Preventing Hard Mouth

[MacQuarrie]

Hi- New to GDR and new to training. I have a 12 week GR.We've been working on retrieves, and I've recently added securing feathers to the dummy for her retrieves. Last weekend I shot a few mallards, and today I shot a couple of grouse (she wasn't along on the hunts). Both times I put one of the dead birds out in the yard for her to "discover" while on the leash going for a walk, just so that she could get the smell/idea of a dead bird. Both times, after she discovered it, she sniffed the birds for a while, picked it up and ran a few feet, and then began ripping them apart. I've taken the bird away from her in both cases and told her NO, as I don't want her to get in the habit of destroying birds and developing hard mouth.

I've been using a soft, small canvas training dummy, and have been checking it for teeth marks and haven't found any. She seems to be handling the dummy gently and gives it to me without too much convincing. But, the dummies with the feathers on them are another story- she doesn't want to bring those back, and wants to eat the feathers. She has separate "chew toys", and isn't allowed to play with the dummies except when we're training.

She is only 12 weeks- maybe it is just too early to be showing her dead birds and letting her pick up dummies with feathers on them, I don't know. The books I have suggest doing what I have been doing, but I'm not having good success. I really don't want her to develop hard mouth, and I want to nip this in the butt before it becomes a big problem. Any suggestions? Would have you all done?

[Trekmoor]

I.M.O. she is only doing what many puppies would do , I'd not give her any more birds until she was a few months older. I think you were wrong to tell her "NO!" when she began to mess about with the bird. You could make her worried about going too near to birds in the future. She is very young, let her mature inside her head a bit more and get a retrieve on dummies firmly established before giving her any more birds.

What you tried does work well with some pups but not with them all.

Bill T.

[campgsp]

I wouldn't let the pup chew the bird up or in other words try to eat it. Telling her not to do it was the right thing. This coming from a Guy who let someone care for his dog and they let it eat or chew up a bird. Had problems evolve from it.
When she starts chewing tell her no and make her hold it. That's showing the good from the bad to her.don't expect the pup to come all the way to you with it every time. It smells good to them and they're interested.

Everything you are doing from what you've told sounds right. Just keep it fun. At 12 weeks everything is very new. Let the pup explore and try new things. Don't get too caught up on training at this point in the pups life.

[MacQuarrie]

Thank you! Do you think I should cut out the dummy with the feathers on them too for now?

[Doc E]

For now, get rid of the feathers.
If you want a dummy to smell like a bird, just rub it on a bird.



.

[donnie_19]

Don't worry about birds for now. Work on coming when called and sit, stay or what ever only for short periods, let the dog be a pup. When retrieving use a tennis ball or paint roller.

[cjhills]

Think about this. The little puppy is trotting across the yard. Finds a dead bird. What do you think her responce should be?
She probably is thinking" wow!! lunch" Not " I need to retrieve this to my owner". Give her a chance to grow a little and figure thinks out. CJ

[birddog1968]

nothing wrong with a dog that young mauling a bird, builds prey drive which is exactly what you want right now.....


What you describe is not hard mouth !

[MinneapolisMatt]

I freeze the birds that I use for training. That way they still get the smell, but it is more difficult for them to rip up the birds and easier for you to do a relase command.

[MacQuarrie]

Thanks all!