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Another Dog Question

Ive been working with my lab, who I inherited when I met my wife, for a year or two. I can get him to stay 95% of the time and he will retrive dummys and dead birds in the back yard all day. I took him out for his first time hunting ever during teal season, and he had no trouble marking the bird, but he would go out to the bird, pick it up, walk a little ways back, then drop it and just stand there. Any ideas how to make him complete the retrieve in the field? Maybe he just doesnt have enough real world experience? He is around 4 years old so Im pretty happy with the progress he has made so far from just being a spoiled house dog.

Get out the yard and train him in situations that would be similar to where you hunt.

Force fetch force fetch force fetch.

Force fetch is hard to someone new to it. Try this please and let me know what it does. Make it fun. Take a defrosted teal and play a game with him with it. Dragging it in front if him getting him excited sayin "get the bird, you want it?, get the bird" while flipping it in front of him. As soon as he grabs it and holds it tap on his bottom jaw and tell him hold but at the same time petting him telling him good boy. It should spark something... If not... Clip the wings and electrical tape them to his bumper for reassurance.. Which I think will help with confidence...... I inherited a dog similar to this and this is how I got him to understand the guidelines of hold. Now that he knows that, force fetch will be much easier. Imo

"Go ahead, share your opinion! I won't cry"

Quote:

Originally Posted by bgizzle (Post 722640)

Fun and force fetch should never go together in a sentence unless fun has the word "no" in front of it. Meaux also try having the wifey throw birds for you instead of throwing them from your side. Start off close, 10-15 yds then gradually have her move back diagonally toward where she just threw. On the return act excited and praise the hound a lot. Do your homework on FF before tackling it, it can be tricky and x's 2 on Ducktrickster's comment on different areas and get him wet as much as possible since we often tend to duck hunt in water here in S LA.

I'm no expert, but. There are probably two reason your dog is doing this. One, he is loving the taste and smell of a fresh killed bird and doesn't want to give it up. The other is, he is showing his independence and is telling you he doesn't have to do what you want. Start by identifying which problem you have.

Does anyone have experience force fetching a dog 3 years or older? I have heard it can be a nightmare.

Force Fetching differs from dog to dog. It is harder on a older dog because they are more set in their ways however it can be done. It is something that is not a lot of fun and takes work everyday. There are plenty of video's out there that outline the process.