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Puzzled or Perplexed, Either Way Cant Figure This One Out, Water Entry/Retrieve

8K views 48 replies 22 participants last post by  Hunt'EmUp 
#1 ·
I will give you a picture of the dog, her abilities, and the current issue that has come about. I will provide my take from some figuring and look forward to hearing yours.

Dog Info: 18 months old, black female, out of some really nice dogs that fell in love and made babies. She is steady, rock steady, easily corrected, all vocal corrections. Shes quick, not force fetched, but holds nicely and delivers to hand. She is doing simple doubles, marks well. Just a nice dog, a really nice dog. I got her last month.

Problem: Dog will no go when at the waters edge. If you have 10 or more yards between you and the water, the dog will haul bawls, hit the water like a ton of bricks, retrieve the bird no matter the distance, each and every time, hands down. No hesitations. Until.....

So Friday to prep for the HRC test on Saturday, we go to a pond, stand at waters edge, I throw a duck in at about 20 yards, she doesn't budge, she moves forward appears to be rationalizing it in hear head and doesn't go, after some pleading and some physical positioning, she is now in the water. This happens four times in a row. I throw my hands up. I think, okay, its a new pond, never been here, its cold, but no colder than it was two weeks ago at the lake. There were cars driving by, should be a non-factor. The body of water wasn't as big as she is use to......

So I run a couple of errands and decide to the lake, but a spot shes never been before, I bring a chocolate dog with me to help encourage her if need be. I walk up to the waters edge with her at heel, throw the bumper in, no go. I get my other pup and they both are in the water. I throw it 100 times and they are both getting in with no problems, black girl is back to normal.

Saturday, go to the test, land was perfect, get to water (after having swam her in a different hole between tests) she is at heel next to the water, dog BIG TIME NO GOES. I pick her up and head home.

Sunday, while doing some thinking, I load her and the chocolate dog up, I go to a completely new pond. I unload my black girl, I am not standing at the waters edge, I am 15 yards off, throw a bumper in the water, scorched earth on the way to the water, she's flawless, do this about five times, mix in some land marks. Have her heel up next to me at the waters edge, throw the bumper and she hesitates, moves from around me and then decides to go in.

I think its something to do with being that close to the water, maybe not having enough time to think, I don't know

I was thinking that she thought the water test was SO EASY that she decided she wasn't going to be insulted. I will have to admit, she humbled me BIG TIME

Any how, I would love to here some ideas or thoughts, how to correct this.
 
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#2 ·
Are you sure the previous owner did not try forcing?
 
#4 ·
OHHHH boy went thru this last summer.....believe it or not was the first time I`ve run into it.Pm me if you want to know what I did. Jim
 
#7 ·
Hope this helps...........
 
#8 ·
Please share......whats the big secret?
 
#9 · (Edited)
Forcing, (Force Fetch, FTP and Water Force )for those times when a dog may not necessarily want or choose to do the job ;)
 
#10 ·
I'm curious now too jd6400 - please share
 
#11 ·
Force fetch....it's about more than holding ducks nicely at heel.

Also had a friend with a dog that did this. He would lead the dog to the water's edge, turn the dog around, throw a mark back on land, let the dog retrieve, turn the dog back around, throw a mark in water, and the dog wouldn't no go. It was weird. FInally corrected the dog though. dont ask me why.....
 
#15 ·
Try an experiment to find out what the critical minimum distance is. Keep the excitment level up, start 20 yards back on a warm day with an easy entry for the dog. Then move a little closer each throw, reading the dog to make sure his attitude is still high. You might just solve the problem by gradually getting closer over time, or if the critical distance is relatively short, say 5-10', you might be able to back your dog up a few feet to send at the hunt test. It all depends on the set up of the test.

John
 
#16 ·
The reason I asked is, if the previous owner put alot of heat on her at the waters edge, could be she has ghosts there.
 
#25 ·
Have you tried a shackled duck? A moving, flopping duck gets their do-do hot and wanting to go.
 
#27 ·
So to Railroad....do you know if the previous owner attempted to FF, OR applied pressure at the waters edge ?
 
#30 ·
X2, get her jumping off the bank because she wants to, before contemplating using any force. Use a clean pond with an easy entry, shackled bird thrown from line right in front of her should do it, don't be too quick to add distance to throw or bring out a gunner until she seems to love it as much as charging in from 20 yards back. Forget steadiness or any other issues....for now your standard for her is jumping off the bank with wild abandon, once that is achieved reestablish steadiness but by gentle measures. Maybe save the heeling stick or collar when sending from well back of the shore. Give her simple non cheating marks regardless of where you run from or if you run a cheating mark be sure you can use attrition and handling to stop and redirect her, you wouldn't want to start collar correcting anywhere near the waters edge for some time to come.
 
#33 ·
To be very clear , I am NOT suggesting force be used, at this point. I am asking if someone in the past may have created hot spots at the waters edge.
My first step would be a live pigeon...
 
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#35 ·
It's not really important to know what caused it ...it has to be fixed now...Most of the time the cause has nothing to do with the solution ...Live birds would be a good starter to try and loosen the dog up ...Steve S
 
#37 ·
I've been reading this thread ,and have a question that keeps coming to mind. If the fear is at the waters edge would a possible solution be to take the dog past the waters edge ?,by that I mean wade in with the dog at heal (since it seems the problem is leaving land and entering water and not a typical water issue) wade in starting say calve deep ,then working back back from there . Until the dogs butt is just out of the water. I guess its kind of a left field thought ,but it keeps crossing my mind so I thought I would throw it out there.
 
#41 ·
Update, I followed your advice today John. 30 Yards from water at heel, sitting, bumper out and she makes retrieve, five yards up same thing, five yards up, same thing, waters edge, no hesitation, no sign of no go or no wanting to go, I walked two feet out in the water and she did it each and every time with not a problem one.

So I'm guessing the next step is to start out at the edge right away?
 
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