Puppy Retrieving Question

[onthefly]

Let me first say this is my first dog and I'm a DIY, first time trainer. Self-admitted rookie. Two questions...

I have a 6.5 mo old lab pup. I have been throwing 3-4 retrieves a day for a couple weeks now, keeping him on a check cord. He gets amped up when I get a dummy out, but on the 4th or 5th throw, he usually won't pick it up or tries to get me to chase him if he does. I take that as him getting bored. Should I start doing 1-2 retrieves to try to build desire? Or, should I go to a dummy with a wing zip-tied to it? Or - any other suggestions?

Also, he wants to bite the check cord (or lead) and play tug o war all the time. That's making obedience difficult because I keep correcting the bad behavior and dont get the heel, down, sit, place, etc. When he does it, I just stop training - don't want to take the fun out of it. Any ideas on how to fix? Should I just treat train on obedience (ie, divert his focus) and go straight to collar conditioning?

All suggestions appreciated!

[Ufatz]

First, don't worry too much about it. They will ALL want to chew the leash/check cord/tether and they will ALL want to tease you into chasing them.

I am no expert but I'd work real hard on getting him to understand NO! Then get him to sit on command-instantly, every time. Can you toss a small dummy IN the house for some easy play time? Use a hallway if you can. When the light goes off in his head and he figures out that "the faster I return it to him the faster he wiil throw it for me again" you'll be making progress. A Lab that age will run and retieve dummies until your arm wears out when he "gets it" so don't worry too much about over-working him.

Little Abby is just 12 weeks and she chews the lead and fusses about it until I make her SIT....then touch her, fondle her head and the walk away with the lead snugged short so she is right at my side. I don't go too far, then we play get-the-canvas bird Abby.

Actualy, she'd rather get her blue rubber pig that makes grunt-grunt-grunt noises when she bites it! Ha Ha.

Keep playing. Don't worry to much. There are other guys here who can help you with training. I'm so old I have probably forgetten all the really good serious methods.

[DaSwede]

Let me first say this is my first dog and I'm a DIY, first time trainer. Self-admitted rookie. Two questions...

I have a 6.5 mo old lab pup. I have been throwing 3-4 retrieves a day for a couple weeks now, keeping him on a check cord. He gets amped up when I get a dummy out, but on the 4th or 5th throw, he usually won't pick it up or tries to get me to chase him if he does. I take that as him getting bored. Should I start doing 1-2 retrieves to try to build desire? Or, should I go to a dummy with a wing zip-tied to it? Or - any other suggestions?

Also, he wants to bite the check cord (or lead) and play tug o war all the time. That's making obedience difficult because I keep correcting the bad behavior and dont get the heel, down, sit, place, etc. When he does it, I just stop training - don't want to take the fun out of it. Any ideas on how to fix? Should I just treat train on obedience (ie, divert his focus) and go straight to collar conditioning?

All suggestions appreciated!

My fist suggestion (and it's still not too late) get Bill Hillmann's Training a Retriever Puppy DVD. Made training my lab (now 7 months old) a breeze.

They always say, stop before the dog gets bored. So maybe for a day or two, only throw one or two. I also zip tied a wing on a bumper, and that did keep him going more.

[Todd Caswell]

I second the Hillman puppy video, best 100 bucks you will ever spend on your puppy. it's geared towards a younger puppy and ending around the age your dog is at now but I know it will work with a older pup as well, you will have to start over but it's a great time of the year to that you have nothing but time during the winter. I watched Bill for quiet a few years run some top notch Derby dogs that had very good OB and had alot of desire as well. Bill's training theory is keep it fun and desire high but instill very good OB from a very young age.

You can google on you tube and see a few clips from his video. The last two puppy's I raised I followed his video and was very pleased with the results.

Here is a typical training sessions with my one my young dogs at 4 monthes using Bills system, lots of praise, fun retrieves, learning to be steady and working on OB and the puppy doesn't even know it. The single most important thing I try to tell people is that you need to be following some type of a program from puppy to a finished dog doesn't matter if you want a gun dog or a trial dog a program is a must.

[onthefly]

Thanks guys - I'm following the Dokkens book and a Chris Akin DVD.

Just wondering how to:

1) stop him from wanting to be chased - he does this at nearly every opportunity

2) stop him from biting and tugging on a check cord or leash

[Todd Caswell]

It will all go away with a solid Obedience program.

Here means Here no running away.

Once you start your formal OB on a leash the bitting should go away as well he, should be paying attention to your every move.

Thats why i like the hillman puppy stuff and either folwdawgs or Lardy's stuff it's very through no holes to try and fill in when your done.

[onthefly]

Thanks - I'll take a look at the Hillman stuff. I figured it would go away with obedience and particularly collar conditioning where he can't get away with as much!

I agree with you - seems like the books I have contain many holes... I've found myself asking "so now what?" a lot. But, also because I'm new.

[Todd Caswell]

You are correct it will all go away with FF CC and a solid OB program. At 6 monthes old I would recommend the Fowldawgs Series 1 2 3 . Based off of the Rex Carr principals. Affordable and to the point.

[bullett]

Try using a live pigeon if hes getting bored. Pull some wing feathers out of the wing so it cant fly. That will amp him up on his desire.Maybe that will take his mind off chewing on the leash. Just make sure you pull him back so he doesnt rip the bird apart.