frozen bird VS fresh killed bird....

[WiskeyJaR]

Dutchess retrives a frozen pigeon with little or no issues, but when shooting pigeon over her, she will sniff and mouth the bird, but not retrive. After lots of 'coaching" and re-sending, she will pick bird up and retrive, but will drop it about 2-3 feet from me. Frozen brids she will retrive to hand.

I plant the pigeon in a launcher, she comes in and points, I flush and shoot, she runs to retrive, reaches dead bird and sniffs, chews on then ignores dead bird. I have used Frozen birds in place of live bird.... planted bird, dog points, launch live bird, fired blank, toss frozen bird. She will retrive frozen bird to hand. She has only retrived one "fresh" bird to hand, so far. Have only been a hand full of times with live birds. Is this something that will work its self out with time, or should I be doing something different?

Thanks for any advice folks,
WiskeyJaR


P.s. here is pic after lastest 'hunt'....

[kninebirddog]

try letting them thaw a little so she can get used to that see if that help

don't let her get in to a habit of plucking birds

only other thing is to force fetch

[MillerClemsonHD]

I agree try varying degrees of frozen or what about killing a bird one day, refrigerate overnight and then see if that helps. Put the bird in a ziplock then a grocery bag and hope the wife doesn't find it before you take it out to use it. My dog doesn't really like the frozen ones but wants the fresh ones more than anything.

[romeo212000]

Force Fetch.

[WiskeyJaR]

tried to FF me self, fear I failed big time. I have stoped and will find a trainer to do it right. She will fetch, just not as realable as she should.


Learning as we go,
WiskeyJaR

[romeo212000]

The as you said something went wrong. Force Fetch can be a tricky thing to learn how to do and the best way to learn is from someone else who knows. I use a trainer for that particular part of training because I am not confident enough to do it myself. I would find a trainer like you said.

[Don]

JR, when she drops the bird, don't pick it up, kick it away. If she doesn't bring it to you in a couple of tries, end the session and start over tomorrow. Another thing to do is to step back one step and go down on one knee. Often it will draw the dog to you with the bird in mouth. Time it so you go back and down just before she spits. If she spits anyway, don't pick it up, kick it away. One other thing to try, kill a few birds over water for her then you wade out to where she's still swimming when she gets to you. As she gets the bird to you, start working your way out of the water.

Sounds like you might have gotten to the frozen bird in FF then quit. OOPS!

[luke0927]

with it being close to hunting season...i don't think it would be recommend to FF her unless you are not going to hunt her through out the process....while FF she has to be in a controlled environment were she is made to do what is commanded to her...

[romeo212000]

True. I was just saying that is the solution, whether it be before or after hunting season.