How to keep a pup excited

[clytnbkr23]

Ive been working with my pup as much as i can but its not every day due to school and work. He has basic obedience down and ive been wanting to move on to something new. I still throw him retrieves with the bumpers every night. But tonight he did the first couple retrieves like normal, but then after those, he didnt go pick them up. Ive always heard that you can bore the dog and i was thinking i might be doing that. Is there anything else i could do to help keep it fun?

[Ken Bora]

live birds are good

[gdgnyc]

How old is your pup? I always like to stop with the pup desiring "just one more".

[mitty]

He might be teething, and his mouth hurts. You could try throwing him something smaller and softer, like mini paint rollers, instead of bumpers.

If you don't think it is teething, you may be doing too much obedience with him. You want to develop prey drive, and you want a well mannered pup, the trick is finding the balance between the two. Too much of one and you don't have enough of the other...

[Rnd]

All very good advice so far.

If none of those work you might try doing just the "opposite" of what these folks are doing.

http://www.retrievertraining.net/for...-breathing-dog

[freezeland]

Ive been working with my pup as much as i can but its not every day due to school and work. He has basic obedience down and ive been wanting to move on to something new. I still throw him retrieves with the bumpers every night. But tonight he did the first couple retrieves like normal, but then after those, he didnt go pick them up. Ive always heard that you can bore the dog and i was thinking i might be doing that. Is there anything else i could do to help keep it fun?

Are you sure he is not alerting you to needing a bathroom break? Keep in mind mine is still young (5 months) and he started doing that once in a while in the house after half dozen or so tosses down the hallway. He would drop the bumper and start sniffing around seeming uniterested in the bumper. I immediately take him out, and as soon as he is done with his business I bring him back in for a few more tosses down the hall. He resumes the retrieves just as enthusiastic as before he stopped. I limit this to just a couple tosses after the potty break to keep his interest up for next time.

Good luck...

[Gun_Dog2002]

How old?

/Paul