BetterBirddogs

While be don't have labs only pointers we expect them to retrieve in water if the opportunity presents itself. I start our pups by getting in the water with them. Helps their confidence a bunch if you're in their with em.

Doc E

I hope your post was a joke.
You DO NOT want a retrieve object to be something the dog will want to eat. That will lead to HUGE problems in the future.



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sproulman

actually it was not my idea. one of top small munsterlanders breeder/trainer uses this method on SM that will not retrieve in water.
how he does it i dont know other than he wraps steak around bird in water.
it is quick on getting a SM to retrieve.

so no kidding.

dickera

Thanks everyone sorry for the late response. I have been using Live Pheasants and it has helped with her retreive drive, but still have a problem with distraction ex. on her retreive she might smell something else that seems to be more interesting. How do I teach her the command "pick it up" or "fetch it up" so i can call her from a distance?

Thanks again

raptor5618

Pup is kind of young to really be working on too many commands and I hope you keep it really light. I used a book called retriever training for the duck hunter. You can look it up and get the new one that author has. The old one costs more used that it did when I got it new so I guess it still is in some demand.

One of the methods from the book and what has worked for me is just a rolled up sock or small bumper in a hall way with a door at that end. Sit down on the floor and toss it to the other end. The pup will pick it up and might play a bit but usually runs your way. When the pup is coming my way I might use the command here but mostly just pet the dog up when she brings the bumper back to you. I would use a command when I take the bumper or sock from her mouth. Toss it around and then throw it again using the command when the dog runs to the bumper.

As per the book I never use discipline or strong training. I also would keep it short but a few times a day. Not sure if it was in this book but one other trick was to train right after the pup comes out of its crate if you use a crate.

Mostly have fun and do not expect compliance to commands till it is at least 6 months. Some dogs need a bit more time but found most of my dogs were pretty close to trained if I really used the methods in the book.

By the time they were 6 months they have heard the command fetch thousands of time as they went after a dummy. They have come to here thousands of times even if it was because some rope was pulling them to me at the time. Oh never give a command you cannot enforce. If they are running around the yard having fun and you tell the pup to come and it doesn't it is learning that it does not have to listen.

For the better part of a year I pretty much never have the dog off of a lead so that I am in control and the dog never gets to learn that I am not. After they learn they really do not ever think they can ignore you. Sometimes some additional serious training is needed but if I followed the method in the book on a regular basis when the serious training started, I only had to spend a few weeks to have the dog responding to commands like it was on remote control.

I am talking about commands like sit, stay, heel, fetch, come and leave it when I want the dummy. I even have them going to do their business on command but that is something a bit different but fantastic when it is cold out. I also get them to use one gravel area of my yard so I only have that to clean.

I think consistency and repetition is the key. If they never learn that you cannot control them, you have a dog that follows commands very well.

CFMedic

My lab x springer had a bad incident when he wasn't much over 4 months old, it was winter so his first introduction to water was unfortunately falling through ice...
That following spring when we finally got to getting him in the water, he would NOT go in. He had a high retrieve drive but just would not go in the water after the bumper, just paced the edge of the water doing his little excited wimpers/yips.

It took me going in the water and completely submerging myself before he came in... And he only came in because he never liked being too far from me. Couple minutes later he realized how much fun it is and now he has no issues, even when we hunt off the ice.

Just make it fun. That's all I've ever done with my dog and he works for me and loves hunting. I just wish I would've had more time with him before I joined the military, he had awesome potential... But for now, he does the trick!

Chopayne

Just be patient and take your time. I didnt have a retriever breed, American Staffordshire Terrier Mix. He did not like retrieving at first, but now we bought him the Go-nuts toy (indestructible, Kong is destructible), and now we have to hide the Gonuts or bones so that he doesnt continously ask us to play fetch.

No point in forcing, theyll get around to it. Water too, the dog was afraid at first but as they grow up as long as you dont traumatize them through shouting and beating, theyll turn out fine.