15 week old lab problems

3car

3car

Active member
Well I have a 15 week old black lab pup. My last lab would kill herself over a training bumper but this one couldn't care any less. Any ideas? This is a problem!! I work with her almost twice a day. Its so frustrating.
 
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IMHO, too early in the dog's life to be concerned about anything, including retrieve interest.
 
david0311

As others have said-- ease up--and back off on any serious training/correction--shes just a baby--it should all be fun and games now as far as retrieving--

Relax --it will work out--:)
 
After some time away from your pup (sleep, work), never touch the dog until she retrieves the bumper. When she brings it back, lavish her with praise. I always train retrieving at 15 weeks. Fun; no pressure.
 
I always start em at 7 weeks with a rolled up sock. Then progress to a paint roller, then finally to a canvas puppy bumper. Never really a plastic dummy till about 4 months of age. Start from the beginning.

It would help if you would tell us what you have done up til this point. If you have given the pup a lot of birds that may be your problem. If you bought a well bred dog, it would have the retrieving instinct from it momma. Its your job to enhance it. Let us know exactly what you have done with the dog.
 
westksbowhunter said:
I always start em at 7 weeks with a rolled up sock. Then progress to a paint roller, then finally to a canvas puppy bumper. Never really a plastic dummy till about 4 months of age. Start from the beginning.

It would help if you would tell us what you have done up til this point. If you have given the pup a lot of birds that may be your problem. If you bought a well bred dog, it would have the retrieving instinct from it momma. Its your job to enhance it. Let us know exactly what you have done with the dog.
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Been just using a small canvas bumper in the hall way. She seams interested in the house but really doesn't care outside. Been mostly working on obedience training. My first lab was insane with training bumpers. This one came from a kennel in Mitchell, SD. Good reviews as far as breeding goes.
 
Live birds will solve that problem, down the road. Most labs are different, but I have seen it before, some dogs never take the bit on "fake game", but they see the light with live birds. I got over this with pheasant scent infused bumper the last time. After the smell and retrieving it, it was all you could do get her to drop it! A satisfactory problem to solve!
 
I will tell you that the 2 best dogs I ever owned could have cared less about bumpers. About 25 years ago, I had breed a Pacer female I owned to a master hunter and only got 1 puppy whelped. A yellow female I kept. She had very little interest in retrieving as a puppy. I was taking another female I owned to who was considered the top trainer in the country to be bred by one of his FC MH males. I took my 5 month old pup along. His response was why would you want to keep a pup like that. Well I kept her, and she ended up outstanding. She could out hunt any dog alive. Just loved birds. After force fetch she just came alive.

My current male is the best pheasant hunting dog I have ever laid eyes on. I have hunted him with several GMPR and he is better than all of them. He really has never had any interest in dummies.

Just be patient and see what happens. If she is bred nicely, let me know. I would take her off your hands.
 
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Well funny story. My wife has a Boston terrier and the lab and terrier fight over everything. Sooo i tried giving the bumper to the terrier. Now I can't get the dam bumper back from the terrier. Shes been darting around the yard with the lab in tow.

I saved some pheasant wings from last year and the lab absolutely loves them. I tried them a while ago and stopped. I guess I didn't want to spoil her on them. Maybe I should use them more often.
 
If you think of their attention span as that of about a one year old child. That will help your expectations and your training. Short retrieves, just outside your arm length and with you down on all four's as well.She comes back to you, you pet her and tell her how good she is. Take it from her throw again just outside your arm length. Lots and lots and lots of hey, hey, hey, to keep their attention when they have the dummy in their mouth to get them to come towards you. I agree with everyone else, give the dog time. Sometimes when they are little and seem disinterested in retrieving I work with the chase instinct. I roll a tennis ball down my driveway just fast enough so the little pup has to chase it down.
 
I just wanted to say something to everyone. I kinda quit posting on another website due to the immature people, the fighting and really the lack of guys who want to help. The responses I have received on this thread are outstanding and very much appreciated. Thank you
 
3car said:
Well I have a 15 week old black lap pup. My last lab would kill herself over a training bumper but this one couldn't care any less. Any ideas? This is a problem!! I work with her almost twice a day. Its so frustrating.
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Let the pup be a pup. Socialize her, let her play, take her everywhere. If the breeding is good you will not have any problems.
Around 5-6 months they loose there baby teeth and may want nothing to do with retreives.
Wolters stuff is ok but rather outdated. I would recommend Hillmans latest stuff, it's expensive but many people are having great success with it

Steve
 
Gatzby said:
Let the pup be a pup. Socialize her, let her play, take her everywhere. If the breeding is good you will not have any problems.
Around 5-6 months they loose there baby teeth and may want nothing to do with retreives.
Wolters stuff is ok but rather outdated. I would recommend Hillmans latest stuff, it's expensive but many people are having great success with it

Steve
Click to expand...

you have a link for Hillmans?
 
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