My 2 yr GSP will be the first in the water to get a pheasant right up to the point where he has to swim then he out of the water crying because he can't get it and then back into the water. How do I get him to take that next step and swim after the bird? Any help would be great.
Need help with water retrieves
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now that you mention it I don't know if I have ever really seen him swim. He has been to the lake but only goes in so far, other then dragging him into water where he would be forced to swim not sure what to do. I don't want to make him scarred of the water where he wouldn't do any water retrieves.
Toad
Active member
OK... I am not a great dog trainer by any means so please take my advice for what it's worth. Just some stranger on the internet...
I would not advise dragging the dog out into deep water. He will freak out and definitely not learn what you want it to learn. He will learn that you are a bad guy and he shouldn't trust you.
There are two things I would try if it were my dog. First, you could put on your chest waders and wade out into swimming water for the dog. Bring a retrieving dummy and try to coax the dog out to you. Keep tossing the dummy just at the edge of swimming water for the dog. Keep teasing and tantalizing the dog. Eventually he should swim just a little bit to grab the dummy and will then immediately turn around and get back to where he can touch. Keep praising him and encouraging him but never force him or give him any discipline. Keep it all happy and fun and don't try to make him into a water dog all in one outing. Quit while you're ahead and while he is still having fun. Repeat the lesson as many times as it takes until you can throw the dummy from the bank and he will swim to go get it. The reason for the waders is to show him that, "if the boss is out here, it must be safe."
Second, you could hook up with somebody that has a lab or other dog that loves water. Run the dogs together and throw two dummies out in the water for the dogs to retrieve. If your dog is competitive and loves to retrieve on land, eventually it will be overcome by jealousy and competitive drive and will start swimming to make the retrieve. The only thing I would caution you about on this method is that if your dog tries to take the dummy from the other dog, you should stop and use the other method. You don't want a dog fight in the water... It will work though if you keep the dogs separated a ways and always have a bumper out there for your dog. My GWP wasn't an enthusiastic swimmer until I took her out to the lake with my golden. By the end of the first session, she went from "tolerant" of water retrieves to the point where she actually had a pretty good water entry, jumping off the end of the dock. At 3.5 years old, she swims like a fish, just like the breed was meant to do.
Your dog is more than capable of swimming. You just have to figure out how to convince him that he wants to do it. If he goes out there because it's his decision, then you are off to a really good start.
You can consider him to be a "polished" swimmer when he swims without splashing with his front feet.
I would not advise dragging the dog out into deep water. He will freak out and definitely not learn what you want it to learn. He will learn that you are a bad guy and he shouldn't trust you.
There are two things I would try if it were my dog. First, you could put on your chest waders and wade out into swimming water for the dog. Bring a retrieving dummy and try to coax the dog out to you. Keep tossing the dummy just at the edge of swimming water for the dog. Keep teasing and tantalizing the dog. Eventually he should swim just a little bit to grab the dummy and will then immediately turn around and get back to where he can touch. Keep praising him and encouraging him but never force him or give him any discipline. Keep it all happy and fun and don't try to make him into a water dog all in one outing. Quit while you're ahead and while he is still having fun. Repeat the lesson as many times as it takes until you can throw the dummy from the bank and he will swim to go get it. The reason for the waders is to show him that, "if the boss is out here, it must be safe."
Second, you could hook up with somebody that has a lab or other dog that loves water. Run the dogs together and throw two dummies out in the water for the dogs to retrieve. If your dog is competitive and loves to retrieve on land, eventually it will be overcome by jealousy and competitive drive and will start swimming to make the retrieve. The only thing I would caution you about on this method is that if your dog tries to take the dummy from the other dog, you should stop and use the other method. You don't want a dog fight in the water... It will work though if you keep the dogs separated a ways and always have a bumper out there for your dog. My GWP wasn't an enthusiastic swimmer until I took her out to the lake with my golden. By the end of the first session, she went from "tolerant" of water retrieves to the point where she actually had a pretty good water entry, jumping off the end of the dock. At 3.5 years old, she swims like a fish, just like the breed was meant to do.
Your dog is more than capable of swimming. You just have to figure out how to convince him that he wants to do it. If he goes out there because it's his decision, then you are off to a really good start.
You can consider him to be a "polished" swimmer when he swims without splashing with his front feet.
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Mr Hyde
New member
OK... I am not a great dog trainer by any means so please take my advice for what it's worth. Just some stranger on the internet...
I would not advise dragging the dog out into deep water. He will freak out and definitely not learn what you want it to learn. He will learn that you are a bad guy and he shouldn't trust you.
There are two things I would try if it were my dog. First, you could put on your chest waders and wade out into swimming water for the dog. Bring a retrieving dummy and try to coax the dog out to you. Keep tossing the dummy just at the edge of swimming water for the dog. Keep teasing and tantalizing the dog. Eventually he should swim just a little bit to grab the dummy and will then immediately turn around and get back to where he can touch. Keep praising him and encouraging him but never force him or give him any discipline. Keep it all happy and fun and don't try to make him into a water dog all in one outing. Quit while you're ahead and while he is still having fun. Repeat the lesson as many times as it takes until you can throw the dummy from the bank and he will swim to go get it. The reason for the waders is to show him that, "if the boss is out here, it must be safe."
I like to add make sure the water is a decent temperature never try teaching a dog to swim in cold water it will have a bad effect on his or her confidence.
Once you get him or her in the water swimming with a lead on to get the dog to relax, go behind the pup while he or she is still swimming gently put one of your hands between his or her legs or on the stomach and support their back while in the water. This usually has a calming effect plus it gets the dog to swim correctly in the right swimming position so the dog can swim comfortably and not try to fight the water. like toad said time and repetitions hope everything goes good.
I've heard of folks using cheese puffs/balls to help their dogs start swimming. Drop a few in the shallow water and let the dog eat them, and then gradually sprinkle them in deeper and deeper water until eventually the dog has to swim to them. Apparently it often works that the dog is so fired up about the cheese puffs that they don't notice that they're swimming.
I have a Small Munsterlander, he loves the water.
But I have had dogs were it was not always that way. What worked for myself was.
In warm weather, I would wade out into the river. The kneeling in the water I would gently call the dogs name.
The dog would come to just chest level then he would hesitate. At that point I would calmly talk to the dog while rubbing his belly, still kneeling.
After about ten minutes or so, we would head back onto land. Then time for some fun fetching.
Then repeat the gentle coaxing into the river.
What I would watch for is that moment when the dog uses his paw to "scratch" at the water or read his body language to note when he begins to tense up.
Right at that moment I will gently support the dog under his belly and wrapping him up in a bear hug. Then pull him into slightly deeper water. As in 6" deeper.
As soon as I embrace the dog, I keep my body between the dog and the deeper water. I do not let the dog see the distant shore at all. Then gently turn so the dogs head is now facing the shore.
At that point I will gently release the dog but still keep both hands under his belly, making sure he does not sink or panic.
The dog naturally try to "swim" to the bank. Clumsy yes but he will try, you are there to support his body.
Then once he is on the bank, lots of praise and back to some fun fetching.
Repeat a few more times, but not more then three or four. Swimming lesson over for at least a few hours.
Once the dog has reached the level of "comfort" in swimming in very shallow water.
I Then move into slightly deeper water, just deep enough so that the dog would have to have all four paws off the bottom.
Then turn my back to the dog and begin calling his name as I move parallel to the shore.
My experience has been that the dog will cry but his desire to please and let the master know he is "right here" will cause him to attempt to swim in front of you.
As soon as that happens, I give high praise and immediately head back to the shore.
Now if the dog has a strong prey drive, this is made all easier because I will take a live bird with me when I wade out into the slightly deeper water.
I have never seen a hunting dog with a strong prey drive, who has been gently introduced to water, not swim right out to "get that bird"
To take this one last step further.
On a small pond, take the above dog. One duck with wings taped against its body.
Let the duck go then release the dog from his stay command.
But I have had dogs were it was not always that way. What worked for myself was.
In warm weather, I would wade out into the river. The kneeling in the water I would gently call the dogs name.
The dog would come to just chest level then he would hesitate. At that point I would calmly talk to the dog while rubbing his belly, still kneeling.
After about ten minutes or so, we would head back onto land. Then time for some fun fetching.
Then repeat the gentle coaxing into the river.
What I would watch for is that moment when the dog uses his paw to "scratch" at the water or read his body language to note when he begins to tense up.
Right at that moment I will gently support the dog under his belly and wrapping him up in a bear hug. Then pull him into slightly deeper water. As in 6" deeper.
As soon as I embrace the dog, I keep my body between the dog and the deeper water. I do not let the dog see the distant shore at all. Then gently turn so the dogs head is now facing the shore.
At that point I will gently release the dog but still keep both hands under his belly, making sure he does not sink or panic.
The dog naturally try to "swim" to the bank. Clumsy yes but he will try, you are there to support his body.
Then once he is on the bank, lots of praise and back to some fun fetching.
Repeat a few more times, but not more then three or four. Swimming lesson over for at least a few hours.
Once the dog has reached the level of "comfort" in swimming in very shallow water.
I Then move into slightly deeper water, just deep enough so that the dog would have to have all four paws off the bottom.
Then turn my back to the dog and begin calling his name as I move parallel to the shore.
My experience has been that the dog will cry but his desire to please and let the master know he is "right here" will cause him to attempt to swim in front of you.
As soon as that happens, I give high praise and immediately head back to the shore.
Now if the dog has a strong prey drive, this is made all easier because I will take a live bird with me when I wade out into the slightly deeper water.
I have never seen a hunting dog with a strong prey drive, who has been gently introduced to water, not swim right out to "get that bird"
To take this one last step further.
On a small pond, take the above dog. One duck with wings taped against its body.
Let the duck go then release the dog from his stay command.
ranchodeluxe
New member
Great advice in the above posts. I only know Spaniels, some are tolerant of cold water, some not. I don't recall having one that would not retrieve a bird that it marked-down. But none of them are fond of, say, sitting in a duck blind. That's what Labs and Chessies are for.
I grew up with Springer's, still have a soft spot for that breed. Dang good pheasant dog.
I believe that Fuller is referring to a German Short haired Pointer, and he might be trying to get his pup ready for a NAVHDA test. (North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association)
That is purely speculation on my part, but yea the dog I am running now is a NAVHDA breed and I use him to hunt ducks, geese, pheasant and quail. He tolerates the cold water pretty well but is no where near a Chessie....than again I've never seen a Chessie locked up on a point
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They have to retrieve lobsters in NAVHDA tests!?!
Talk about versatile!
Yea...I think the 100' deep blind Rock Lobster retrieve is a little extreme, surely a 50' deep blind retrieve would do.
But on a more serious note, that kids toy had a squeaky noise to it and the pup liked the noise. My approach to teaching a dog to swim is more of an entice him into the water.
In that particular photo the pup is still "pawing" at the water trying to get to the toy.
I have series of photos showing him taking his first "swim"..he looks like a drowning rat, but he caught on pretty quick and enjoys the water a great deal today.:cheers: