Hi
I have a 4month springer puppy.
When we are in the kennel he retrieves a tennis ball with no prob and jumps into my arms..I am kneeling down We only do one or two retrieves every couple days and I thought brilliant.
However since he has finished his jags and I take him out to the field...he is not the least bit interested in a ball. The only thing he wants to do is pick up grass,leaves,twigs ect. He will follow me quite happily but it is like he doesnt want to engage in play he wants to do his own thing and won't be distracted.I am thinking is this just immaturity although he is a bold pup.
Never had this with my other pups at this age
There's a million scenarios here and its up to you to analyses them and then read your dog.
If he isnt interested in the ball retrieving wise, stop doing it in the field. Keep that for the kennel and extend to the back garden and build on it.
Why dont you pre plant some balls (or a puppy dummy,teddy,old pair of socks, paint roller) and hunt him/her up into an head wind, let them go and get up behind them, so they start to associate you with them finding things, then its likely once found they will retrieve it and its all fun.
New game of hide and seek, or hide, seek and bury if its cocker!
EssGrouse wrote: ↑Mon Aug 18, 2025 2:02 pm
There's a million scenarios here and its up to you to analyses them and then read your dog.
If he isnt interested in the ball retrieving wise, stop doing it in the field. Keep that for the kennel and extend to the back garden and build on it.
Why dont you pre plant some balls (or a puppy dummy,teddy,old pair of socks, paint roller) and hunt him/her up into an head wind, let them go and get up behind them, so they start to associate you with them finding things, then its likely once found they will retrieve it and its all fun.
New game of hide and seek, or hide, seek and bury if its cocker!
My 4 month old cocker is certainly hunting. At least in terms of getting out in front of me and questing interesting scent. I like ESS’s advice. Give the pup time and balance the distraction with the natural retrieving desire. If low drive low distraction and slowly build drive and at a slightly slower rate add distraction. Not a big problem and nothing to lose sleep over.
I'm suspicious of people who don't like dogs, but I trust a dog when it doesn't like a person. - Bill Murray
Ive a 4 month old pup and believe me its hunting, it hasnt a clue what its hunting for but its hunting, dwelling on scent developing his ground treatment already wind depending, beautiful to see. Toss the odd puppy dummy in there to keep his enthusiasm up.
If you're not hunting it yet building up those nose muscles then your pups missing out on crucial development.
As with ESS, my HPR pups are on gamey ground from the get go and are starting to point by 4 months of age. By 6 months they’re competent at working air and ground scents and at handling moving birds. I find the first 6 months the easiest time to develop their hunting skills along with field control, that goes for spaniel pups I’ve had in the past.
Springdog wrote: ↑Thu Aug 14, 2025 8:00 am
Hi
I have a 4month springer puppy.
When we are in the kennel he retrieves a tennis ball with no prob and jumps into my arms..I am kneeling down We only do one or two retrieves every couple days and I thought brilliant.
However since he has finished his jags and I take him out to the field...he is not the least bit interested in a ball. The only thing he wants to do is pick up grass,leaves,twigs ect. He will follow me quite happily but it is like he doesnt want to engage in play he wants to do his own thing and won't be distracted.I am thinking is this just immaturity although he is a bold pup.
Never had this with my other pups at this age
Welcome to the forum.
Is your main worry the pup not retrieving when out and about? That's the impression I got from your post, if that's the case, don't worry about it. Carry on doing fun retrieves around the garden for now, once the newness of the big wild world has worn off he will retrieve anywhere.
Take the pup out and about for walks, let it roam, within reason ( a new pup wont go far anyway, they need you), and play with it, be fun to be around! Take kibble and scatter it in short grass, let the pup hunt for it. Sounds like he is picking up bits and bobs as a distraction because he doesn't know what you want from him.
In life, it is important to know when to stop arguing with people and simply let them be wrong.
We only do one or two retrieves every couple days and I thought brilliant.