11 month old brit loves to swim and fetch work with her all summer she is great in and out of water if i throw dead bird she swims and gets it when i shoot she doesn't really grasp that is what she is supposed to do had two cripple ducks one i got by luck the other she found jumped it but wouldn't stay on it in real thick saw grass that i couldn't go in am i over reacting or should i be doing something i think she just needs more live action but don't want to wait to long if thats not it. shes only had a chance at two birds so far.
Dog fetches every time but when counts
- Thread starter lunchbox
- Start date
Dakotazeb
Well-known member
lunchbox, your story sounds very similar to mine except my female Brittany is now 23 months old. She has always retrieved everything and anything I can throw for her. In or out of water. Brings everything in the yard right to hand. The start of last season she didn't want to retrieve a fresh bird. then she started retrieving some and by the end of the season was fetching most but would drop them short of me and not bring them to hand. I worked with her after the season and in the yard she was perfect. Then I started running her in NSTRA field trials this spring and she was dropping the quail short at least 50% of the time. I sent her to her breeder for a month this summer for some Force Fetch training and thought I had the problem fixed. At the start of this season she was going to the downed bird picking it up, taking a few steps and then dropping it. Now she is retrieving pretty good but still wants to drop them short. Made a heck of a water retrieve on a pheasant last Friday but the minute she hit the shore she dropped it and would not pick it up again. I'm not forcing anything at this time and plan to see how she progressed during the rest of the season. I'm hoping it's a maturity thing. I had a male Brittany that didn't retrieve anything until he was 3 and then he eventually became the best retrieving dog I've ever had, with no FF training.
I'm assuming that this is your dog's first hunting season. I wouldn't push things ad she is still young. When she does do it right give her lots of praise. See how she does the rest of the season. If she doesn't improve you may have to have a professional put her through a Force Fetch or Trained Retrieve program next summer.
Good luck and keep informed on how she's doing. If I think of anything else I'll try and let you know. They sure can frustrate the crap out of you sometimes.
I'm assuming that this is your dog's first hunting season. I wouldn't push things ad she is still young. When she does do it right give her lots of praise. See how she does the rest of the season. If she doesn't improve you may have to have a professional put her through a Force Fetch or Trained Retrieve program next summer.
Good luck and keep informed on how she's doing. If I think of anything else I'll try and let you know. They sure can frustrate the crap out of you sometimes.
3goldens
Active member
I had similar problem with my 17 month old golden pups. Early on they retrieved fine, this fall when it came to doves and geese they wouldn't retrieve either. Sent them to a trainer for 2 weeks and they have greatly improved. He advised that you have to be careful always being the thrower. They associate only bringing something back that you throw. He used a launcher as part of training program and seemed to be the ticket for them. He also used dummys with pheasant wings attached. I use my daughter to throw items for them now, to retrieve, while I have them at heel walking or sitting. He also taught me to have them sit and stay and walk up 20 feet or so and throw dummy. Go back to the dog and walk it at heel away from object and then bring them back to sit, sometimes I go 30 yards back. I order to fetch and have them bring it back. I will use frozen pigeons for the feather effect. Also to always end with fun retrieves, no rules, Get them excited, tease them with dummy and then throw it. Once they get dummy get very animated, happy loud encouraging them to bring it back. So far so good I have had them back about ten days from trainers and they have been doing well. I will let you know more after I return from SD next week whether this solved my issues.
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c_d
New member
some good advice there. Best of luck with the process.
Not sure if this will help in this instance, but the trainer I worked with suggested to me to not doing any retrieving drills during the season. Wasn't sure if that was because we were having issues early on, or just his regular practice. Thinking about it more, I believe it's to keep the dog interested and excited for each one, so they're not getting bored with too much 'work' during the week.
that may just be his way, and I'm sure someone else will say otherwise, but makes a bit of sense (to me at the moment) for dogs experiencing some issues in the yard.
Not sure if this will help in this instance, but the trainer I worked with suggested to me to not doing any retrieving drills during the season. Wasn't sure if that was because we were having issues early on, or just his regular practice. Thinking about it more, I believe it's to keep the dog interested and excited for each one, so they're not getting bored with too much 'work' during the week.
that may just be his way, and I'm sure someone else will say otherwise, but makes a bit of sense (to me at the moment) for dogs experiencing some issues in the yard.
AquaVac
New member
Pay attention to the dog in the field at the time. I have noticed in my last two dogs that if they are fairly fresh they retreive great. If they are real hot and tired with a mouth full of feathers they will grab it, drop it and then wait for me to come pick it up. I think it's hard for them to breath. That's my guess.
c_d
New member
Pay attention to the dog in the field at the time. I have noticed in my last two dogs that if they are fairly fresh they retreive great. If they are real hot and tired with a mouth full of feathers they will grab it, drop it and then wait for me to come pick it up. I think it's hard for them to breath. That's my guess.
great point. Last few times of training I took the pup out on live birds equalled this exact scenario. one time she even laid down next to the bird. too hot. a few stern 'no's and playful 'comes' got her to bring it back. although with a couple stops.