What the Labrador is bred to do.
Labrador Retrievers are outstanding gun dogs, bred to hunt waterfowl and upland game under difficult conditions. Hunt tests, field trials, and working certificate tests are used to demonstrate the Labrador’s exceptional hunting abilities.
We also offer several volunteer-led instructional programs to introduce you and your retriever to this exciting sport and bring out and hone your Labrador’s innate abilities.
Training, Learning, Competition
At All Levels
Beginning Retriever
Training
Just getting started? Our Beginning Retriever Class is a great way to expose your dog to birds, gun shots, etc, and teach the retrieve.
Basics and Transition Training
Ready to move on? Start more formal training in an individualized format to learn the basics, transition to blind retrieves, and get ready for senior and master tests.
Continuing Retriever Training
Learning never stops! Keep improving your dog’s abilities and your handling skills in our weekly training group,
Hunt Tests
Show off your dog’s retrieving skill in a simulated hunting situation!
Working Certificate Test
Hunt tests too much stress? Try the Working Certificate test to demonstrate your dog’s natural abilities.
Training Advice
A curated collection of interesting articles on retriever training.
Beginning Retriever Training
Interested in training your young Labrador to become an enthusiastic retriever? Join the Beginning Retrievers Training Class, offered by LRCGB each spring at the Delaney Wildlife Management Area in Stow, MA, on Tuesday afternoons and evenings for eight weeks. As part of this training, your dog will be exposed to everything related to hunting and hunt tests: duck calls, gun shots, decoys, birds and bumpers, land and water retrieves. Priority is club members first, then remaining slots will be made available to non-members.
The next class will start in May 2025. Check our Events Calendar page for sign-up information in early 2025.
2020 Beginning Retrievers Class
Basics and Transition Training
The primary goal of the Basics/Transition training is to offer trainers and their dogs the opportunity to work on skills required to succeed beyond the Working Certificate or Junior Hunter level. It’s not a traditional class format, instead participants can sign up for individualized one-on-one coaching sessions, as dogs will proceed through Basics and Transition at their own pace.
The program will cover the Basics and Transition phases in the training approach popularized by Mike Lardy, from collar conditioning and force fetch to pile work, from double-T to pattern blinds to cold blinds.
For this program, dogs need to have an interest in retrieving. Handlers will need to own or buy an electronic collar (please contact your instructor before buying one). Club members or graduates of the LRCGB Beginning Retrievers class only.
Coaching is offered from mid-April through the fall—weather permitting—, Tuesdays at Delaney Wildlife Management Area in Stow, MA.
For 2024, sign up here.
A successful day for the students of our classes! (Shoreline RC hunt test, June 17, 2023)
Continuing Retriever Training
So, you and your dog have mastered the introductory levels of hunting retriever training. What’s next? LRCGB’s popular Continuing Retriever Training group gives you the opportunity to further hone your and your dog’s skills. This training group for all levels of experience meets on Tuesdays at Delaney WMA in Stow, MA, from early spring to late fall. Club members only.
We offer two training slots: one session at 9 am, and one at 5 pm, from early April through early October.
Hound Days: In 2024 the Old North Bridge Hounds are scheduled to have their fox hunts at Delaney on April 16 and May 7. Please note that on those days we’ll be starting the morning group at 11 am, to allow the Hounds to get their hunt on the way before we show up.
See our Events Calendar page for sign-up information or sign up here. Club members only!
We also request you use this sign-up form each week to let us know if you’re planning to come so we have an estimate of dogs to run and can plan accordingly.
The 2023 Morning Training Group
Hunt Tests
Twice a year we put on an AKC-sanctioned Retriever Hunt Test. Dogs compete at three levels—Junior, Senior, and Master. At these events, our dogs are tested in land and water hunting situations and can demonstrate their ability and desire to retrieve birds under all types of conditions. Events are posted on our Events Calendar page.
Working Certificate
The Labrador Retriever Club Inc. — Working Certificate ProgramThe Working Certificate program provides a way for Labrador owners to experience and develop an appreciation for the natural working abilities of their dogs without the lengthy and expensive commitment the competitive performance events require.
If you own an eager retriever but do not intend to compete in formal hunt tests or field trials, LRCGB also offers the less competitive Working Certificate (WC). A dog that fulfills the Working Certificate requirements defined by The Labrador Retriever Club (LRC) has demonstrated that it is not gun-shy and willing to retrieve birds on land and in water. In addition to the working certificate, LRCGB also offers WC Intermediate (WCI) and WC Excellent (WCX) titles. The WCI and WCX requirements are similar to AKC senior and master hunt tests but not as stringent. WCI and WCX are Club titles and not recognized by the LRC.
Training Advice
We have compiled a set of interesting articles/write-ups to educate the participants in our beginning and continuing retriever training programs on a broad range of topics, such as an overview of basic gun safety, a “dictionary” that explains retriever training lingo, or advice on becoming a great bird boy.
The LRCGB Drills Handbook was created by Rainer Fuchs for the 2017 “Drills for Fieldwork” workshop. It contains more than 30 marking, lining, and casting drills for dogs at all levels and of particular value to transition dogs. It’s a free download. A small number of print copies are still available.
Field Committee
Club activities related to the training of Labradors for recreational hunting or for field competitions are coordinated by a Field Committee. Any Club member interested in this sport is welcome to join the committee! Please check out the Field Committee page for details.
