Little help with retrieve

desertcountrygsp · Post by **desertcountrygsp** » Sat Oct 18, 2014 3:18 pm

Have a 4 year old shorthair. Been FF completely with great results. Here lately when retrieving he has been not only chewing while bringing the birds back but he will get within 3 feet and drop the bird. He has been retrieving good enough in trials been placing, but he just started dropping them now. He is a retrieving machine, but he will drop birds right outside of my reach. I have been working in the yard with bumpers and frozen birds to try and alleviate this problem. I still seeing the dropping problem however.

Just wondering if anyone has a special trick up their sleeve that would help with this? He is a great dog and almost has his 1st NSTRA championship within reach. Looking for something I can use to polish him back up. Thanks in advance for any help

polmaise · Post by **polmaise** » Sat Oct 18, 2014 3:28 pm

How did 'Hold' go during the process before FF

desertcountrygsp · Post by **desertcountrygsp** » Sat Oct 18, 2014 3:32 pm

Spent a good amount of time on this. He will hold but it seems after he has been running and working he dont want anything in his mouth. I can even reinforce the fetch/hold with his food bowl and it works. I hate hammering on him though especially in a trial

polmaise · Post by **polmaise** » Sat Oct 18, 2014 3:42 pm

There is no training in a trial?
Confused.com

Bluesky2012 · Post by **Bluesky2012** » Sat Oct 18, 2014 7:36 pm

You need to complete force fetch with live birds then reinforce the command just like any other command. The dog will then know it isn't allowed to spit a bird so you just use an ear pinch or collar pressure and command fetch and it should (if you did walking fetch properly) pick up the bird and bring it in.

From then on as it's coming to you, command as it approaches, maybe say hold, etc and it'll stop.

Sounds like your FF wasn't complete and/or you never reinforced the command. FF is a continual process, not a once and done. It only gives you another tool to ensure delivery to hand.

gonehuntin' · Post by **gonehuntin'** » Sun Oct 19, 2014 11:29 am

Bluesky2012 wrote:You need to complete force fetch with live birds then reinforce the command just like any other command. The dog will then know it isn't allowed to spit a bird so you just use an ear pinch or collar pressure and command fetch and it should (if you did walking fetch properly) pick up the bird and bring it in.

From then on as it's coming to you, command as it approaches, maybe say hold, etc and it'll stop.

Sounds like your FF wasn't complete and/or you never reinforced the command. FF is a continual process, not a once and done. It only gives you another tool to ensure delivery to hand.

Great post. +1. I'd also pull him out of trials before he becomes trial wise and never delivers a bird in a trial again.

Doc E · Post by **Doc E** » Sun Oct 19, 2014 6:51 pm

desertcountrygsp wrote:Been FF completely with great results.
chewing while bringing the birds back but he will get within 3 feet and drop the bird.

I disagree with your first statement. If it was 'complete', he wouldn't be dropping.
Might need to revisit FF.

.

Bluesky2012 · Post by **Bluesky2012** » Sun Oct 19, 2014 7:32 pm

I'll be honest, I think FF is a little confusing to most because you think it's a once and done issue. It's just another tool. I'd recommend watching Danny farmer's FF DVD as well as smart fetch to see what it should look like, revisit it, and understand the whole process.

I made a similar mistake, revisited it quickly and it was worth the effort.

birddog1968 · Post by **birddog1968** » Sun Oct 19, 2014 7:33 pm

might try not bending over to accept bird, and bring him into a heel position and wait to take the bird....

gonehuntin' · Post by **gonehuntin'** » Sun Oct 19, 2014 7:42 pm

Another thing to remember is that a dog's head should always be pointed UP to give you the bird, never to the side, straight, or down. Noise always pointed to the sky.

Post by **Sharon** » Sun Oct 19, 2014 7:56 pm

polmaise wrote:There is no training in a trial?
Confused.com

A trial is not the place for training.

birddogger · Post by **birddogger** » Sun Oct 19, 2014 9:21 pm

Sounds like your FF wasn't complete and/or you never reinforced the command. FF is a continual process, not a once and done. It only gives you another tool to ensure delivery to hand.

EXACTLY!!

Charlie

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