Need Help
 

My yellow lab is having a hard time with retrieving downed birds. He will retrieve the hell out of a bumper, but he just doesn' t seem to get the idea of retrieving a bird that has been shot. I have tried the technique of having a partner throw the bumper, also shooting as the bumper is at its peak, but he is having a tough time. He is a little over a year old, and was started late on training.

RE: Need Help
 

Questions:

1. What dog training program (book/tape) are you following as your training guide?

2. Have you Force Fetched your dog?

RE: Need Help
 

Schemy, Your dog might not like the birds feathers in his mouth. That might be why he is not retriving the birds and will the dummies. Have your dog force fetch to retrive and that will take care of it. You can do it your self but I would let a pro. do it. good luck

RE: Need Help
 

Doc E.

I haven' t been using a certain method, only taking bits and peices from different readings. And secondly there have never been a need to force fetch my dog. He has always taken to retrieving.

Sfarrell, I know the feathers don' t bother him. He will eagerly retrieve a bird that we through out for him. I just don' t think that he is associating a gunshot with an opportunity to retrieve. I am not sure why that is.

RE: Need Help
 

All dogs need to be introduced to the shot. It is a slow process sometimes. Also, try using some clipwing birds during training. My Lab pup hates to carry them, it seems, but when she sees that it pleases me she does it. I have found the hard way that unless you are professional trainner and have all day to work with your dogs, it takes a lot longer to train them than the likes of Richard Walter and other advisors say. Be patient and be persistent.

Bob

RE: Need Help
 

Be patient and be persistent, also sometimes if that does not work
try to freeze the bird first, if that does not work, than you must force
break.

Schemy
 

I have a suggestion and a comment.

1. You really need to be following a proven training program
2. If your dog doesn' t need to be force fetched, then why would he do what you described?

3. Force Fetch is about MUCH MORE than just a reliable retrieve.

RE: Need Help
 

Doc E.

I have ordered Water Dog and Gun Dog and will go over that method and see what happens.

I guess I am not understanding the whole concept of a force fetch then, please explain it to me a little further. I was under the impression that if he was eagerly fetching a dummy then it wouldn' t be necessary to force fetch. I thought that my only need was to get him to associate a gun shot with the oportunity to fetch.

RE: Need Help
 

Sorry bud I just spent a whole lot of time typing my response twice and it didn' t take it , you lose

RE: Need Help
 

I see that it took my reply when I got pi$$ed. Ok , as Doc said its more than just a retrieve its about cooperation, obedience, desire to please. I don' t know how many times I heard that line " natural retriever, dont need to force break" . I will tell you here and now your dog will tell you one day " nope , not today I dont feel like it" . Thats a very short version of my reply, maybe later when I chill I will try again, got to go clean some geese.

RE: Need Help
 

You are under the same impression that most retriever owners are ... " If my dawg fetches on his own, why do I need to FF him?" Among other reasons, he needs to understand that " fetch" is a command and not a voluntary choice on his part. The " trained retrieve" (another word for force fetching) is just like the " trained sit" or the " trained here" or the " trained heel" ... Pup may wish to do them voluntarily at times but the reason that we teach it as commands is to make them understand there is no choice in the matter ... it is a required action that must be complied with ... period.

Try reading these two articles by John and Amy Dahl ... authors of " The 10-Minute Retriever" .

http://www.oakhillkennel.com/library/force/force1.html

http://www.oakhillkennel.com/library/force/force2.html

Schemy ... you need to introduce your boy to clipped wing pigeons and let him chase them down to ignite the prey drive that' s actually there in his genes but just not brought out as yet.

RE: Need Help
 

Jim said it all.

RE: Need Help
 

Nevada,

Thanks for the info. I read them over and found I have a lot of work to do with my dog. I think he will be able to pick this stuff up, well I hope he can. That is what i get for trying to think for myself. Well at least I will have a better start for my choco lab. Thanks again everyone for the information. I will keep you updated on the progress.

Good Huntin.