Fetching Issues

[EXTREME]

Guys, I have a little problem with my 6 month old lab. A while back while I was throwing for the dog, she completely ignored the dummy and starting eating deer [PoorWordUsage]. She did it about 3 times and I started getting [PoorWordUsage]. So, I yelled at her and quit for the day. Ever since that day, she will not fetch for me. Every once in a while when she is playing with me and I am sitting in the lazy boy she will bring stuff back...but when I am standing up she justs sits next to me and gives me those puppy dog eyes and cowers. She will fetch for the kids every once in a while, but for me it is a real head hanger. She is an excellent dog otherwise and does all the commands I say....just wont fetch. It is really frustrating. Can anybody out there give me some advice.

[MuleShack]

I'll start by saying that you should never "yell" at your dog.

Corrections or discipline need to be administred at the immediate instance the dog is doing something that it is not suppose to. Whether that be on the leash or with using a E-collor or if the dog is next to you and you grab the collar. Raising your voice and yelling at a dog is at the minimum make him ignore you because you are not calm and confident as a leader should be. Or at the worst will make a weak dog cower and be afraid of you.

You need to work with the dog so that it can trust you and so that it knows what you want.

The best advice I heard was that if you cannot enforce the command, then do not give it. Other wise you are instilling the dog with idol threats and he/she learns to ignore you more.

Keep the pup on the 30' lead and let him/her play. When you say "come" tug on the lead to get him started to come back to you.

Need to work on the basic commands while the dog is on the lead so you have correctional control over the dog and it knows it has to listen.

Once you instill the confidence back in the pup, he should turn around again, but you need to be a calm leader and not yell (or intimidate) use the commands adn the lead for corrections.

[EXTREME]

Mule; I don't do much yelling actually. She responds well to all commands except fetching commands. Now like last night, she was all wound up and I threw a ball about a half dozen times and she fetched it every time. It just seems like she only does it when she is wound up. Otherwise she just leans on me and looks at me like she screwed up. It is frustrating, because before that one incident, she was fetching quite well. I appreciate the advice though. I really enjoy reading all posts from you guys...because most of you guys know more about it than me.

[sjuduckhunter]

I was having a similar problem with a similar age dog. My problem, I think, originated from in the dog's head though and had me questioning the dog's natural drive to fetch. She would be interested in going to get the ball or bumper or stick, but then not have any interest in bringing it back. She too would stop and smell the deer doo and the grass and such.

To try to fix that I have been working on getting the dog SUPER pumped before fetching, by teasing her with the object we are going to retrieve. I shortened the length of the retrieve to as short as 15 feet. I would get right down to her level when she picked it up and encouraged her back to me with all the happy sounds I could make as well as throw in the COME command. Eventually she caught on and I lengthened the distance of the retrieve. If I stay down at her level now I can tell she runs even faster toward me. I noticed also that she REALLY liked fetching in the woods. So I would try it in there so she was having maximum fun. And also I tried different and new "toys", ones that I knew she was excited for. And lastly I have been making sure to end on as positive note as I could while she was having the most fun. That is before she has a chance to lose interest. For a week or more all I expected was 1 or 2 very short retireves. Lately, she has been doing very well.

I hope this makes sense for you and helps!

[mwal]

do a search here on force fetching that should correct your problems. I will never have another dog that has not been force fetched.

Mwal

[rmkod]

For the summer I would get her really excited about the object you are throwing and keep the retrieves to a minimum. If you see her lose interest after a couple then quit and call it a day. Then Force Fetch her this winter when she is a little older and can handle the pressure.

[Hooves]

I had a problem like that when my wife kept letting the neighbor kids chase our puppy. She would not bring the bumper back and seemed less interested in it. I hooked her to a long lead to help her come back to me. Then we used the same bumper every time I would get her excited about it then throw it. After only three retrieves or when she looked most excited about retrieving I would put it away and we were done for the day, I could throw it more and more times after that. She still doesn't love playing fetch with a tennis ball or anything but when her bumper comes out she know exactly what to do. I also started to zip tie pheasant wings to the bumper for her. Long story short my advice is to stop when she is most excited about it that way next time that toy comes out it will be a special treat that is only used for retrieves.

[BLACKJACK]

So, I yelled at her and quit for the day. Ever since that day, she will not fetch for me.

Sounds like your dog is fairly timid and you'll have to train accordingly. Good advice from the others, get excited when you're throwing dummies, quit while she still wants more, keep the sessions short until she develops the retrieving love.

The one thing I'd like to add is don't let the kids throw dummies for her!! Most kids don't know better and will keep throwing until the puppy gives up - you don't want that!! As others have stated you want to quit when she still wants to retrieve, then next time she'll remember the fun time and be jumping up and down when she sees the dummy. When she has developed the love of retrieving THEN you can let the kids throw, with your supervision.

Another problem with kids is that they won't enforce the retrieve to hand, then start chasing the puppy - a new game has been invented and it doesn't help your retrieve training.

[LABS4ME]

I am a firm believer that people waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay over do the retrieving with pups. It is in their blood and only needs to be brought out and enhenced, especially with retrieving breeds. The Brits do not even begin formal retriever training until the dog is close to a year in age. They still have very competant dogs.

I do throw some bumpers for my young dogs along with A LOT of dead or frozen birds. I do this sparingly, just enough to get them really 'high' on the whole retrieval process. I dote on them when they bring it back and really get them excited both on the way out and the way back with the bird. I want them to know this is what they a living for. NEVER yell at a young dog for not completing a retrieve. At this point it is only something fun to them and has to remain fun. If they are disciplined for doing what they want to do they may shut down on you on further retrieves.

The dog may also be teething at 6 months old and have a tender mouth. It may not want to carry objects right now.

I'd suggest a few days off from retrieving. Work on obedience and solidify it. To me this is the most important aspect of training and the foundation for all future work. I am diligent on obedience and only begin formal field training once they are through their obedience work.

When you reintorduce retrieving, do it on a walk, show the dog the bumper or bird and get them really excited, throw the bumper and call their name to release them and really whoop it up and praise them on the way back. Immediatley take the bumper form her when she comes back, don't worry about a perfect delivery and fawn over her for a bit... let her know how happy you are. Do not scold her for imperfection. Do this maybe one more time further down the way on the walk. Get her so she really wants to do the next retrieve.

From there take her in the direction you choose. Steadiness, force etc.

Good Luck!

Ken

[EXTREME]

Thanks guys...excellent advice. As I am typing this, she was retrieveing while I am watching the twins. She has slowly started getting back into it, and that is good. Maybe I am being too rammy. Most of you guys have more experience than me...so I really trust your opinion. By the way, this weekend she had her first experience with swimming on her own. She was wound up tight and fetching sticks. Hopefully it will all work out. All in all if it doesn't work out...she is a heck of a dog anyway. I have confidence that it will. Thanks guys