dog not wanting to retrieve

P

Pheasant Hunting Fever

New member
i have a year old english pointer. He just isnt interssted in retrieving anything .. I tried to work with him with the dummy and frozen birds. He goes and marks where the dummy is , he will sometimes pick it up but will drop it and not bring it too me . and it is the same with birds.. and i dont have anyone around here that can force fetch him .. please give me tips on what i can do
 
You dont need tips- you need a program. That program is Force Fetch.

"IF" you really want a good retriever, send him to a pro who does this on a daily basis. IF you dont, there are books and videos aplenty on FF.

Many pointers have little to no natural retrieving instinct. Thats a tough place to start with FF for a first timer.

My two coppers.

NB
 
Let's get back to the issue. The guy's dog shows no interest in retrieving. NB is correct. This dog needs to be put through a Force Fetch program. I had the same issue with one of my Brittanys and did nothing. No I have a 7 year old dog that won't retrieve. I tried to do a FF program with her several years ago but I failed at it. Sure wish I had turned to a pro at that time.

So my advice is to find a reputable dog trainer that is use to working with your breed of dog. Let's us know where you are located and maybe someone on this forum can recommend a trainer. It usually takes about a month for a trainer to complete the training and expect to pay 500-700. But believe me, it will be money well spend and down the road you will be very glad you did it. This is not a time to go cheap.
 
I have one english pointer now that I have worked with and worked with and still shows no interest in retrieving. He is now 4 and has been through a FF program. Great dog in all other areas but just will not retrieve. I believe some english pointers just don't want to do it. So my advice is to get another dog to hunt with your pointer say a lab. That way you can have a duck dog as well and its a good excuse to use on the wife. "But honey, I have to have a lab so I can find the downed birds. Honey, the lab was made to hunt ducks. I can't let him just sit here." See what I mean.
 
Fortunately he's young enough to still be impressionable. Play with him. Keep it fun so he's interested. I have yet to see a dog that wouldn't jump in a lake after a stick. If he won't jump for a stick throw a hot dog, just break his pattern. Keep it simple.

best of luck-
 
Gove County Britts said:
netty I'm calling bullshit every pointer I have been around pup or adult has retrieved and they havent been force fetched you need to start them young and then it will carry on into adulthood
Click to expand...
gove i like you and we have become friends but nat is right on this one eps are the one breed that dnt like to retreive even if they are nat retvers you still need to ff them when u are in field trials they cnt afford to have a dropped bird half way back.But you are right in one point you do need to start at a young age eps are just hard headed just need a little shows whos boss training. but ive never seen a britt that didnt want to retreive correct me if im wrong now that is natural as it gets.But once a ep is ff to retreive theres none better and sweeter looking
 
Pheasant Hunting Fever said:
i have a year old english pointer. He just isnt interssted in retrieving anything .. I tried to work with him with the dummy and frozen birds. He goes and marks where the dummy is , he will sometimes pick it up but will drop it and not bring it too me . and it is the same with birds.. and i dont have anyone around here that can force fetch him .. please give me tips on what i can do
Click to expand...

phf i can tell you that your dog will retreive just need a little ff have you actually killed a bird over him? i like the string around the toe nails trick when they dnt fetch on the table with there toes getting pulled on they get the pic pretty QUICK
 
PHF, There is an old and I mean old trick that sometimes works. Take some old socks 3-4 and stuff one full of the others and tie it off with a knot in the stuffed sock. Then get your dog and tease it the sock. Hit him lightly in the nose and over the head. He is going to grab at it to make you stop. But keep hitting him until he gets somewhat mad and is jumping and lounging at it. The throw it about 3-4 feet away. The dog should grab it and hold it. Praise the dog get the dummy back and throw again. He should go get it again, then follow the book on teaching retrieving. Remember this is a game make the dog play the game...............Bob
 
I have one english pointer now that I have worked with and worked with and still shows no interest in retrieving. He is now 4 and has been through a FF program. Great dog in all other areas but just will not retrieve. I believe some english pointers just don't want to do it. So my advice is to get another dog to hunt with your pointer say a lab. That way you can have a duck dog as well and its a good excuse to use on the wife. "But honey, I have to have a lab so I can find the downed birds. Honey, the lab was made to hunt ducks. I can't let him just sit here." See what I mean.
07-31-2010 08:33 AM
Click to expand...

He may of been through a FF program, but not a correct program. Any dog can be taught to retrieve. Granted a dog that doesn't enjoy retrieving won't do it enthusiastically, but if properly FF he better go get what you tell him, just as he better sit or whoa if you tell him. Fetch simply becomes a command like anything else, and FFing the dog makes it a must, not a want.
 
RoosterTim said:
I have one english pointer now that I have worked with and worked with and still shows no interest in retrieving. He is now 4 and has been through a FF program.
Click to expand...

I have a difficult time believing that your dog went completely through a proper FF program and will not retrieve. Was this a FF program you put him through or was it done by a professional trainer?

It's like others have said here. If properly done by a proper trainer any dog can be taught to retrieve. There is a trainer (Wally Wahl) in North Dakota that says he can even teach my 7 year old Brittany to retrieve. Wally is in his 70's, has been training dogs for a long time and has a great reputation so I have to believe what he says. I'm sure he could each your 4 year old EP to retrieve.
 
Dakotazeb said:
I have a difficult time believing that your dog went completely through a proper FF program and will not retrieve. Was this a FF program you put him through or was it done by a professional trainer?
Click to expand...

2X

George has it nailed. A dog which has been through a complete FF program, done right, will retrieve every time, under any and all circumstances.

Because the dog knows he has to do it, every time. I get this from a top name pro (retrievers) who makes his living doing this job.

NB
 
Pheasant Hunting Fever said:
i have a year old english pointer. He just isnt interssted in retrieving anything .. I tried to work with him with the dummy and frozen birds. He goes and marks where the dummy is , he will sometimes pick it up but will drop it and not bring it too me . and it is the same with birds.. and i dont have anyone around here that can force fetch him .. please give me tips on what i can do
Click to expand...


Skip the bumpers and frozen birds for now. Get some squeeky toys or old socks (like posted earlier). Tease the dog into a bit of a frenzy and just get him to grab and play with the toy. Now bring out a second toy and toss one down a hallway when he retreives it throw the second toy. Keep it fun!!!! You can start using bumpers in the yard some time down the road.

I don't have the stomach or skill to traditionally teach FF. This is a job for Pro trainers. It may be expensive but it is well worth it. A dog that is properly FF will retreive anything to hand under any conditions. Their is a big difference between chasing tennis balls in the yard and a FF dog.
 
FF does not have to be harse. In fact I prefer the term "Trained Retrieve", because that is really what is happening. The dog is being trained to retrieve. But somewhere in the process there has to be some pressure applied and discomfort for the dog. They learn that by complying that the pressure ceases.

You can try balls, toys, socks or whatever. But in the end, if you have a dog that is reluctant to retrieve or inconsistant in retrieving, then you need to have the dog FF or put through a Trained Retrieve program. You can try it yourself but your odds of succeeding are pretty slim. Best to spend the money and have a trainer do it for you.

I've been down this road myself. Dogs that won't retrieve and trying to do FF myself. Just didn't work until I sent the dog off to a professional.
 
I should back up here and expand on my post. My pointer does retrieve or more of a proper term fetch. The FF program I put him through was done with a friend who has trained bird dogs for years in Nebraska (works training them for my former boss). Anyway my dog will bring back anything you throw at him except a dead bird. He has absolutly no interest in bringing back dead. A ball he will bring right back, same as a sock or dummy but shoot a bird and he will not touch it. He is just that way.
 
Something had to be missing in the FF program he went through. If properly done the dog should retrieve anything and everything. Throw a spare tire out and he should bring it back after the proper FF. Did they not use any dead birds in the FF program?
 
Pheasant Hunting Fever said:
i have a year old english pointer. He just isnt interssted in retrieving anything .. I tried to work with him with the dummy and frozen birds. He goes and marks where the dummy is , he will sometimes pick it up but will drop it and not bring it too me . and it is the same with birds.. and i dont have anyone around here that can force fetch him .. please give me tips on what i can do
Click to expand...

I would get a trainer to teach FF, DOG may not like you much after the training if you do it yourself. Some what harsh.
bobby g;)
 
Rooster Tim, I have a GSP that I have the same issue with. I can get him to fetch anything but a dead bird. He absolutely has no interest in dead birds. I"ve put him through Evan Grahams "Smart Fetch". It's taken the majority of the summer. He seems like he may be starting to come around to the dead birds but only because he has to. He makes it clear he is not really interested in doing this. He still is not a finished force fetched dog, but I"m hoping he will be in a few more weeks. This being said I know he will never have the retrieving desire I want him to, although I do believe he can be trained to fetch dead birds. Outside of fetch, this dog is a bird hunting machine and great house dog. However, in the future I definately will select dogs that come from lines with more of a natural retrieving instinct.
 
Also, I forgot to mention in my last post, there is an interesting article in the March/April edition of the "Pointing Dog Journal" in which two trainers discuss the pro's and con's of FF. One guy being a FF suporter and one not. Interesting article and probably worth a read if you've made a reply to this thread.
 
well It is clear that there are dogs that are natural at it and some that need it drilled in there head. The natural dog is a more desirable dog in a breeding program. It is in my opinion a inherited trait. There can also be different levels of this issue. A dog with a super soft mouth may be reluctant to pick up a live bird quick, but may bring back deads faster then you think they should have them. You will have to put the dog in the right program to get anywhere with him. When you talk about the dead bird pick up, is it just in training? some times they will just pick up a dead on a shot. You will see fresh shot birds delivered fine while hunting. So you may want to try just using baged or sock birds , live clips etc. during training for a while then sneak in a dead once and a while. Use a ton of praise and keep it fun like pup training.
As far as the oridginal post send the dog some where for a propper class with someone that knows the program. I reccomend Jim Dobs. He is the master of it and who most others base there program from. The problem is many add twists and or leave things out. Trying to turn their own spin on it. I know several pros that actualy went to his place and were taught from him. But now have their own video.:D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top