Getting my Puppy Hooked on Fetching

[hkzaran]

I have a 5 1/2 month old black lab puppy. I haven't ever trained a gun dog before, so I need some tips on getting him hooked on fetching. He is fairly interested in fetching and usually loves to have something in his mouth. I can usually get Jack to complete 4 or 5 good fetches before I quit so he doesn't get bored. Recently, he has started not wanting to bring the stick to me; he runs past me. Before, I would remedy this by walking away from him before he got to me and then turning when he reached me. But now, he just runs in a curve a distance from me and won't come up to me because he wants to play keep away. He will usually come if I tell him "Come!" but he drops the stick because he thinks that I have a treat for him. I usually practice retrieving with him when he is enthusiastic and playful. Would it be better for him to be a bit more tired first? My only thought with that is that he may not want to retrieve if he is slightly worn out. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

[FirearmFan]

I'm far from an expert at this but I'm working on retrieving with my 4 month old springer right now. I would put a check cord on the dog so that you can reel him into you and he can't run away. Keep the sessions short and exciting and I would use a dedicated retrieving bumper rather than a stick. Something that only is used for retrieving so that when he sees it he will get excited. I'm currently using a paint roller. If he tries to run away and you reel him in and he drops the bumper keep bringing him in and go pick the bumper up yourself. When he is back at you with the bumper don't take it away immediately. Let him keep his prize for a bit and praise him up. It's about repetition, praise, and patience. Again I'm a newbie to this but this is advice I've read on here or gotten from my training group and I'm starting to see some results with my pup. Good luck.

[Del Lolo]

5.5 months = probably teething = retrieve desire diminishes because of a sore mouth
STICKS? Do you want your hunting dog to retrieve sticks when you're out hunting?
Sounds to me like you're just 'winging it'. You need to get on a modern, sequential training program that includes Force Fetch.

[hkzaran]

Thanks guys. I will try some of these suggestions. Also, the reason that I am using just a stick right now is because I am a poor college student with a very limited budget.

[EvanG]

I have a 5 1/2 month old black lab puppy. I haven't ever trained a gun dog before, so I need some tips on getting him hooked on fetching. He is fairly interested in fetching and usually loves to have something in his mouth. I can usually get Jack to complete 4 or 5 good fetches before I quit so he doesn't get bored. Recently, he has started not wanting to bring the stick to me; he runs past me. Before, I would remedy this by walking away from him before he got to me and then turning when he reached me. But now, he just runs in a curve a distance from me and won't come up to me because he wants to play keep away. He will usually come if I tell him "Come!" but he drops the stick because he thinks that I have a treat for him. I usually practice retrieving with him when he is enthusiastic and playful. Would it be better for him to be a bit more tired first? My only thought with that is that he may not want to retrieve if he is slightly worn out. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

There is nothing like real birds to fire up a young pup! But like many things, there are right and wrong ways of going about it. Click on the pictures below to see examples of appropriate retriever puppy work afield.




Please let me know if you have any questions. The link below my signature will take you to our website.

EvanG

[CDN_Cocker]

I have a 5 1/2 month old black lab puppy. I haven't ever trained a gun dog before, so I need some tips on getting him hooked on fetching. He is fairly interested in fetching and usually loves to have something in his mouth. I can usually get Jack to complete 4 or 5 good fetches before I quit so he doesn't get bored. Recently, he has started not wanting to bring the stick to me; he runs past me. Before, I would remedy this by walking away from him before he got to me and then turning when he reached me. But now, he just runs in a curve a distance from me and won't come up to me because he wants to play keep away. He will usually come if I tell him "Come!" but he drops the stick because he thinks that I have a treat for him. I usually practice retrieving with him when he is enthusiastic and playful. Would it be better for him to be a bit more tired first? My only thought with that is that he may not want to retrieve if he is slightly worn out. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

You're giving too many retrieves... Give him only 3 at the most, 2-3 times a week. You want to stop right when he's getting excited and wanting more. As for running past - I had this problem too. Easy fix - stand with your back to the side of the house. He can't run through a house... lol

[polmaise]

It's a Labrador! So it's already hooked on retrieving without the intervention of all things 'sticky'.
The game should be a game ,and if it's fun,then this 5 month old kid will play the game until it is exhausted!
As for ''shaping the behaviour'' for a delivery to hand or even a complicated maneuver such as sitting and presenting the article for one to receive?.....well , rather than using birds ,or building walls behind us, just sit in front of the bowl at chow time,especially if gate-way/door is the only route

[reedblackwell]

Glad to know I am not the only one dealing with these issues. My black lab puppy turned 5 months on Nov. 1. I also am a poor college student attempting to train my first gundog on a tight budget. These are great suggestions!