[Team Tater]

I have a 1-1/2 year old female lab, who just completed her first season of duck and pheasant hunting. Initially she did great delivering to hand, but the last month she would stop short about 15 or 20 feet and drop the bird and inspect it. I would tell her fetch and/or (if I am thinking) correct her with a nick – at which time she would complete the retrieve. I can understand the birds with their guts hanging out, but needless to say I want to nip this bad habit in the bud.

Any thoughts how to address this issue?

 

[Bridget Bodine]

Has she been FF'd? What was the last step of Force fetch you did? Did you do Force to pile , T or TT? Did you do collar fetch in the yard, before nicking on fetch in the field?

 

[COgoosehunter24]

Buddy had this problem. When the dog was doin it correct he praised the heck outta her. As soon as she dropped it short like that he would stop and pretend to ignore her. It worked well.

 

[Don Lietzau]

Back to the force fetch table

 

[Howard N]

Back to the force fetch table

I'm wondering how many actually do use a table? This dog is not delivering so I doubt I'd go back to a table but grab an ear as soon as I could and pinch to the bird right then and there. But this is assuming a dog who is ff'd and knows what the ear pinch is about. I kinda doubt the op and his dog do.

I can see the pros that ff several dogs a year using a table. Us amateurs who ff one dog a year or less, not so much.

 

[Duckquilizer]

Assumimg she is ff'd(your using "fetch"), here are your choices of things I might do. Run some marks and be ready to respond with a correction(pinch or collar). Run the marks and when she nears the distance where the problems happen, turn and walk away with a "here". This will usually pull them along pretty quickly.

As for the table, me and my partner share one. He is short so it puts the dog in a nice postion for me.

 

[Team Tater]

Thanks to all. To clarify she is FF, and will fetch just about anything and will bring back everything. She has just started with stopping short with birds. Last night I realized, upon several occasions when we had lots of birds flying in, I would walk up to her before she got to the blind, and take the bird from her to get her into the blind quicker. I now realize, as is usually the case, it is probably the handler and not the dog at fault. I think the approach of dealing with her completing retrieve will help. As for me, I think I may have learned something. Thanks again.

 

[savage25xtreme]

Thanks to all. To clarify she is FF, and will fetch just about anything and will bring back everything. She has just started with stopping short with birds. Last night I realized, upon several occasions when we had lots of birds flying in, I would walk up to her before she got to the blind, and take the bird from her to get her into the blind quicker. I now realize, as is usually the case, it is probably the handler and not the dog at fault. I think the approach of dealing with her completing retrieve will help. As for me, I think I may have learned something. Thanks again.

Apparently not.... Fetch means Fetch.

I would go back to FTP with the nastiest heavy frozen birds I could find.

 

[Bridget Bodine]

I cc to fetch so when they drop it , they can also pick it up

 

[BlaineT]

Fetch nick fetch

 

[Judy Chute]

Since you have figured out why..try to fix it without success..

...as she is coming in and before she drops the bird, "here"/(low level) nick/"here" so she does not slow down/stop and drop.

In the yard first if she has not been conditioned to here/nick/here..so she clearly understands "here".

Hopefully, "here" will mean something in the field so nicks may possibly not even be needed there. I was told that the stopping is the issue.. Indirect pressure on "here".

Check on this with a knowledgeable person to be sure...Judy

 

[minnducker]

What Judy said. Dog is disobeying the "here" command. Fix that.

 

[Team Tater]

...as she is coming in and before she drops the bird, "here"/(low level) nick/"here" so she does not slow down/stop and drop.

Judy - agreed - that is how I got her not to drop upon leaving the water. As I said it was fairly recent issue and she always picked up the bird when I told her fetch. Here and hold to complete the retrieve. Thanks

 

[7pntail]

Good Thread, and the very reason why FF is important---a training tool for issues that will arise-down the road. I see FF as preventative medicine. They are breed to retrieve, but for whatever reason, they will drop birds/bumpers at times, or not pick up at all. I think ff simplifies communication between the two. And, the process instills a bond between handler and owner--- As much as I dislike doing it, I see the benefits. And, I think doing it yourself makes for a bigger bond. Hunting dog guy here, no expert! But, my dogs deliver to hand with tail waggin!

Take care, John

 

[savage25xtreme]

I don't think its a HERE issue. That dog should come in and hold that bird until told to do otherwise. Its not uncommon at all for a meat dog to bring a bird in and sit there holding it for several minutes while the hunter is trying to work more birds in. I do this all the time, especially if the duck is not completely dead. I don't want to be trying to dispatch a duck with another group coming in.