Hi there everybody,
I've got a working cocker, 7 months, who I would like to get to retrieve. He is as keen as mustard indoors retrieving socks and tennis balls but take him outside and he shows virtually no interest - at best he might find it but he won't even pick it up!
Thoughts please!!!
Getting a cocker to retrieve
The interest in the great outdoors outweighs the interest the pup has in your retrieve article. If you don't want to go the F.F. route take the pup outside but to somewhere totally boring. A very quiet bit of parkland or even a carpark. Try upping the value of the retrieve article, bird wings or a small stuffed sock with a wing or two attached. There is a very good chance that once the pup has investigated for a moment and found the area pretty boring it will want to play the game it did in the house, it will begin to retrieve the exciting new retrieve article. Whether or not you use a check cord for this is up to you but if you do, use it only to gently guide the puppy in - never yank it when it has the dummy.
Bill
--- "One toot and yer oot !!!"---
Bill
--- "One toot and yer oot !!!"---
- spaniel_man
- Rank: Just A Pup
- Posts: 18
- Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2007 1:49 pm
- Location: Mid-Missouri
I have a field breed cocker and seems to be very much like yours. In the house he is a retrieving maniac, but once outside he would rather hunt and could care less about any bumpers or balls. I don't know your situation but for mine i think this stems from his exposure to wild game and birds. Its just more fun to retrieve the real thing.
There is hope!
I have a 3 y/o Engligh Cocker, and I can't get him to stop retrieving. He hunts up lost tennis balls and other dogs toys at the dog park to bring to us. We literally have to hide the balls from him. In the field he finds dropped birds that others can't and can't wait to bring them to hand.
One of the things we did, both inside and out was that no matter what he brought to us we praised him for. (Literally acted like he had brought us the best gift ever!) Particularly outside, where there are so many distractions. The other thing outside was to find a toy that he LOVED. For us any tennis ball will do, but I've seen other dogs that prefer bumpers, rubber balls etc. Our dog is also very encouraged by food, so if he thinks there's a treat in it for him he's all over it.
Currently he'll retrieve toys by thier name. Hope this helps!
One of the things we did, both inside and out was that no matter what he brought to us we praised him for. (Literally acted like he had brought us the best gift ever!) Particularly outside, where there are so many distractions. The other thing outside was to find a toy that he LOVED. For us any tennis ball will do, but I've seen other dogs that prefer bumpers, rubber balls etc. Our dog is also very encouraged by food, so if he thinks there's a treat in it for him he's all over it.
Currently he'll retrieve toys by thier name. Hope this helps!
Keep working
Takes time and patience. My springer is slowly picking up the retrieving game. If you (like me) aren't a pro trainer and can't devote all of your time to the dog patience is the key.
- bobspheasant
- Rank: Junior Hunter
- Posts: 28
- Joined: Fri Feb 01, 2008 12:54 pm
- Location: Bloomington, MN
I had some trouble getting my Airedale Terrier to retrieve at first as well. Then I switched the routine. I got him really excited by voice and by swinging the bumper around before I threw it. Then when he brought it back I took it immediately out of his mouth and threw it, again making excited voice tones "good boy" and the like. I never let him stop running. I would do this only for about 4-6 retrieves and quit before he got bored. Then I would do it again the next day the same way. After a couple of weeks he was really enjoying it and really wanted to retrieve.
Scott
Hunting is all about the dog. When we get some birds to bring home it's just icing on the cake.
Hunting is all about the dog. When we get some birds to bring home it's just icing on the cake.