I have recently got a 16 week old black lab bitch and am currently starting basic training. The lab is from a good breeder and has working parent's and grandparent's many with ftch status. Up to now she sit's on voice and hand signal's and sometimes to the whistle, but she is not so keen on retrieving. If i throw a dummy she will run to it and either just lie and chew it or run off in another direction with it. If she runs off i do not chase her. I think my main concern at the moment is her lack of willingness to come when called, she has a very quiet temperament so seems less keen to carryout command's.

I think really i am looking for assurance that she will eventually become keener on the retrieve, the lack of willingness to come when called, i think i can work on with a long lead and the pulling her to me when i call. After watching some training video's all the dog's seem hyper and really fixated with retrieving where as mine seems really laid back. I intend to go to gundog training classes but first i want to get the basic's done first.

Any advice appreciated

Paul.

Paul.

Sometimes the best way to teach a complicated behaviour (which retreive is - the dog has to go to the object, pick it up, bring it back and hold it 'til the handler takes it) is to teach it 'backwards' - teach her to hold it first, then to pick it up, then you can start to throw it a short distance so she goes to it, picks it up and brings it back......

I have had Labs and they have all been different on the retrieving. MB my latest is a natural retriever and was doing it from the first day we had her. It is a bit like babies and walking , they all do it at different stages:)

Have a look at my profile and go into the site and I am sure you will find some very good tips in the training section.

HTH

Lucy

Just to quickly say relax it will happen for you, just keep it fun. My dog has been taught to fetch as he is not from a natural retrieving line and used to just walk away from articles thrown. He now bounds after the article excitedly and brings it back wiggling with glee, but hes learned to enjoy it. I used things he thought were fun already and gave massive treats/praise rewards to begin with, now we use things I select as well. Have fun and it will come.:) if a pointer cross can retrieve, your little lab certainly will.

16 weeks is too young to train the retrieve in a formal manner. Does he carry things around a lot? Coming from a good working background, the instinct to retrieve is bound to be there. I have a 16 week old springer who I am just starting to play around with the dummy with. Some days she will charge out and get it and some days she won't touch it. Those days, I give her a command that she will obey and leave it for that day. Thinking about it, is the dummy too big? I bought a half pound puppy dummy and found it too big for Pippa so made one out of a small pop bottle; filled it with sawdust and wrapped it in some tough material. She seems to cope better with that. Also, you could try a rolled up sock or a ball.

Helen

As for a dummy to start retrieve training with, I start with a stuffed sock although others I know use a paint roller. I start literally as soon as I get the puppy, no restrictions, just play retrieves. I start indoors in a restricted space so the puppy cannot give me the run around. I want to ingrain the idea of returning to me every time. I Kneel down a couple of yards out from a corner of the room and toss the dummy into the corner. I allow pup to run straight in, the chase makes it so much more interesting for the puppy. From where I've positioned myself I can reach the walls on both sides so my puppy cannot get past me. That way, he comes back to me (because he does not get the choice) and therefore always gets the praise.

As soon as my puppy starts shedding it's puppy teeth I stop all retrieving and put the dummies away! The poor puppy's mouth is tender and it's so easy to inadvertently cause pain and put the puppy off the idea of retrieving.

Once the adult teeth are through I start again only this time it is a proper retrieve including a sit and wait before going out for the dummy. Hopefully I have instilled the enthusiasm before having to stop for the teething. I find with a Labrador that by the time the puppy has changed it's teeth that it can handle a full size dummy. I must admit that I have some well used ones which have got rather sort and I use these. I don't like using the so called "Puppy Dummies" with a puppy as large as a Labrador. I've seen so many start picking up by the end rather than the middle and find this can carry over onto the full size dummy.

Good luck with your training.

Regards, John