[Bomberbasic]

Good evening. I’m brand new to retriever training and I have a 5 month old female lab. I’ve started her on the Hillmann method and have some success. Initially her drive/desire wasn’t the greatest and the Hillmann’s made some suggestions that seemed to work. Now when I’m playing “the game” with her, she’s great for about 3.5-4minutes, then she starts losing interest/getting side tracked with other smells. Is this normal for her age? Should I try something else? I’m not sure if I’m asking to much of her/training too much (we only go train with Hillmann method 3-4
x’s a week, I do other obiedence stuff with her as well.) Any suggestions would be appreciated, thank you!

 

[captainjack]

"we only go train with Hillmann method 3-4 x’s a week, I do other obedience stuff with her as well"

The "other obedience stuff" seems contrary to Hillmann's prescription for a dog that may have less retrieving desire.

I had one that wouldn't retrieve, then would retrieve in a confined space, then would retrieve in a field setting until she saw a butterfly or wild bird...
Finally at 11 months old she started to retrieve in the field environment. I stuck with things to build retrieving desire. No obedience at all. She was a pretty easy MH and is QA2 with an Amateur 3rd place.

 

[Bomberbasic]

Thanks Captainjack. What would you do with your dog for those 11 months when you weren’t training? Just kept it in the kennel/dog run? The obd stuff I’ve done is pretty little to place training in the house so she’s not confined all day.

 

[captainjack]

Typical non-training day here. Just hanging out. All 7 of my labs are house dogs. When we are home, dogs free to roam the house. They are crated at night and if we are gone.
Jackie Mertens has some stuff in Sound Beginnings that’s good to build prey drive. We’d do lots of that stuff. Anything that makes the dog more bold.

Thanks Captainjack. What would you do with your dog for those 11 months when you weren’t training? Just kept it in the kennel/dog run? The obd stuff I’ve done is pretty little to place training in the house so she’s not confined all day.

 

[Eric Johnson]

Five months is young for real serious training. Some dogs can handle it at that age but a lot can't. Has she lost her deciduous teeth yet?

 

[Ken Barton]

Deciduous?

 

[Renee P.]

Deciduous?

Deciduous teeth are the ones that are shed, AKA the baby teeth AKA the milk teeth.

 

[captainjack]

Deciduous teeth are the ones that are shed, AKA the baby teeth AKA the milk teeth.

Never heard that. It now makes sense. That said, I don’t start serious training until I have enthusiasm for the retrieve.

 

[birddogn_tc]

View attachment 72833
Typical non-training day here. Just hanging out. All 7 of my labs are house dogs. When we are home, dogs free to roam the house. They are crated at night and if we are gone.
Jackie Mertens has some stuff in Sound Beginnings that’s good to build prey drive. We’d do lots of that stuff. Anything that makes the dog more bold.

that picture makes me happy. And also quite tired. Great crew.