I guess some dogs have "it" and some don't....(UPDATE!!)

[Dr. B]

Well this season was full of excitement and anticipation as it was going to be the first with my dog. Spent all summer in training and got basic obedience and pretty well force fetched. Was a little shy of water but once in it, got it done. So after several trips this year, I have come to realize my dog is nothing more than a handsome hood ornament and essentially useless as a hunting dog. Toss bumpers and real ducks in the yard or in the water and he takes off like a cannon to retrieve them. Unfortunately, he cannont figure that when a shot is fired and a duck drops, he is supposed to go get it. It's like if I don't throw it, he won't retreive it.

Example 1: a few weeks ago I dropped a limit of ducks in front of him. He looked at me like "Aren't you gonna go get that?" Greenhead splashes 20 yards from his nose and he just sits there when I send him. I toss a stick toward the duck and instead of charging right out, he sort of tip-toes around, goes into the water where he wants to THEN goes straight to the duck and brings it back.

Example 2: This weekend we dropped a 4 man limit in front of him. Again, if I got him and lined him up and tossed a stick he'd go to the duck. Except this time, instead of letting him slip away and ease into the water where he wanted to go, I picked is ass up and tossed him in the water in front of me and he'd go right to the duck and bring it back. I was so frustrated, I didn't even bother taking him out Sunday when we again shot a 4 man limit.

I'm so dissappointed in this dog. Good pedigree. Had a good trainer. He's a beautiful black lab and a great house dog and will fetch anything a person throws but as far as getting him to retreive a shot duck, it doesn't seem to be in the cards.

I'm debating on just giving him to a good home and starting over. I've got a few thousand bucks invested in him and don't want to give up now but I want a dog to go get my ducks. If I wanted a house dog, I'd get another breed. Any suggestions?

Dr. B
A very disenchanted dog owner.

[BrettG]

I wouldn't give up on the dog he just needs to learn how to hunt. Sounds like you have only taught him if daddy throw's it I go get it. That's one reason training with wingers and a training group is so important for a hunting dog. Find a group that trains regularly and get with them.

[deltadukman]

Im dealing with the same issue. Great in every aspect, but the hunting thing is killing me. I think it boils down to you needing to simulate a real hunting situation with someone chunking birds hidden in a bush and firing a gun. I would really love to hear some other opinions as well. If I could ever get him to hunt versus chunking bumpers in the yard he would be great. Mine is like yours in that he he more focued on me throwing than watching a gun barrell.

[ragon]

need to get your kid, neighbors kid someone to be a birdboy! they can get dogs attention with a hey hey hey or hup hup hup, use birds, make it fun for them , even use another dog , let them get the bird/bumper and not let your dog even if they want to go, make them want it so bad that they are ready to break, when they figure out that gunfire leads to them getting to pick up something (well some of the time ) the light bulb will go off! There are a lot of people on here that has a whole lot better advice then me, but i think that would be a start, i am sure they will chime in with a better solution!

[DeltaCotton12]

How old is the dog?

[merlebo05]

Nothing wrong with your dog, he has just been conditioned to retrieve thrown objects. It's my opinion one of the worst things you can do to a retriever is throw bumper after bumper and let him go get it. Labs will retrieve, it's part of their genetic makeup, your job is to teach them obedience and how to hunt which comes with certain drills and hunting. When I trained my lab I learned that its best to go put out bumpers before you unload them or have someone hid toss them out for you. And I would go pick up 50% of what's out there to retrieve to help with steadiness. I think your dog will be fine, he just needs to be taught what is expected of him. If you have any detailed questions shoot me a pm with your number and I will call you. I can give my advice what helped with my lab as I worked through many problems ( gun shy, water shy, didn't like live birds) and he turned out a great hunting dog..

[Dr. B]

My dog is 15 months old

[GulfCoast]

Have you/pro shot a steady diet of flyers for the dog? That makes a world of difference, IMHO. You have to teach them to HUNT in addition to "fetch," and you also have to teach them "who the enemy is" for lack of a better term. I have seen a steady diet of flyers in training work wonders with dogs.

[ragon]

Have you/pro shot a steady diet of flyers for the dog? That makes a world of difference, IMHO. You have to teach them to HUNT in addition to "fetch," and you also have to teach them "who the enemy is" for lack of a better term. I have seen a steady diet of flyers in training work wonders with dogs.

Good advice, and GC it will make an HRC dog brake in a master too

[Dr. B]

flyers????? wth?

Dr. B

[Cat Squirrel]

A flyer is a live pen-raised mallard that is launched and shot by a gunner in training or a test/trial.

[420 racin]

Take the dog hunting with another dog that knows what to do. Once your dog sees it in action a few times, he will figure out what he is supposed to do. My dog was the same way his first few hunts, we took along another two shonuff dogs, and after watching the other dogs retrieve about three birds, he bolted after a mallard, brought it back and hasn't looked back in four years. Now you just about can't hide a birds from him.

[Dr. B]

thanks for the encouragement guys... I feel better!

Dr. B

[Cat Squirrel]

Yeah. Don't get discouraged. These dogs have to learn their jobs. Training and real hunting aren't exactly the same.

You've gotten some good advice.

Quick story: My female's first hunt was in a great little dove spot. She was fully prepared and had a Seasoned title. I took great pains to set us up where birds would be easy to find on almost bare ground.

Along comes a dove in easy range and I tell her to mark. She locks in on the bird and my buddy folds it. It falls on a lawn about 30 yards out. She's locked in.
So, I release her and she retrieves the ejected shell from my buddy's gun. :-p

We just kept after it and she figured it out.

That was over 5,000 birds and a GRHRCH title ago.

[B3]

Get with a retriever club like central Alabama. Nothing you describe concerns me but if you want to give him away I'll take him off your hands

Dr. B3