Only if it wasn't blue, and one doesn't really know until one opens ones eyes. Does one?

 Quote: Scott Garrett

If I said the sky was blue, I bet someone would argue with me about it.

But let's not.

Konnie and Randy and Steve and others have sure given some great thoughts here, so let's stick with the O.P.'s question.

Charles

Konnie has given you some good advice here. You have already mentioned that at 20 minutes into the walk the dog begins to act this way so don't go that far. This is the same principal that you find in training for drive. As soon as you begin to notice the dogs ability to focus on the chore at hand, stop what your doing. The dog has to build an affinity for whatever it is your teaching. Corrections at this point is more than a waste of time it severs and or puts a dampner on building relationship with the dog. Remember that in any relationship your power is only as good as your influence. Can you make the dog do something you want? Sure you can, but when the dog or person loves to do what your asking them, it changes everything. This is not just good training advice it's how we are created and the dogs are no different.

There is a time for compulsion, but the time is not yet for your pup. Also when compulsion is used it must be used correctly. This means as a tool for helping the dog, not as a form of punishment for doing something wrong.

To Randy- I suppose if you have not had a field trial pup out of FTCh's from the 1990's or trained with field trial pros you would not know what I'm talking about. What you replied is not what I meant. She was playing but not appropriately.
I don't compete anymore. I get the impression that Field Trial training has become a little more insightful but what I saw was pros breaking down a dog to build them back up. The only dogs who titled in Field Trials with the pros persevered through High 5 level continuous on the Tritronics E-collars, hit with crops made from golf club shafts, and cattle prodding when they froze up from bad corrections. The pups from some of these dogs were very high strung. One Pro described these dogs as Timex Dogs (take a lickin and keep on tickin). Their desire is so high that nothing but the retrieve matters. 19 weeks for that kind of Lab pup might be like 10 weeks for another breed but with more physical ability. If this pup is from Field Trial background he will not be the loungy labs that some pets and show dogs are. Depending on his lines he maybe worse or better then mine were. Taking that into consideration you have to come up with play that is also teaching but remembering their attention span is a nanosecond. Ultimately, they are supposed to be able to run a complicated trial test that most people could not do without written instructions. In other words, take in a lot of info all at once, remember it, and must always be busy. They get bored easily. They are not good house pets or family dogs for a very long time

I agree too that 20 min is too long unless you can stop at a park and throw a ball or a bumper putting the pup on a long line. It's all about the retrieve for these dogs. At about 6 months I could take them about 40 min walks that I needed. We always fed after the walk so there was a prize at each end.

No Linda,
I did not imply or read into anything you said. What you said, you said.
Yeah, I've had my share of high drive gun dogs. I've also seen my share of field trial dogs. I've also seen more then my share of the measures taken to train for said trials.
Some of the dogs I've seen around those trials I actually thought would be worth having for real work. Almost all the handlers I saw I would have liked to throw in jail for abuse......even speaking from the perceptive of my yank and crank days I felt those guys couldn't have any soul.
I can only hope the mind set has changed.

If some one wants to jerk a 5 month old pup into submission for burning off some energy........well okay I guess.
But I'll never advise it as a strategy for rearing a dog into a happy reliable partner.

If my dog isn't learning, I'm doing something wrong.
Randy

 Quote: Linda Henning

They get bored easily. They are not good house pets or family dogs for a very long time

This is my experience with them as well - both my own and clients' dogs. I am really curious as to the pedigree of the pup in the OP.