My dad got a yellow lab puppy just about 10 months ago. My dad and I always hunt together so I got a front row seat. This was his, the dogs, first season and I'm sure like many dogs the first few times out he had a little trouble trusting that there was a bird out there that he couldn't see. He wanted to hit the water and search out in the decoys when the bird was just beyond. He would make the retrieves but it just took him a little bit.
Then one day a bird was out about 60 yards and he just couldn't find it. My dad took a rock and made him heel. He threw the rock as far out as he could in line with the down bird. When he did that something clicked. He actually saw it and all of a sudden he got it.
A few weeks later my dad called me and told me he had made a 150 yard open water retrieve and taking verbal commands on a cripple that went down. So far out that he was afraid of him being that far as a 9 month old puppy.
He is our first lab and he has been great and coming along so well.
My dad and I can't wait for next season.

He's a good looking yellow dog too