RetrieverTraining.Net - the RTF banner

Curious what others see going on here

6K views 26 replies 21 participants last post by  BHMB02 
#1 ·
http://youtu.be/gaQhMtuPTAo


I posted this video in another thread. It is a new pup I just got the other day. I know what I had in mind and what I thought was going on but wonder what others see.
 
#16 · (Edited)
Lots of good answers, a couple not so good. I liked Renee's the best but it seemed to disappear.


I made a list.

1. The pup has seen bumpers and birds before.

Not that I know of. This is the 2nd day I had him. First day showed little interest in bird or bumper

2. He's brave and persistent.
Yep
3. I likes to bring things back......must be British.

Nope. Havent detected any accent anyways.

4. He likes you.,,,even though you just got him.
That's because I like him.

5. I'm almost certain you were excited.
Brilliant observation

6. What's not to like?
Nothing yet. This and #7 main focus of the lesson. More on that in a minute.

7. You don't need a rope.......yet.
Ahhh yes, look ma no rope. If he needs a rope the first person here to pick him up can have him, jes kiddin of coarse, sort of! To me rope = :evil::evil::evil:


Lets start with #6 on Jim's list. It is my philosophy that puppies are born perfect. Their environment which includes us screws them up. Jim W mentions developing a "habit" of retrieving. Very true but not the only "habit" I am trying to promote. We had a thread awhile back on "influential" training. Well to me this is the true definition of "influential training" or "indirect training" if you will. Once he gets a little older we transition to more direct training methods. When I get a new pup I am thinking about what I want 1,2,3,4 years down the road not just in the moment. I am not just out there playing with a puppy.
I ^%#%&**& HATE #@!&^%%#!% Ropes.
I could put 1000 of these :evil: on here and it would still not tell you how much I hate ropes. Hopefully the habits developed here will keep him coming back to me because it is fun. Only reason I ever use a rope is if the pup doesn't want to come back with a bird or bumper and then I get rid of the rope ASAP! This is the only reason I ever use a rope and then it is only about a 6 or 8 foot piece so I can catch them. I have trained a good number of dogs and I can only think of 3 or 4 I have ever needed a rope on and that is very temporary. I have two of those right now. I know, I know, but Lardy uses one and Farmer uses one and so and so uses one as do a lot of people here and that is fine if it works for you. It does not work for me. To me it just gets in my way and it gets in the dogs way and just complicates the lessons.
Ok I think I got my thoughts on ropes across there, so enough of that.
Captzig says pup looked normal until I expected him to retrieve a large mallard. Well post #8 by Tank137 answers this question. I dislike pigeons almost as much as ropes. I think they promote bad habits as well. Unless it is frozen they are too soft and squishy and feathers come out too easily so for real little guys I always keep a teal or two in the freezer. Only time I use a pigeon it is a live wing clipped bird with a baby like this one and that is mostly for my own entertainment. Of coarse in some pups it helps to build prey drive but I generally don't find that necessary. I didn't necessarily expect the pup to retrieve that big ol mallard but I was VERY pleased with how he handled it. If we don't push our pups beyond their limits on occasion how will we know what they can do and how can you progress with them?
Bottom line here is no matter what your own philosophy or methods are START EARLY developing "habits". Think way ahead of what you are doing at the moment. Not only what you want the pup to be doing a year or years down the road but you also need to be thinking just minutes ahead of the dog and anticipate his next move and prevent what may be the wrong move and promote the right ones. Read the dog. I see lots of people only focused on the present when working with their dog. If you look ahead you can avoid bad habits and promote good ones. I try not to dwell in the past but you can always learn something there too.
Todd Caswell, you are exactly right but you got to start somewhere.
Chris A, you are giving me flash backs, thank you!!!!!!
And last but not least Keith Stroyan. OLD FART? Well I guess your right but you didn't have to remind me. I fell sometimes like I'm 80. I actually just turned 59 but mentally I am only 12 so I feel it all averages out.
Just some thoughts that came to me from comments made on the other thread where I posted this video.
 
#7 ·
I see an owner developing a "habit" of retrieving....something most people that bring their dogs to me don't do. Jim
 
#8 ·
I see a real nice puppy. Still settling in and is bouncing around like its his world and we just live in it. Loves to play and retrieve. Super social. And tried to bring back a duck that weighed as much as him. Mind you not an ounce bit intimidated by it.

Off to a great start IMO

just curious, what did you think was going on.
 
#11 ·
I WANT A PUPPY!!!

PUPPYPUPPYPUPPY!!!!!

Oh.
​Sorry. Got carried away there for a moment.
 
#17 ·
It`s kinda funny Steve that a small percentage of puppies I`ve had "wont" get in the "habit",that is going,getting it and coming back.It has no bearing though on the final outcome.It just moves things along when we get to marking.Got one here right now ,6 mths and for the life of me could not and would not do what your little guy is doing.No big deal,started ob,cc,and hold ,now he is in the habit.He is actually on walking fetch now and doing quite nicely.Good thread and getting some newbies thinking! Jim
 
#18 ·
"I ^%#%&**& HATE #@!&^%%#!% Ropes."
Glad to see someone else say this!
What I see is what I would like to see in every lab pup.

"When I get a new pup I am thinking about what I want 1,2,3,4 years down the road not just in the moment. I am not just out there playing with a puppy."
Everyone should think like that. As we know, what we wish, hope, train for, does not always work out the way we wanted it to. Lots of factors affect whether a pup will be a world beater or a go get the chicken dog. Genetics plays a big factor, training and how the pup was raised and is raised probably means as much or more.
Steve, I know I'm not stating anything you do not know. Many pups get to a phase where they just will not return to their handler, no matter how much proper work had been done. Thanks goodness for "CC to HERE".
 
#19 ·
Many pups get to a phase where they just will not return to their handler, no matter how much proper work had been done. Thanks goodness for "CC to HERE".
That part just don't fit in my world.Re-call is installed on the first solid feed from human. It never leaves them unless you make it extinct.
What I seen in the clip was a guy just having fun doing what every pup will do given the opportunity.
As far as the duck was introduced ?..well, the human kept interrupting the pup with vocals while it was figuring out how to get this thing in the mouth?...Probably anxiety or fear that it would/could lead to 'mouthing or chewing' on them there feathers!?..but nope!..I would have walked away and I'm sure that little critter would have picked that duck up with the neck or the feet or the wing and dragged it back . If that's what you wanted to achieve?....
 
#26 ·
Point is there is a lot going on in any training session or there should be. There really was a whole lot more going on in this video than a guy having fun with a puppy. Was just wondering what others thought might be going on or their interpretation of what was happening in this session. Goal was to get people to thinking more about what is happening in their own training sessions. Jim W probably described it best when he said developing habits. For example making it fun for the pup to come back to me to avoid having to use a rope later on among other things.
 
#27 ·
I believe that pup has ebola or has contracted the mumps?

I don't want you to lose your dog to the autorities so you can just put him in a crate and send him to me. He will need to be isolated at my very secret and secure facility for the remainder of his life. Rest assured, he will be well taken care of! Send me a PM, just incase "the man" is monitoring this thread, and I will provide you with the address for you to send him to me.

Good looking pup. Congratulations!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top