Need some help...a couple of issues w/ my dog

[Micah]

I have a 9-month old male that is very sensitive to correction. He's the mildest mannered dog I've ever owned. I'd call him low-drive, but he really does like to retrieve. He is also a pretty fast learner (not stubborn at all). We had heeling down after one round-trip walk to the bus stop to pickup my son.

I have a couple of problems that I need to correct:

1) He won't pick up a fetching dummy. Throw him a paint roller or tennis ball, and he will get it every time, but he will not pick up a fetching dummy (I've tried canvas and rubber). I can put the dummy in his mouth and he'll carry it until I command him to release, but I can't get him to pick it up. Any ideas on how to fix this? I'm at a loss.

2) Every other lab I've had 'introduced' themselves to the water. This dog is not too keen on water yet. How can I get him into it without causing problems in the future?

Thanks in advance for the help.

Micah

[B3]

1. They make a bumper out of tennis ball material. Can get it at Petco. You can try teasing him with the canvas bumper to encourage desire for it.

2. I would wait a few months when the water is warm. You can wade out so he follows you or get him to follow another dog in.

Bill

[bottomland84]

My dog did the same thing with the tennis ball, but would've pick the bumper up afterwards. take the ball and paint roller out of the equation for awhile and make it fun when you throw the bumper. Add some scent to it if needed.

The water thing, well I have found that if you get in and coax him in he will come if your out there, but be patient and don't let him see you get frustrated at all, it will set you back. Find what interest him and stick that in your daily work outs.

[woody bob]

Don't use any thing but the bumper just keep throwing
It mat take a day but he will get it.
Drop the bumpers at the waters eadge over a few days he
will go farther and farther out.

[cheeko]

Force Fetch him and it will solve all.

[B3]

If it were my pup I would not do any introduction to water for several months

FF does not make them like water.

[flyntwt]

[msbigdawg1234]

Agreed too many folks think" hey they are labs they posed to LIKE the water"... some take to it like nothing and some dont ...but dont force they in wait till warms and get in make it fun ....get another dog in the action and with a bumper only ...dogs like the competition of getting what ever you throw and keeping it away from each other...just remember to keep it fun till you get thur these issues

[chance]

Force fetch gives you a tool that requires the dogto fetch and retrieve whatever is chosen. Dogs that choose to disobay the command "Fetch" on a bumper can just as easily refusal to pick up a duck and retrieve.
Intro to water? You get in water and tease the dog into getting wet also. Migth try tossing the tennis ball into the water to see if he will go out and retrieve it.

[pntailhntr]

Definitely take everything away but the bumpers! If he is a good retriever and really INTO THE RETRIEVING he will eventually realize he has to pick it up if he wants to keep playing!! As for the water. The only good ways of doing that is exactly what everybody has said. Get in the water and coax him in and get another dog to help out. He'll get it!! GOOD LUCK!!!