Problems retreiving

[Joe15]

My lab pointer is now 11 months old and retreived fine until now. Now he will go and get the dummy but insists on dropping int five feet away just before he gets to me. Then yesterday I tried throwing a pheasant wing instead of a dummy and he would just chew on it and try to eat it instead of brining back. How do I correct these problems?

[redhooks]

Keep it short and simple. Give lots of praise (offer encouragement,good dog!!)as the dog brings the dummy towards you and keep walking backwards so that he/she has to keep comming your way and give more praise for a job well done (petting, excited words). Then continue a few short reps and abruptly quit the session, leaving the dog to want more(5 min is plenty per session). It's better to do a few short reps throughout the day than one long session.

11 monthes is still a pup and they have a short attention span. It also helps to train w/ a friend with a another dog, tie yours up and play fetch with the other dog so yours will see how it's done and want to play the same game.

You can also practice in the house in a hallway w/ doors closed, that way the only direction the dog can return is directly to you. Good luck and keep it fun!

[muc33]

Joey, love him to death when he retireves. I started by going absolutely nuts talking in my baby guy voice saying here here here buddy buddy and when he returned gus and kisses. And like Redhooks says, as soon as his mind wanders off, quit! Make it fun fun fun, then in the field, it is something that is fun not forced. One should NEVER discipline to discourage at this young age. Good luck! Sooner or later, this becomes just pure fun for him being with you and he knows that when he brings something, sometimes anything back he gets love!!!!

[Joe15]

Alright sounds good...I'll give you the results here in two or three weeks. I don't know about taking advice from muc though...scares me a bit

[muc33]

Not claiming to be a pro Joey, but I spent a few years working with a professional trainer and have thrown my share of dead birds! I still work my two trained labs all the time! We will have to get together this year and hunt together...maybe we can turn your Dad into a sportsman..... better yet, it may be safer if just we go!!! Good Luck!

[MNHuntress]

Here's my twist, I have a really long rope which is attached to the dog. I get the pup really excited about the dummy, bird wing, or dead bird. I throw it about out to the end of the rope, and when they pick it up you kind of reel them in with the rope and get really excited at the end with lots of praise. It's like using the hallway trick except with longer retrieves.

[lenny7]

Has he been forced fetched? My lab had that same problem until I put him through force fetch training. Now he will fetch whatever I want and will calmly sit at heel with the object in his mouth until I say "Drop". On the occasions where he might decide not to do it my way, just reaching for his ear will remind him that he has to comply.

If you're not going go through force fetching, you can still teach the "Hold" command. Then, as he's returning, remind him to hold. Once he drops it though, "Hold" won't get it back in his mouth.

Never let him get away with dropping it early. It's easier to stay on top of it then to try to fix it after he's gotten sloppy. At the very least, place the object back in his mouth, gently holding his jaws shut with one hand and leading him back to where you started with the other. Don't scold him, but don't praise him either unless he does it on his own. I might give a calm, quiet "good" when we get back to the starting spot.

A lot of folks here hate using treats in training, but that's an option too. If he knows he'll get a treat when he returns, he'll come all the way back in a hurry. Once he gets the idea, then don't use a treat every time, but maybe every other time, then every 4th, etc, until you can phase them out.

My vote is still for force fetching though.

[Joe15]

Thanks all. Muc i might need to take you up on that offer. Dad has come out to hunt birds a couple times. There is still a little hope for him.

[stifler51]

Force fetch is the answer. Let me play bad cop, and u cant be around when i start it cuz u wont like it.

[fishroger]

My lab did the force fetch training with good results. He liked chewing on the wings like your dog. He now retrieves the bird perfectly and brings it to me and gives it to me in hand. Hes not suppose to drop it, if he does its fetch, nick on the collar, deliver to hand. It takes quite alot of repetition.

[LovenLifeGuy]

At 11 months old he is still a pup, but I dont think you should let him get away with acting like that. Like others say, Force fetch is a must for me and is a base for almost all my training. If you plan on using a training colar it is a great transition.

I did my FF training on my brit lab when he was 7 months and he picked it up real quick. Not all dogs are ready for it at that age and they will let you know. Dont let the wife or kids watch the first few days, it can be a power struggle

Good luck!

[Surface Tension]

Some trainers will force fetch from the get go. You can look at that as training before a bad habit starts or you can look at it as taking a short cut.

Either way in this case the bad habit is there. Reversing this bad habit is harder then preventing it. You'll need to force fetch the dog. I think Ken has a post about force fetching, read it well and don't stop the training too soon.

[theghost_03]

Agreed! Answer is force fetch force fetch and force fetch!!