Problem with 1 1/2 yr old shorthair retrieving

Stop with the ball.

Take and put some wings on your bumper. Use lots of praise. Some times dogs will get confused when they aren't use to having feathers in their mouth.

 I have a 5 year old --- that gets a:

A for pointing
A stamina
A retrieving balls, dummys and birds that all of can see hit the ground

Then he doesn't retrieve.  Pick up the carcass and press.  Praise and love the dog.

nd marine
I would suggest putting your dog through a condition retrieve program / force fetch.  If you follow through with the program you will have a dog that in the end will pick up horse turd if you ask him to. 

shorthairsrus
Have you tryed any drill work for doing blinds.  If you are unfamilar with this read some retriever training methods of teaching young dogs blinds and apply it to your shorthair.

pm me if you have further questions

Here's something to consider.  It comes from Paul Long's book, Training Pointing Dogs:

 "Retrieving is a pretty sight and desirable...But if you have no success, remember that it is a rare sight to see a man point a bird.  However, many men have a back strong enough to lean down and pick up a bird that a dog has located and pointed dead."

As was already said, don't fret if he isn't a retriever.  Just pick up your bird, praise pup for doing such a grand job on the point, and move on.

 

pinto plains Said:
nd marine
I would suggest putting your dog through a condition retrieve program / force fetch.  If you follow through with the program you will have a dog that in the end will pick up horse turd if you ask him to. 

shorthairsrus
Have you tryed any drill work for doing blinds.  If you are unfamilar with this read some retriever training methods of teaching young dogs blinds and apply it to your shorthair.

pm me if you have further questions

Its all in the work you put into em --- yes my previous shorthair were trained to do blinds  ---- i am just complaining and know its my own fault.  

jmdinco Said:
Here's something to consider.  It comes from Paul Long's book, Training Pointing Dogs:

 "Retrieving is a pretty sight and desirable...But if you have no success, remember that it is a rare sight to see a man point a bird.  However, many men have a back strong enough to lean down and pick up a bird that a dog has located and pointed dead."

As was already said, don't fret if he isn't a retriever.  Just pick up your bird, praise pup for doing such a grand job on the point, and move on.

Personally i have read Paul Longs book, and other articles pertaining to his training.  He once reffered to using a lit cigarette for force retrieve training.  Owners were complaing of getting their dogs back with burn marks on their ears.  That pretty much sums up how i feel about Paul Long.

To me and my training program a dog is not complete until it points, covers ground effectively, backs, whoas on command at any range, steady to wing and shot,  and retrieves fallen birds to hand.  In my opinion there are a lot of places that birds fall that i don't want to go in there and pick it up.  Like heavy timber, or marshy areas. 

To have a a dog that only finds game and not retrieves it is like having a shotgun loaded with blanks sure it goes bang but it is not the complete package. 

I had a Shorthair that did the exact same thing. The first few days of hunting season she would not retrieve a bird. She would just mouth it some and leave it. I would take the first bird kill of each day and play with her for a few minutes with it. I would throw it for her and really praise her. After a few times she would retrieve like she never had a problem. After that I started freezing bird parts with feathers and train with those on the off season. After doing that for a couple years, I never had a problem with her not retreiving.

one thing that i know works --- is posted signs --- my shorthairs are clued into them --- if they see a bird land dead or alive on posted property --- they always go after em.   Good girl!!!!!

Shorthair....need I say more!!

I know I don't have a Shorthair but my brittany has been almost the opposite. As a pump I worked with him retrieving a dummy with a wing attached and such but I could never get him to do more than about five retrieves before he would loose interest. I  tried treats and all kinds of stuff and I simply came to the conclusion that chasing a tennis ball or a dummy simply wasn't what he considered fun and I came to accept that fact that he probably wasn't going to be a retriever. He'd much rather run after the ATV or play tag or wrestle in the yard. Well, low and behold in the field he'll retrieve every single time, and even better when it's out in the water! I wouldn't put him up against any retriever when it comes to this but I'd grade his retrieving as a "B". If I use Shorts grading system it would look pretty similar to his with one exception:
"A" - for pointing
"A" - stamina
"B" - for retrieving a blind bird
and a BIG F for retrieving balls, dummys or anything around the yard other than my damn shoes! He has those littered all over the place and actually he won't retrieve those either, he just likes to carry them around and leave them where ever!

cable dawg Said:
I had a Shorthair that did the exact same thing. The first few days of hunting season she would not retrieve a bird. She would just mouth it some and leave it. I would take the first bird kill of each day and play with her for a few minutes with it. I would throw it for her and really praise her. After a few times she would retrieve like she never had a problem. After that I started freezing bird parts with feathers and train with those on the off season. After doing that for a couple years, I never had a problem with her not retreiving.

I started doing the dead bird play thing but he only picked it up twice.  It is a little disappointing after the great job he did last season being so young.

 

pinto plains Said:

jmdinco Said:
Here's something to consider.  It comes from Paul Long's book, Training Pointing Dogs:

 "Retrieving is a pretty sight and desirable...But if you have no success, remember that it is a rare sight to see a man point a bird.  However, many men have a back strong enough to lean down and pick up a bird that a dog has located and pointed dead."

As was already said, don't fret if he isn't a retriever.  Just pick up your bird, praise pup for doing such a grand job on the point, and move on.

Personally i have read Paul Longs book, and other articles pertaining to his training.  He once reffered to using a lit cigarette for force retrieve training.  Owners were complaing of getting their dogs back with burn marks on their ears.  That pretty much sums up how i feel about Paul Long.

To me and my training program a dog is not complete until it points, covers ground effectively, backs, whoas on command at any range, steady to wing and shot,  and retrieves fallen birds to hand.  In my opinion there are a lot of places that birds fall that i don't want to go in there and pick it up.  Like heavy timber, or marshy areas. 

To have a a dog that only finds game and not retrieves it is like having a shotgun loaded with blanks sure it goes bang but it is not the complete package. 

I agree with the shotgun loaded with blanks statement.  Last weekend he went on point near a creek with cattails, of course I had to drop the bird in the cattails.  Needless to say, there I was trying to bust thru matted cattails and water up to the top of my boots looking for a rooster while he watched; something wrong with that picture. 

 Paul needs to go hunt some cattails.

I had the some issue with my 1 year 4 month Lab.  In fact your story follows mine work for word, great at 4 months but now little disappointed.  I have been working the feathered toys and it seems to be working.  The other advice I was given is to get it out with another dog.  If it is as competitive on the retrieve as my Lab, it should get after it and try to "win" if put next to another dog.

I will be running mine with a 10 year old golden next weekend, so we will see if this helps as well.

 

Goosefishmen Said:
I had the some issue with my 1 year 4 month Lab.  In fact your story follows mine work for word, great at 4 months but now little disappointed.  I have been working the feathered toys and it seems to be working.  The other advice I was given is to get it out with another dog.  If it is as competitive on the retrieve as my Lab, it should get after it and try to "win" if put next to another dog.

I will be running mine with a 10 year old golden next weekend, so we will see if this helps as well.

I was thinking of trying this too but need to find someone with a male because when this guy is around a female, birds would be the last thing on his mind.

jmdinco Said:
Here's something to consider.  It comes from Paul Long's book, Training Pointing Dogs:

 "Retrieving is a pretty sight and desirable...But if you have no success, remember that it is a rare sight to see a man point a bird.  However, many men have a back strong enough to lean down and pick up a bird that a dog has located and pointed dead."

As was already said, don't fret if he isn't a retriever.  Just pick up your bird, praise pup for doing such a grand job on the point, and move on.

Thats my 3 year old pointer is...Them birds can try and hide all they want and she will find them, point them (if i hit it) she will find it again no matter how far or deep that rooster is hiding but.......Daddy has to come pick it up! I dont know why she does it but if she can do everythinng else that well, i can bend over and pick up OUR bird!

mr_riffraff Said:

"Retrieving is a pretty sight and desirable...But if you have no success, remember that it is a rare sight to see a man point a bird.  However, many men have a back strong enough to lean down and pick up a bird that a dog has located and pointed dead.".....nice this is acceptance

 

To have a a dog that only finds game and not retrieves it is like having a shotgun loaded with blanks sure it goes bang but it is not the complete package. This not sure on this.lol

Pinto does your wife retrieve...lol..i'm sure she does everything u trained her to do and if she don't do u get rid of her..I need some relationship advice on women and kids.

ILL TAKE MY DOG THAT DONT RETRIEVE AND YOU TAKE YOUR DOG THAT DOES, AND A SHOTGUN WITH BLANKS AND WE'LL SEE WHO GETS MORE BIRDS!    need some advice huh?.....quit bein a prick!

NDMarineSgtMaj Said:
 

pinto plains Said:

jmdinco Said:
Here's something to consider.  It comes from Paul Long's book, Training Pointing Dogs:

 "Retrieving is a pretty sight and desirable...But if you have no success, remember that it is a rare sight to see a man point a bird.  However, many men have a back strong enough to lean down and pick up a bird that a dog has located and pointed dead."

As was already said, don't fret if he isn't a retriever.  Just pick up your bird, praise pup for doing such a grand job on the point, and move on.

Personally i have read Paul Longs book, and other articles pertaining to his training.  He once reffered to using a lit cigarette for force retrieve training.  Owners were complaing of getting their dogs back with burn marks on their ears.  That pretty much sums up how i feel about Paul Long.

To me and my training program a dog is not complete until it points, covers ground effectively, backs, whoas on command at any range, steady to wing and shot,  and retrieves fallen birds to hand.  In my opinion there are a lot of places that birds fall that i don't want to go in there and pick it up.  Like heavy timber, or marshy areas. 

To have a a dog that only finds game and not retrieves it is like having a shotgun loaded with blanks sure it goes bang but it is not the complete package. 

I agree with the shotgun loaded with blanks statement.  Last weekend he went on point near a creek with cattails, of course I had to drop the bird in the cattails.  Needless to say, there I was trying to bust thru matted cattails and water up to the top of my boots looking for a rooster while he watched; something wrong with that picture. 

Maybe you shoudnt have shot him over the cattails?!