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Distracted on retrieve

3K views 8 replies 5 participants last post by  phoboe 
#1 ·
Hi,
First post here, first a bit about myself
I'm a Kentish lad of 37 who has been around field sports since I can remember.
I have 2 labs Widgeon a 3yr black and Ruby 4mths fox red lab. Widge is my first ever dog so I'm finding my way as I go.

He worked his first season on our shoot last year, mainly beating/picking up and a few days on the marsh for ducks, and I was pleased with him.

My question is now I have two dogs, when I'm training retrieves with them both, using two or more dummies, he seems to be undecided as to which to pick which results in him dropping one, picking another, dropping that one etc etc.

I guess it's a confidence thing but he's always been quick to the mark, collect and straight back.
What would be a good exercise to get him on, being as it's hard to correct him when he's 30 or so yards away, or is it a case of starting close - dropping two dummies at my feet and rewarding him picking one them being 'sent' for the second?

Hope this makes sense

Graham
 
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#4 ·
My question is now I have two dogs, when I'm training retrieves with them both, using two or more dummies, he seems to be undecided as to which to pick which results in him dropping one, picking another, dropping that one etc etc.
Swapping. At 4 months old I'd only have one dummy out at a time. You cant really have multiple dummies with multiple dogs until they understand that only one of those dummies is the right one.

I don't work them simultaneously until quite late in the training, but I do work my two on consecutive retrieves, with one dog working and the other sitting watching.

But I also do training exercises with my pup to train not to swap. One exercise I do is to toss 4 dummies out along a hedge line and send my pup out to retrieve them one after the other, whistling her back the instant she picks a dummy so avoiding her swapping. Slightly more advanced, being right handed I hold three or four dummies be the toggles in my left hand, toss a dummy out with my right hand and when the dog is well on the way out after the single dummy I toss the handful of dummies out so that my dog will have to pass them on the way back. Again I whistle her back just as soon as she has the singleton in her mouth, and if needed call out "Leave" as she gets close to the group of dummies.

Another exercise I do to impress on my pup that I want a particular dummy is the "Compass" exercise. I toss 4 dummies out, one to the north, one east one south and one west and then send my dog for whichever I want, replacing the retrieved dummy before sending her for the next.

There are many other exercises on a similar theme which you can use, but make sure you have an instant recall on the whistle first, that way you can avoid swapping until the dog realises it MUST deliver the first dummy before going after the second, and also avoid the pup mugging the older dog for the dummy it's carrying. (Nothing is more likely to make a dog hard mouthed!)

Hope that helps, John
 
#5 ·
Thanks for the replies.

I have been doing the compass training with widge (3yrs) for a while in the garden and he was getting on well with it.
I have taken to training them separately so I can focus on the individually, even if widge is on his own he will struggle with two dummies (more often than not)
I may send him for a dummy, say 30yrds to my left, when he's almost there I may throw one 30yrds right, thinking he will then have a 'blind' when he returns. But if he sees it hears me throw the second he may turn to get that one (if I allow him to pick the first he'll drop it and go after the second)

You are right, if Ruby (4mths) is there she will mug him for the dummy - but he does give it up rather than hold on and tug.

And his recall has dropped off a bit since I've had the pup....he'll come back perfectly 9 times out of ten but when he ignores me he goes into his own world and I have to grab him and tell him off to reset him.
Sounds like I'd better get on top of this completely first.
 
#6 ·
Sounds like I'd better get on top of this completely first.
Yep, but work on the stays and recalls as part of every training session. You can incorporate then into other things. For example, from the starting point walk with your dog at heel for 20 to 30 yards and stop. Toss a dummy out in front. About turn with your dog and tell it to stay while you walk back to the starting point. Then recall your dog before sending him for the dummy. So you have then done some heelwork, a stay, a recall and a retrieve all in one exercise!

Have a look at these two vids. The first is my old Amy performing "The Three Card Trick" and the second is my puppy learning the first part in the garden.

Regards, John



 
#7 ·
Thanks again John. That is another exercise I do with him, again he's fairly reliable with it.

I think I shall have to revisit some of the earlier bits and work back up again.
I know I've got a bit complaisant and allowed him to get away with bits when consistency is the key.

I think you were right in an earlier post, I need to focus on his recall and get that ultra-reliable, then use that with the retrieves.
 
#8 ·
Remember, your whistle is your lifeline, and steadiness your watchword. I still do steadiness exercises at almost all my training sessions. Structure your training sessions. Before you go out decide what you want to work on and where the best place will be to work on this, be it short grass, open field or woodland, and also pay attention to the wind. Which direction it's blowing and it's strength. A strong wind will carry the scent further but it will be carried in a narrow concentrated cone making accurate positioning more necessary. A light wind will give a much broader cone making it easier for the dog to get into position, although the scent wont carry nearly as far.

Regards, John

 
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