Retrieving Problems...

[Mustelid 143]

I was hoping someone might be able to offer a bit of advice...

 

I've got a 17month old lurcher x lurcher dog with a good proportion of collie in him, bred out of good working parents. Scooby wasn't entered last season as he was young and immature but I've had him out a few times this season and his hunting and marking are coming along nicely.

 

My only problem is his lack of retrieving... I did plenty of practice with him as a pup, rabbit skin dummies dropped into my hand etc. He could be a bugger in open spaces but on a track his delivery was perfect every time.

 

He's now had a couple of rabbits in the day and on the lamp but rather than retrieve he just kills them and leaves them on the ground before coming in to hand.

 

Since October I've given him a number of retrieves with dead rabbits on a track (to encourage him to come straight in) and he's been perfect. As soon as I move the lesson to an open space he will throw the rabbit about before leaving it in the field. As he clearly can retrieve, there should be no reason why he doesn't... but I can't fix the problem at the moment. He caught one this morning thirty yards from me which he killed and left, so I chucked it fifteen yards or so into a more confined area and he brought it back to within a yard. So, there was a bit of progress.

 

The dilemma I have now is whether I lamp him or not - I don't want the non retrieve to become a habit.

 

Any thoughts or suggestions?

 

I have his auntie here who is now five and a bit and has retrieved every rabbit she's caught to hand - that bitch never once retrieved a dummy or a carcass EVER!!!

[pip1968 2,490]

mine have never retrieved im happy with his catch rate and he dont kill them just holds them for me like this morning on my back field then switches of and rattles a squirrel in a wood

[Mustelid 143]

If I can't get him to retrieve I won't be happy... A dog that brings them back to hand is an absolute pleasure to own.

[pip1968 2,490]

If I can't get him to retrieve I won't be happy... A dog that brings them back to hand is an absolute pleasure to own.

im well happy with my dog and it doesnt bother me that he wont retrieve i couldnt ask for a better dog hes good at what i do with him

[Mustelid 143]

Joe, I know how you feel...!

[Big bald beautiful 1,231]

Feeding rabbit..what the has that got to do with a dog retrieving?...

[BORDERSCOT 3,816]

I've struggled big time with my dog's retrieve. Long story short. His first rabbit was run in on by other dogs and I generally worked him alongside other dogs day work, I made the mistake of feeding rabbit too early on, he's a possessive bugger .

I've been force training retrieve which is a slow , painful (for me not the dog) process, lol. Took him out doing dummy retrieves in reeds which he brought straight back in. Went again a couple of days later and he just drops them and comes in.

If I could I'd take him somewhere with enough of a rabbit population to get him yoyo'ing that would be my first port of call. I think when it goes wrong it's a tough one to get back, I'll persevere , but I'd never had imagined it would be so difficult.

Next dog, will start hunting on the lamp , single handed with more of a gundog approach. Even my terriers would retrieve shot game, it's maddening. You'll make your own luck and it's hard earned. All the best Joe

 

 

Never had that kinda problem and they've all ate rabbits, hares, ducks and pheasants etc since they were pups....

 

Mind you, I feed horse flesh.....and just can't get any of them to fetch the old horses back.....

[BORDERSCOT 3,816]

 

I've struggled big time with my dog's retrieve. Long story short. His first rabbit was run in on by other dogs and I generally worked him alongside other dogs day work, I made the mistake of feeding rabbit too early on, he's a possessive bugger .

I've been force training retrieve which is a slow , painful (for me not the dog) process, lol. Took him out doing dummy retrieves in reeds which he brought straight back in. Went again a couple of days later and he just drops them and comes in.

If I could I'd take him somewhere with enough of a rabbit population to get him yoyo'ing that would be my first port of call. I think when it goes wrong it's a tough one to get back, I'll persevere , but I'd never had imagined it would be so difficult.

Next dog, will start hunting on the lamp , single handed with more of a gundog approach. Even my terriers would retrieve shot game, it's maddening. You'll make your own luck and it's hard earned. All the best Joe

 

 

Never had that kinda problem and they've all ate rabbits, hares, ducks and pheasants etc since they were pups....

 

Mind you, I feed horse flesh.....and just can't get any of them to fetch the old horses back.....

 

 

 

I feel that giving him rabbits to eat before he was catching on a regular basis taught him that they were 'his' food, on catching one out on a mooch he'd bog off and try and eat it! I'm not an expert for sure, I'll let you guys sort out his retrieve issues. cheers Joe

 

Listen, if I came across as a smart arse I apologise....I'm far from being an expert....

[Mustelid 143]

Well I haven't fed Scooby rabbit. I do know exactly what Joe means though as my old bitch would occasionally eat a ferreted rabbit as she had been fed them from an early age!

[darbo 4,776]

i always started pups on dummies moving on to cold game etc i love seeing a dog retrieve. you cant predict how a dog will react when catching live game some take to it naturally some after initial reluctance pick up and progress and in some cases ive seen belting retrievers of dummies etc fail to retrieve on the real thing.

[Country Joe 1,411]

I had a Whippet X Bedlington Bitch, would not carry, but stood over the Rabbit, then came back to me, but she would retrieve a ball no bother.

Its great to see a dog retrieve to hand, but its not the end of the World if they don't.

Caught a lot of Rabbits with this Bitch day and night and she was a pleasure to own, worked her nine years.

Wish I still had her.

[pip1968 2,490]

same here joe my dog pip is unblievable in marking cover catches day and night works his own rabbits up all the time i dont see anyone by me bringing rabbits in of the fields or bushes he similar to iworkwhippets dog but bigger and thats why i give good comments to iww its a very good dog he has and similar to mine

[Mustelid 143]

Do you think he'd drop and come in if you didn't recall him, what I mean is if you knocked off the lamp and just waited would he bring it in when he'd had his fun or would he leave it and start to hunt up?

I've tried this Joe and he leaves the rabbit and comes in. He was hunting up a little on the lamp but I've pretty much sorted that. His recall is pretty good, not to the level of my spaniels but good enough.

[birddog 1,354]

i would question the 'good enough bit' without recall 100% you've no retrieve...............long time ago i had a similar problem with a stubborn beddie x, i reinforced the 'fetch' with balls, dummies, papers, tins anything i could get him to carry apart from game........a different game with a different object every day, till the 'fetch' was everything, it took ages but it worked don't know whether it's the right or wrong way but it worked

[paulsmithy83 567]

Recall is massive with retrieve. Said it all the time no recall no retrieve. For dogs that don't want retrieve there nifty way to train it. two commands should be used . First hold, (teach this around garden/house) then when caught use hold command. Yes makes noise but in the long run well worth it , second whistle for recall after a while you will get a natural retriever. Most don't even need the hold just strong recall as any animal worth it's while shouldn't just wanna drop its catch. Never owned mutt that never retrieve bit coincidence all my dogs have mint recall one faint whistle and they back