retrieval training.

Pitbull · retrieval training.

Im in the process of the Junior Grade 2 with the Gundog club. With her training she is breezing through it like a sponge. One problem I have, its a small one. Is, She will retrieve no problem until..in the event that she picks up another scent and she goes to investigate. If I growl at her, for going off retrieve, thats it,. she associates that with the retrieving of the dummy, and end of session, as you call her back and ask for another retrieve she will go out partially to get it then sulks back, with no dummy. She wants too....but then no..

I know she is only turned 1 so I am being extremely gentle with her as I know that prior to doing any proper training she was a sensitive natured bitch. So there has been no big chastising just deep growls and grunts of dissatisfaction. And its worked wonders. You call her to heel and away we go again.

Now I probably won't do any retrieving tomorrow just the sit and heel work.

So should I just let her have a bit more reign with the retrieve. Its not that she goes wondering off away from the dummy, just that maybe something else has left its scent say 2 or 3 foot away and she will smell that, rather than the normal instant out and back again.

Apart from this I can't fault her. Her working ability is great. In the long grass if she can't find it due to marking it to short or too long she will circle to grasp an air scent. She sits at distance to the whistle. She stays on command when left. etc etc etc.

BritAnnie

Having Brittanys I know exactly how you feel - they go off dummies very easily. Questions come to mind after a discussion with my trainer this morning (Bill)
Are you doing too many retrieves at a time, are you making it fun and exciting for her, are the retrieves boring for her? I'm sure Bill will be able to help you.
Annie

Pitbull

four or five then thats it. Tonight, I got to about 3 and she clocked a different scent, but hoping to give her a gentle grunt as to leave it and get the dummy, and thats it. A "training session" takes about 15 minutes and that includes the sit at 30 yards for 1 1/2 minutes after I have walked the 30 yrds.

If I was to go out now there would be a good chance that she would still not go for the dummy,

last week I didn't do any retrieve with her after a class of retrieving, as during the class she was an egar beaver, but told no because others were to retrieve. the following day after that she would't retrieve so I called it quits for the further 4 days, until she picked up a dummy herself. I took it off her and 20 minutes later we were doing a handfull of retrieves and she was back to normal.

Now i can have her facing me at 5 - 10 yrds and throw dummies out to the left and right with the sit whistle and she sit until giving the fetch command, its just that point where she is around the dummie if she was to be "told off"

windem bang

Hi Pitbull, you probably know as well as I do that giving advice without seeing the problem 1st hand can lead to trouble.

I'll say what I think but I could easily be wrong. I think you are maybe too much into obedience for a pup with that degree of sensitivity. If she were mine I would probably go back several stages and let her run in again - I'd even "gee" her up to do it and I'd praise the hell out of her while she did do it !

I put great value on retrieve enthusiasm and will go to any lengths to keep a dog keen - that includes taking it shooting long before it is steady. I'm not saying you should do that but to my way of thinking a dog that runs in on a retrieve is better than a dog that refuses a retrieve.

One question - if when she is distracted by a scent while out looking for a dummy you leave her alone, would she finish investigating the scent then pick the dummy or would she forget or ignore the dummy and just return to you ?

Bill T.

Pitbull

windem bang

I often make the mistake of forgetting or not making enough allowances for the age of the pup I'm training. Couldn't agree more with your comment that when they are going well you forget what age they are. I have that same fault in my makeup.

Bill T.

Pitbull

I thought I would post some picks of her whilst I am at it since it has been quite a while.

Pitbull

Some more of her energy. Plus I saw a programme when I was in America where when they were doing trials they had to provide water for there dogs. So when Jakki was over the last time she bought me a hunting belt like the old bum bags, but obviously in realtree. But it had 2water bottle attachments with bottles which I take out each time with a lead and spair whistle in it with also my knife and poo bags. She loves drinking out the bottle.

BritAnnie

Wow, good looking girl. I'm just a beginner, but with Brittanys, unless it's a retrieveaholic like Ghilliegumdrop, we would normally only do 3 retrieves on dummies in one session, no more. We have to make them interesting too or like your girl they just go hunting. Bill said I was too dull for Allez so I have been squealing with delight tonight when he did a marked double and was steady. Ok only out in the front but the ducks were a distraction. It worked too.
BA

johnhod

Are the retrieves challenging enough? Too easy retrieves can be off putting for an intelligent dog.

guy

Pitbull

As Bill says hard to say without seeing you and your dog in action. However a few ideas.

Try a beef bone for the retrieve object.

pip the recall just before the dog reaches the retrieve.

dont always throw the dummy from next to the dog.

pick it up yourself more times than the dog does!

never move towards the dog - if anything move away from it

pretend you are a 16year old girl and use that sort of voice

throw the dummy and send the dog at the same time. even to the point of trying to get the dog to catch it before it hits the floor

gee it up so it is hyper before you give it a retrieve

increase the reward for the retrieve - a handful of warm roast chicken not just a scabby bit of kibble or a pat on the head.

train before meal times (dogs that is)

give it a holiday with no training at all.

Time is on your side.

when out for a walk let the dog carry the dummy.

get someone to watch you training and comment on 'your' performance not the dogs. you may unwittingly be confusing the dog with your body language, gestures.

Pitbull

durham pointer

i went boar hunting in hawaii last month and the lads carried those hydration rucksacks which the dogs took water from.great idea i thought.

Pitbull

Well after going to the gundog class last night, I am putting it down to more intresting scents, ie rabbits.

The initial point of the exercise I was meant to be doing is dropping the dummy and walking from it so as it was a further distance than I can throw. On a straight path where she can see it. Well even at 5 yrds she wasn't interested, but more in the rabbit laiden tracks at the sides.

So I decided to go too another lane, and the same response. So I went into the field that John has fenced off, where ther is no game present. And I can have her going to numerous retrieves.

Now I decided on the same lanes just to let her go and range herself. She went out beyond 100mtrs and out of sight. And with a single recall whistle she was straight back, I was also able to do a few sit whisles whilst she was searching along the lanes and she wuld stop and sit. So I can't put it down to disobedience, Just that the dummie, is no where on par with the scent of a rabbit whilst there there. But take the scent away, and I will happily retrive them.

I have rabbit scent in my box, which I'm not sure wether or not to put on a dummie. Though the day I am going to be hunting dummies, I can't see. Wink

Next week I may take a frozen rabbit with me to do the same on the same lanes and see what she does with that.

What throws it in another direction though was that at the end of the session, someone had dropped a dummy on a lane, and John ask me to send her for it. Now from what had been happening earlier I wasn't expecting anything but toodo the same, but she babled down the lane picked it up and brought it back. But there were other dogs present, someone else dropped the dummy, and it wasn't her true sprint out and retrieve.

Ah well Rolling Eyes

Pitbull