Any Ideas? ?

[slipper 116]

Right folks bit of a weird one, my ess is 12 months old now and just had her first season which finished two weeks ago, all has been going well I have been taking her out and practicing retrieves and the other basics, she has been doing really well finding blind retrieves out to 60 yards so I was happy I am getting somewhere, then It sstarted to go wrong, for two nights a week my wife works and so I look after the kids so I can't get out with the dog, anyway for the last couple of nights I tried a few retrieves Iin the garden but she is completely ignoring them, she will sit at heel and when I send her on she goes half way and sniffs the flowers or something, thought it was a one off but did it again tonight, any ideas? Is it because it is a small garden and she doesn't see it as worth retrieving?

[Casso 1,261]

Sounds like she is experiencing some resistance to you for whatever reason , like she tuning you out

 

Not a big fan of doing too much obedience before a pup shows me drive, as any conflicts or confrontations during formative months will come to the fore at some stage usually maturity , maybe her season has brought it to the fore

 

Whats the reward for the retrieve by the way??

[slipper 116]

Just a good fuss everytime never had any problems we have a good bond I think, also I don't think I have been over doing it as I mix it up a bit some nights I will just take her out for a mooch other night it will be retrieving but only for half an hour an then have a play or walk, don't want to rush anything, what do you think I should do just knock the retreiving on the head for a few weeks?

[Philluk 181]

It might be the location so she is bored, if your doing retrieves non stop and in her back garden there is no fun. At 12 months she wants fun, a lot of animals are like this, a horse won't jump in it's field as well as a fresh one.

 

Suggest you get some new dummies, get ones with fur on as well as some things from pet shops and bring a bit of play into it. Even in the house get a pair of socks and roll them about, spend some play time so bringing something to you is fun, one of the biggest mistakes is not letting a pup be a pup, if your after FTC then different form of training but as a pet that works have fun, very light tuggy is a good one as your encouraging her to claim the item, let her win and walk off with it but ensure your command to bring it to you is clear as is the dead command.

 

Mine will pick anything up in the house and I ask him what he's got and he will carry it for ages, I make him give it to me then I give it back and let him carry it, then I play and he (and this is where the criticism junkies come in) runs off with it and I go after him making out I'm chasing him, I know that's a thin line to cross but the item is his but then I say bring it here and he walks over sits and holds it as soon as I touch it it's mine. It gives them a sense of owning it and wanting it.

 

Play is play, training is training, but it's not txt book and you can mix and match.

[budharley 945]

Sounds like she is experiencing some resistance to you for whatever reason , like she tuning you out

 

Not a big fan of doing too much obedience before a pup shows me drive, as any conflicts or confrontations during formative months will come to the fore at some stage usually maturity , maybe her season has brought it to the fore

 

Whats the reward for the retrieve by the way??

I always look forward to reading your replies in these threads casso as I do skycats you seem a very knowledgable trainer

[Casso 1,261]

A small garden can also be compressive on a dog but I got to say I like to see temperament right at the forefront of a dogs behaviour engaging with its owner,

It's the not engaging part I would have an issue with, as Phil recommends play and more play

 

To just take thinks back a step, a pup is a wholly emotional creature everything it does is based on a predator template where it's attracted to everything based on how it feels inside and subsequently what feedback it gets from that interaction,

 

When obedience is taught too young before a pup is able to digest negative interaction through a driven mindset that's is before sexuality, we cause a kink in its connection with us, because he can only process through that puppy mindset which dictates that everything which conducts emotion(energy)is good and anything that prevents it is a negative

 

So before I train No I train Go , that is to say I show a pup what to do with it's energy , through me , tug items , ball play all that stuff I become the most exciting thing in a pups world, managing him all the while so he can't get into trouble and be confronted by me

So when his drive kicks in , he is now in a position to practise impulse control ,because I have all the things he wants at my disposable, Stay , wait , come, all the shit where dogs struggle on fall into place , not because he has to but because he wants to , he wants to interact , he still feels like that little predator same as the first day I got him and I am the one who must be obeyed, he controls himself from the inside out not the outside in, never having confronted him his energy for interaction with me is right there,

Take a break from instruction , identify a favourite object and train through the dogs longing for the object, have him practise control to get something because he wants it not because you demand it , you'll be training in drive and a dog learns commands in drive faster than any other mindset

Best of luck

[gnipper 6,426]

Is she acting different as well as the retrieving? Seasons can make bitches act weird.

[slipper 116]

Not really everything else seems ok

[slipper 116]

Right more problems..... only joking its probably nothing to worry about at the moment but...

 

I went and bought a load of new dummies balls etc and a toy stuffed pheasant and she retrieves all of them but she has started dropping them by my feet, how can I stop this?

Also I tried getting her to sit and stay which she did fine as always then I threw a dummy at 3 oclock and one at 9 oclock, when I send her to the one she tries to pick up the other on the way back, how can I teach her to leave the 3 oclock dummy?

 

Any advice no matter how small would be very much appreciated

Cheers

[Philluk 181]

I think your doing too much too quick and expecting too much too quick.

 

Master one thing at a time and move on. If you've not mastered a good retrieve why are you doing 2?

 

Let's do one thing at a time, the dropping on retrieve try and encourage her to jump up to you that will keep it in her mouth longer then you can do other bits.

[slipper 116]

Ok will do and thanks but what point do I move on to directional work because she does retrieve I think she must of just got bored with the garden or the ball, shall I give it a few weeks just concentrating on one dummy?

Also when I take her out onto the field for half an hour should I just practice retrieves or do I add other commands?

[Philluk 181]

The issue about a garden is it's her space, you can play there but you won't get full concentration so your better off going to a mutual park. You need to structure your time so if your out for 30 mins which in fairness isn't very long you need to take out some dedicated training time. I take it the basic commands are mastered and if you throw a retrieve blind you can send her and stop her on whistle at say 50 ft. And send her back to get it.

 

If you haven't got this mastered that is what you need to work on. If you cover her face and throw it say behind you can you send her in the right direction. Can you walk along a field drop the retrieve and keep walking say 50 m and then send her back for it.

 

These are all simple but basic but you have to have her on the whistle at 50m to be able to start directing

[slipper 116]

Ok thanks that's what I needed to know cheers I let you know how I get on

[comanche 2,947]

Half an hour of retrieving(if I read you right) is a long time. Pretty soon the fun is going to wane for the dog. Especially if you a you are introducing fancy retrieves before the simple ones are mastered and the tension builds up. Even if you try to hide frustration a dog will sense it and lose confidence. One cracking retrieve is worth a dozen half hearted ones . Try to stop on a high note and then have a good game.

Keep the dummies in a special place so the dog regards them as something valuable and not toys to be played with as the mood takes it.

There's nothing wrong with going back to the beginning. It might even be worth doing a short retrieve with the dog on a lead in the hallway . This way you are also able to control the length of time the dog holds the dummy by gently supporting it in its mouth until you are ready for the "dead" command. If you also have the dog walk to heel on the lead while carrying a dummy this might help quash the idea that its acceptable for the dog to assume that it can drop the dummy automatically at the end of a retrieve.

Retrieving is basically about using the dogs instinct to carry prey, puppies(in the case of a bitch) or interesting objects coupled with a good recall.

Also make sure other members of the family are not reprimanding the dog for picking up stuff round the house too much when you are not about . If it gets hold of something forbidden instead of giving the dog a bollocking call it to you,accept the retrieve graciously and place the object out of reach where it should have been in the first place .

Good luck and feel free to ignore everything I've suggested if something else works for you

Edited August 13, 2014 by comanche

[slipper 116]

No that's fine welcome any advice because I don't want to mess this up, I don't necessarily practice retrieves for half an hour I do mix it up with other things like quartering etc

How long can I train her for a day now shes twelve months old?