ago. The reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because, by the time I finished the book, I felt very discouraged that I will not be able to overcome the training errors I made with my 4 year old field line labrador because I made the very common mistakes in his early training he warns against in his book. He is a high drive field line labrador-from strong field trial lines (the very type of dog this author does not seem to like based on his comments in the book) and my dog has had lots of marks and lining drills early in his training. I didn't know better, I just thought train or Junior Hunter, then worry about advance skills later. The author talks about how backwards that process is and explains why. However, the book does NOT give any solutions for how to proceed if you have made that error and implies such errors can't be overcome. For example he says giving young dogs lots of marks is like giving them crack cocaine and doing so before the steady work is solid is wrong. I finished the book with the impression that he does not think such an error can be overcome with a dog like mine. To me, that is discouraging and not helpful. I would have liked to have seen some possible solutions laid out, there were none. I can only assume he doesn't believe there are any. I am glad I read the book rather than sign up for a seminar.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very comprehensive guide to positive reinforcement used to train your dog. I think that most of the principles could be applied to any dog to aid training, or even your own kids!
You will not be disappointed if you purchase this book. I don't understand why some people rated this book as 2 stars with no reason given why. I can only think that it must be a vegan or someone with a moral objection to meat eating, which is unfair and 'not cricket' at all.
Received as a Goodreads Giveaway. Thanks to the author for making this book available.

[Chip Lechner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great training guide, well written and very practical. Having spent 3 years as a Military Working Dog trainer at Lackland AFB and another 8 years as an Explosives Detector Dog Handler, I can speak for a position of authority in the field. The process laid out by Mr. Milner is a proven technique and will be invaluable to the Novice as well as the seasoned veteran dog trainer. Well written in easy to follow format!


I received this book in a GoodReads Giveaway.

[Juanita Gandara · Rating 2 out of 5]

90% of this book is his history, the theory behind clicker training, how he learned about clicker training, the history of the Labrador, why field tests are stupid, etc. 90% of the remaining book is how to teach a solid sit-stay. Very brief discussion of casting. There isn't enough depth to this book to rate more stars. There were also several stories that were repeated more than once in the book. At one point, I thought he had repeated a chapter because they started exactly the same (they ended different). And then the study that he heavily discussed about the right amount of time to train a dog, then his recommendations went completely against the study (so why use that study to prove his point?) I needed more depth and training knowledge. A sit-stay is easy to teach. I wanted much, much more.

[Noelle Walsh · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is very reader friendly and easy to follow. Mr. Milner does a great job explaining how to train Labradors and other retriever dogs. Novice dog owners as well as those experienced in dog ownership would enjoy this book and likely benefit from the tips and tricks provided to help get the behaviour you want from your dog.


*won as a GoodReads Giveaway*

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Book to get one ready for a dog. In all aspects it is a must read for any Dog owner out there in my opinion. I enjoyed the learning and will keep it as a reference to guide me along when our Dog get here.

[Neville Angelo · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is very easy to read and it goes a long way to install the motivation in one to become a better owner and trainer of your dog. It provides outlines of training but does not explain anything in depth. Quite a bit of text is repeated throughout the book. No problem solving is provided.

[ThDogs · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short layman's friendly introduction to gundog training. It does not go into much depth for those seeking technical skills or step-by-step protocols for more complex behaviours, but it works very well as an introductory 101 book for the beginner gundog owner.

[Tony Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fine book, but full of redundancy and mistakes. The author should have paid for an editor.

[P Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good book describing the principles of positive training for retrievers. It will be a good tool for those wishing to learn a newer way.

[Debra S Corwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book

The book not only tells you proper training methods hut also how a dog responds to cues. This book is a must read

[Laura Treat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent description of the essentials of your steady, obedient gunfight

Beginning of the book illustrates the importance of understanding your dog's natural ability and the principles of positive reinforcement training. The rest of the book provides simple instructions on how to develop your steady, obedient gun dog with anecdotes tastefully dispersed throughout the text. Great read and has been working well for my 7mo old male Vizsla pup.

[Charlette Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book for anyone wanting to train a hunting dog. It is so easy to understand and follow.
I believe that if you follow the guide, you could train dogs in other areas also.

[Delano · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good information.


This was a very informative book and has some valuable insights into the gun dog world. There are several steps we'll use over and over.