[Tha Dick]

All right, I've read all about a dog not "seating" on a duck......Went to the hardware store and bought a reamer and some gaskets just in case.

How about a dog that started being a little sticky (at tests) and progressed into total lock-jaw on the last bird of a Master series? I'm just wondering what some of ya'll have done to fix this sort of problem.

He's going to get a steady dose of real birds all summer long. I'm just looking for a couple of more "plans of attack" to put under my hat for when the little demon arises.

Thanks, Mark

 

[Snicklefritz]

Here's a recent discussion on a related topic - mouth habits.

http://www.retrievertraining.net/forums/showthread.php?t=25860&highlight=Force+fetch

 

[Lynn Hanigan]

Thadick
I believe that most of the problems posted here come from a basic training program that was glossed over, poorly done or just skipped by. "Sticking" usually comes from an incomplete FF program. The first thing I teach a dog on the ff table is "Hold" and at the same time he is learning that, he is also learning the formal command of "Give".
By the time the dog is half way through FF every one of them, (200 plus) will gently and willingly open their mouth and back away from the bird/buck as soon as they feel me take the weight of it. If you do not teach this well enough you may end up with a "Sticky" dog.
The other thing that can make a dog stick is using a poor or sloppy technique when you take the bird from your pup. The correct way is to grasp the bird by the body and gently lift. The incorrect way is to pull on the wing, neck, head or feet or take the bumper by the rope. When you do this, the dog will feel the object rolling/falling out of his mouth and if FF was done correctly he has learned not to let that happen so he grabs again. This extra grab can turn into a "stick". I saw this happen to a titled MH with 15 + passes.
Your solution is to go back to the table and make sure your pup understands what "give" or "Drop" means. Make sure you finish it with live birds.
Lynn

 

[bcollins]

IMO sticking is created by the handler most of the time. I will tell you a helpful hint here. The problem starts when you are taking the birds from the dog. If you will watch all the handlers at a test you will be lucky to see one out ten people who know the proper way to take a bird from a dog. When you take a bird from the dog the one thing you should never do is reach down and grab the bird and pull on it while its in the dogs mouth. You should wait till the dog sits reach down put your hand on the bird without pulling at all on it and wait a second to let the dog know your hand is on the bird and say drop again without pulling on the bird at all. I f the dog don't drop when you give the drop command thump him on the crown of the head. This will help you i promise. But work on the way you take the bird from this dog and all the other dogs you train in the future if you use this technique it will end your sticking problems.

 

[Joe Martin]

Been there...

In our case, it seemed to start (or at least become an issue) after three straight weekends of testing. After the third time I walked back to the truck with a dog quietly at my side still holding the duck, I realized that I had a real problem.

I got lots of advice, but what seems to work the best was teaching a remote drop forced pretty much the same way the FF is.I did not cure the problem - just go it into remission. I think that it is an inherent part of my dog's personality and all I can do is try to control it.

Joe

 

[Tha Dick]

Thanks Snicklefritz, that was a good read hearing everyone's take on it.

Thanks Fetch- Hold, We've refreshed on the FF to make sure of the foundation and he gave no trouble. Now I'm guilty as charged for poor and sloppy technique, I am definately going to work on that.

bcollins , You and Fetch-Hold called me out on the poor and sloppy technique that is something I have never realized and will correct immidiately. It 's a hard pill to swallow sometimes when you realize it's yourself that might be attributing to the cause. Thank you.

In my case he's definately "test wise". In training he's on time (collar or no collar), at a test he's knows he can get by with crap. I hold him to a zero tolerance with EVERYTHNG in training,heel, sit, hold, give,the slightest infraction and I'll take it to his a#$.

I know I'm battling a defiance and hunt test wise problem. I've heard alot of different advise...
-Go back through FF.
-Force the release command.
-More ducks instead of bumper boys.

I'm not looking for a "silver bullet". I'm just gathering knowledge of how others have delt with this problem and apply what's relevant to my dog and myself.
Thanks for all the advise, keep it coming.