hard mouth problem

[jdog]

so my 5 year old lab has had issues in the past with having a hard mouth and the last few years its been ok but now when he brings the bird back he wants to chew it he gives it up right away when i say drop but the biting thing is an issue is there a good way to help this problem

[gspman]

The trained retrieve (aka force fetch) may help. There are plenty of resources on the subject. Once you start it you need to go all the way through.

[NBR]

I've had many since I first hunted with pointers and setters and then raised,trained,field trialed and sold on a hobby basis. I have never had an older dog that remained soft mouthed. I think they get pecked, wing beaten etc. and just get a bit tougher. My best bird finder was not my favorite dog since she tended to self hunt if the pickings were sparce she would increase her range faster than I was able to handle.

Opps I got off topic. At one point I was south quail hunting, knocked down a bird that she picked up and brought to me. As I reached for the bird it flew from her mouth to the next fence row. By the time I quit hunting her when she picked up a bird it was one crunch and she handed you a dead bird.

I would agree on the forced broke but I wouldn't guarantee a soft mouth.