Gun Dog Forum

Here is a video of some training today. I have a young pointer pup here that is learning my natural retrieve. You can see she has the bird I just shot, but she is not willing to share it with me. I do what I call the "retrieve walkaway". I simply turn around and leave. Now she has a problem to fix. She wants her bird but she also wants to be with me. As you can see, problem solved. She's beginning to put it all together.

My goal in training is to create a balance between cooperation and drive.

https://youtu.be/wIhuFnts9Uw

Brad Higgins
http://HigginsGundogs.com

I think that is an old time trick we all have used for years, long before there was a Higgins method.

The other dynamic about this video is that Mr. Higgins did not immediately reach for the bird. I share this with most novices as well. I ask them, "How long do you think it will take your young dog to figure out that if he/she brings you the bird, you will rip him/her off for it?"
I noticed Mr. Higgins took the time to recognize the dog's conduct. THAT is key in my estimation. Take a moment to praise the dog for a job well done and yes, I have been known to use a savory treat on occasion as a trade, especially with younger prospects that are food driven - reluctant to release.

It's a short video of a young dog retrieving shot game probably for the first time (if it wasn't then it never got the hang of it the first time )
I don't think Mr Higgins is trying to say It's revolutionary or unique 'ezzy' ? (It may come across that way to some folk) , But no GunDog trainer would say what was shown in the clip was specific to any personal or individual style or program or 'patent' . (they would be pretty dumb) .
Personally any re-call/pick up of dead bird /delivery to hand would have been done and proofed several times previously before any attempt to do it in the field 'following a shot live bird' for a young dog to be filmed and shown as reason for 'Nurturing the Natural Retrieve' . ..
btw .. and it's just my very own personal opinion regarding nurturing the natural retrieve ... I want them (any breed) coming back like a bat out of heck with that thing in their mouth and shoving it straight in my kisser when they are a pup. ....You can refine it there after to save the bruises as it gets bigger .

Featherfinder and Polmaise,

You bring up some good points. I went back and added in some of the video from after she brought me the bird.

In the early stages of retrieve, I want her to know it's her bird. As I build trust, she will choose to bring me the birds without my asking.

Here is the longer version of the video.

https://youtu.be/ROol1-csPiw

Higgins

Mr Higgins ,
In the early stages of the retrieve ,the re-call and the hold and the delivery are all shaped and perfected and proofed on any pup or breed for a retrieve process including a Border terrier (imho) ..(and I have done it ,many/many times ,but I'm just bragging ) The fantasy of a young hunting/pointing/flushing dog to the masses who have one and may or may not hunt them ,the actual act of bringing something back to it's owner with some enthusiasm is not revolutionary nor is it or should be with any hunting dog . Fido can fetch a stick.
Just some think way beyond their own capabilities and more often their dog.
Usually (globally) ..it's those who have a hunting breed and don't know how to hunt them ,so they see clips as such and think this is right or wrong ?...

Nurturing the natural retrieve is what just about every gundog trainer in Britain does as very few of us know anything about using any other method ! If a pup was not a natural retriever then we would either fail to train it to retrieve or we would be really struggling to get the pup , of any breed, to retrieve.

I want the person who bred the litter I took the pup from to have done almost all the "retrieve work" for me by mating a keen natural retriever to a keen natural retriever. All I really do is add a few bells and whistles to the pup's "retrieve" in order to , hopefully, get a retrieve that pleases me as much as it does the pup.

Bill T.

One interesting thing to me is that I had 4 AKC master hunters before somebody told me you can't pass a master test without a force retrieve.............Cj

cjhills wrote:One interesting thing to me is that I had 4 AKC master hunters before somebody told me you can't pass a master test without a force retrieve.............Cj

You can pass them until you can't. If you compete, once spits a bird out you'll FF every one from then on. If you want to win.

polmaise wrote: But no GunDog trainer would say what was shown in the clip was specific to any personal or individual style or program

Higgins wrote:that is learning my natural retrieve.

slistoe wrote:

polmaise wrote: But no GunDog trainer would say what was shown in the clip was specific to any personal or individual style or program

Higgins wrote:that is learning my natural retrieve.

Thank you, saved me going back and finding it.

Ezzy

ezzy333 wrote:

slistoe wrote:

polmaise wrote: But no GunDog trainer would say what was shown in the clip was specific to any personal or individual style or program

Higgins wrote:that is learning my natural retrieve.

Thank you, saved me going back and finding it.

Ezzy

All in all a nice video. Walking away has proved successful for years when developing the retrieve. As a shooting instructor and a field trial gun I really do not like seeing ropes attached to the shooter. Would work just as well if you had a wing gun to carry out those duties of gunning. and inherently much safer.
Happy New Year
Hal