At What Stage Will You Washout a Dog?

[WRL]

Do you or have you, washed out a dog before ff? What about transition work? At what stage in training, do you determine a dog lacks trainability or marking ability or is lacking in water etc? What are the "key" washout stages for you?

[Marvin S]

Do you or have you, washed out a dog before ff? What about transition work? At what stage in training, do you determine a dog lacks trainability or marking ability or is lacking in water etc? What are the "key" washout stages for you?

When they exhibit a consistent lack of effort regardless of stage.

[badbullgator]

If you are asking the question you probably already know what you are going to do. Howard pointed out on another thread, you are an armature and do not have to train any dog you don't want too. If you are not happy with what you have at this point, move on. Why wait? Waiting will not help you or the dog. Unless you have a personal interest in the dog (your breeding?) wash it out and get started on the next. You have already lost time with this one and will have to start from scratch with the next.

[john fallon]

I have never washed one out , so I can't give you a difinative answer. If I were ever to consider it though, the one thing I would want to be sure of is that its shortcomings are not of my making.

john

[Rnd]

Lee,

I think Corey summed this up pretty well. I will add my thoughts based on the other thread as well as this one.

First a dog has to show me a lot of potential,before we get to FF. If the dog is lacking intelligence, desire, is not birdy etc.etc. they get washed out.

I don't think any trainers enjoy the FF process and I'm pretty sure the dogs don't either. FF will not replace any of the above traits.

With that said: If the dog has shown to be a good candidate start the FF process and finish it.

It won't take long after that to tell what you have.

Since it sounds like you are in the FF process already, I'd finish it and see what you have.

If you still have doubts then move on.... As others have said Life is TOO Short

IMHO... Worth just what you paid for it

[Leddyman]

I have only ever washed out 2 dogs in my life. One was for incurable gunshyness. This was before the days of the internet and I couldn't fix it. He was a good dog but useless to me.

The other was because he just didn't want to do it. He would do the work, reluctantly, and with very little style. I was not pleased at all by the dog. I think that is where I draw the line. If you are working the dog and thinking "I just don't like this dog." Wash him and get another one. My next dog after that one was great. I am an amateur and life is too short for dogs that aren't that into me. That dog did not make it through force fetch. We started it and somewhere in there I decided it wasn't going to work out.

When is it time to wash a dog? It's like pronography, it's hard to define, but I know it when I see it.

[Mike Peters-labguy23]

I have never washed one out , so I can't give you a difinative answer. If I were ever to consider it though, the one thing I would want to be sure of is that its shortcomings are not of my making.

john

John I am not seeing why you posted on this thread since you have no experience washing out dogs??

Most of the dogs I have washed have been after FF because of lack of drive or poor marking. Most have been under 2 but more than 6 months. I washed one just after FF because of kennel pacing. I wanted to wash a young VERY well bred female (NAFC FC X a bitch with 15 or so all age points) at 12 weeks for lack of drive. My pro at the time talked me into keeping her for a while but at 8 months he washed her out. I finished cold blinds with her and sold her to a good HT pro out east and he put a SH on her. I called and asked him if I made a mistake by washing her and he said "NO, I was very lucky to get her through seniors and she will never make a MH."

[Wayne Nutt]

I think every dog deserves three months. If I'm not happy after that I tell the owner. I have had to do this a few times. Generally it has been for the lack of "want to" at whatever stage the dog was at.

[john fallon]

John I am not seeing why you posted on this thread since you have no experience washing out dogs??

Most of the dogs I have washed have been after FF because of lack of drive or poor marking. Most have been under 2 but more than 6 months. I washed one just after FF because of kennel pacing. I wanted to wash a young VERY well bred female (NAFC FC X a bitch with 15 or so all age points) at 12 weeks for lack of drive. My pro at the time talked me into keeping her for a while but at 8 months he washed her out. I finished cold blinds with her and sold her to a good HT pro out east and he put a SH on her. I called and asked him if I made a mistake by washing her and he said "NO, I was very lucky to get her through seniors and she will never make a MH."

What kind of experience does it take to give up on a dog ?

It is not that I couldn't have washed some out and perhaps I should have..... because they never got past QAA MH. and that brings me back to my point about their shortcomings


In this post from another thread it pretty much explains where I am with this http://www.retrievertraining.net/for...=1#post1003973

"Some of the field trialers we know go through a few dogs; they recognize when a dog isn't going to make it and they get rid of the dog to get another.
Some of the field trialers we know go through dogs, but can't get rid of them. Either they can't or won't --especially when the dog is a family pet. Those who are content with JAMS and a few placements will keep their dog. If you are very serious about field trial competition and your goal is to be very successful, if your time and money is limited, you have to be realistic about your dog's talent and how much time and money you want to continue to spend. If the talent to win isn't there, then you have to wash out the dog or be content with JAMs and a few placements."



john

[labsforme]

Lee, I guess it depends what you are washing from. If your goal is an FC then at the point it is determined that the dog just does'nt have the skills to get there. If for a hunting dog when there is a lack of drive and desire.I won't keep a dog that I just don't see having fun hunting.If you're not having fun training then that should tell you something.

Jeff