Focus!

[kbayer]

So I am brand new to the world of retriever training. My pup, Kimber, is 12 weeks old. She has a solid understanding of all the basic obedience commands-performs them flawlessly inside without distraction. I started out using treats and have since limited this and pretty much stopped. (except for heel-which is taking a little time for her to really get). However once outside where other things are going on, Kimber blows me off and ignores me completely. I understand she is a young pup and the world is exciting, but how can I get her to focus on me. same goes for when we are out on a walk-Kimber likes to pick up sticks and such and wont respond to her name. suggestions??

[Bberry20]

At 12 weeks, your pup is still really young. Do you have access to a field where you can let the pup run and explore? I think you are expecting a little to much for the age of your pup. JMO, but i would work 5-10 mins on the commands you want in the yard and then let the pup be a pup. You have a lot of time ahead of you, dont rush it.

[kbayer]

Thank you! I have to keep reminding myself of that. As far as picking up sticks (corncobs in the fields) I try not to discourage the pup instead i try to call her over, say give, then fetch and offer it back and run around with it-rather than chase her down and take it away. however, she will start to eat it.

[Hoosierdaddy]

So you want Focus out of a 3 month old pup? Aint gonna happen.Enjoy the pup.Socialise your pup.Play hide and seek with your pup.Bond with your pup.You have lots of time ahead to train your pup.Patience is a virtue.

[Sharon]

So I am brand new to the world of retriever training. My pup, Kimber, is 12 weeks old. She has a solid understanding of all the basic obedience commands-performs them flawlessly inside without distraction. I started out using treats and have since limited this and pretty much stopped. (except for heel-which is taking a little time for her to really get). However once outside where other things are going on, Kimber blows me off and ignores me completely. I understand she is a young pup and the world is exciting, but how can I get her to focus on me. same goes for when we are out on a walk-Kimber likes to pick up sticks and such and wont respond to her name. suggestions??

Very common . That's why when pup gets OLDER we start training in the back yard and slowly move on to a big unenclosed field , down the road.

Right now let pup grow up. Focus on housetraining , crating , socialization activities, simple obedience like "come" etc. A safe area to explore off leash is desirable. Pups learn much more from their own opportunities then from us teaching them.

http://www.gundogbreeders.com/dog-train ... pment.html

[Duckdon]

Thank you! I have to keep reminding myself of that. As far as picking up sticks (corncobs in the fields) I try not to discourage the pup instead i try to call her over, say give, then fetch and offer it back and run around with it-rather than chase her down and take it away. however, she will start to eat it.

I would not let her play fetch with sticks or corn cobs unless your planning to hunt corn cobs. You would be well asdvised to use only training items like bumpers, balls, and then birds if your looking to make a reliable bird retriever. The problem will come in when hunting dead on blinds and he will not locate the dead bird but bring back what he is taught to retrieve.....the stick. Have fun, take your time and get a good retriever training program going. Just my opinion. Don

[Big bloc]

This is what I used when pup was about 12 weeks old. I took a paint roller and shoved a glove down the middle for weight. Then had a buddy give me some goose feathers that I used wire ties to hold them on. Works great I still use it to this day. Feathers in mouth now = birds in mouth later. Good luck

[buckeyebowman]

So you want Focus out of a 3 month old pup? Aint gonna happen.Enjoy the pup.Socialise your pup.Play hide and seek with your pup.Bond with your pup.You have lots of time ahead to train your pup.Patience is a virtue.

I agree. Other than proper household behavior training and socialization all I'd do with a pup that age, and a bit older, is take them for walks in the environment that, hopefully, they will come to love. There's a great big world out there that the pup needs to learn about. Above all, you want that experience to be positive and fun for the pup. You don't want to blunt it's natural boldness, curiosity, or willingness to explore new places on it's own. That's how it will find birds when it's time to hunt. The last thing you want then is a bird dog that is velcroed to you.

[birddogger]

As said, focus is not going to happen with a puppy of this age. I hope you follow the advise you have been given.

Charlie

[4dabirds]

If what you are seeking is the ability to train specific behaviors at this age , you should try clicker training. As with any training it is done best when the dog is motivated by reward that is significant enough to be greater then the distractions that the dog will invariably find in its surroundings. Clicker training relies on reward to be effective. Yet the reward is only a piece of the puzzle. Since the reward needs to be a motivator it must be significant. If food is being used as a reward the hungrier the dog is the more motivated it will be to train. Simple answer is train before you feed the dog. When the dog is a little older If you need the dog to be more motivated skip a meal. You want the dog to be greatly motivated ,skip two meals. Nothing gets a dogs attention focused on you greater then when it is time to eat. Use foods the dog is crazy about and keep the pieces/ rewards very small. Hot dogs are cheaper then commercial dog treats when you cut them into very small pieces. My dogs love raw sweet potatoes . Always keep the treats hidden from the dog and only reach for them after the dog has exhibited the behavior you expect. Never give a dog a treat for no reason , If the dog is getting the reward for nothing there is no reason to be motivated.

[Trekmoor]

Just about all I teach a pup of that age is to come to voice and whistle. I don't expect focus until several months later. You have to "work to the pup" in front of you and not to a couple of pages from a book that describe a pup in training that probably does not exist in real life. Some pups show some focus early in life others develop it later .... if the trainer has the pups interest.

Bill T.

[crackerd]

What Bill said above - put all that in your pipe and smoke it.

...once outside where other things are going on, Kimber blows me off and ignores me completely. I understand she is a young pup and the world is exciting, but how can I get her to focus on me. same goes for when we are out on a walk-Kimber likes to pick up sticks and such and wont respond to her name. suggestions??

You're new to retriever training, but how new are you to training, period? You want to understand that with retrievers - trained retrievers - you don't use their names to get their attention, you use a command. You only use their names to release them to make a retrieve. This should start at 8-weeks old and be the MO ever after for a retriever.

Focus is not always easily gotten but there are easy ways of getting it - like holding a treat in front of you and telling the pup, "Look at me. Look at me." That's only one kind of focus, the most fundamental in getting the dog to acknowledge you, but if you're planning to take your training to any higher level, both you and the pup would benefit from this book http://cherylonloveland.com/www.cherylo ... tions.html to give you a better understanding of the basics of retriever training. Lastly don't stress over a pup's misdeeds, they can do no wrong when they're that age, only you can do wrong "for" them.

MG

[TheRiley]

You're new to retriever training, but how new are you to training, period? You want to understand that with retrievers - trained retrievers - you don't use their names to get their attention, you use a command. You only use their names to release them to make a retrieve. This should start at 8-weeks old and be the MO ever after for a retriever.


MG

I disagree.

http://www.ducks.org/hunting/retriever- ... g-to-focus

[crackerd]

And who uses the "British style" of getting focus by repeatedly (and redundantly) saying the dog's name, when focus can be gained a lot easier and with a lot less running off at the mouth? Good for you, go for it.

MG

[Trekmoor]

And who uses the "British style" of getting focus by repeatedly (and redundantly) saying the dog's name,

MG

Is that the general perception over there of how the British gain focus from a gundog ? It is correct much of the time but it isn't what the trial folk do.
My own dogs hardly know their names ..... they all think they are called "peep-peep !"

Bill T.

[crackerd]

As it should be, Bill. Only that peep-peep, at our distances, is a PEEP! Or a PEEP-PEEP-PEEP!!!

Off now to train with one of your'n who's learning our'n ways - coming along nicely, dog and handler (and e-collar ).

MG

[Trekmoor]

If you want to get a bite on your line with the "e-collar" thing ..... dangle your bait on a British forum !

Bill T.

[crackerd]

Too polite, or maybe too persona non grata, to say so over there, Bill - come to think of it, ever since I had to break the news to the S'African that pointing dog trialers sing to their dogs, it just hasn't been the same. The kennel maiden and your bete noir buddy (of whom I continue hoping y'all get reconciled) are plugged into some good Yank retriever training dialog on this side, though.

MG

[Trekmoor]

I know what you mean. I get hate mail on British fora because I have dared to say I am not anti-e-collar. One irate gentleman told me ...in less than polite language ... that " A trainer of my experience should know better than to promote their use." I don't promote their use, I just try to be factual about their use ...and misuse.

There's not much chance of reconciliation between my bete noir buddy and the forum he is now persona non grata on. He could not seem to remain non-personal as he argued his case. Things that appear in print have a way of getting the wrong twist put on them. :roll:

Bill T.

[fourtrax]

Obedience in the house is one thing. Outside you need to train it all over again.
To a dog what applies in one place has to be repeated & reinforced in another place / change of location.
At 12 weeks training is fine but bear in mind this is a very young pup. Stick to "PLAY" training - make it fun.