Gundog Training Forum

Hi all

I have noticed my little pup 5 months now will rush out like mad for a ball or puppy dummy, however when coming back into me she will roll over by my knees, try and bury herself between my legs or skoot around with it. I don't rush to take it and sometimes she will drop it... I have my back against the wall in and I only do 3 / 4 about 3 times a week.

My question is she is so quick and unlike the videos doesn't climb up my legs like in the videos lol should is this common and any tips

It seems also because I am low to floor on my knees or sat down it seems to make her roll about etc.

Gonna lay off till the weekend and work a strategy ... I think off doing a clicker retrieve that way there should be less errors ( I hope )

Does any start with a clicker retrieve, would have any impact on the speed of retrieve ?

This dog was clicker trained to retrieve...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaSKFtob2KU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjSc4s0ih2w

Once shes on her way back to you, straighten yourself up, that should encourage her to stay on her feet.

she's 5 months, she wants to play.

dont rush into this with clicker or anything else at 5 months, the dog will come to by herself.

my suggestion, if you are so worried about it, is to sit with the dog in the house, or outside during a walk, sit on the floor with her, and pass her the ball/dummy till she takes it from your hand, then"give" "dead" or watever your drop it command is, whilst taking the ball/dummy from her mouth, she will soon get used to passing you the reward, as she knows she will get it back.

again, the dogs 5 months, dont worry too much right now, just dont instill bad commands, if she drops it, ignore her, when she brings it back and gives it, even after a play around, plenty of praise, and again, pass it back to her, and take again a few times.

i wouldnt advise standing up while the dog is on her way back, if she is rolling around, she might be intimidates a bit still, standing up would only worsen this. i crounch with mine, intill they are tall enough to not need for me to crouch down to take the retrieve from them. obviously with my cocker, well, that's never gunna happen.

there is a nice video on this thread viewtopic.php?f=6&t=7637 which may help you

What's her recall like without a retrieve item?

Rascal

Thanks everyone

I am not worried just never had this and didnt want to accidently mess up her retrieveing for the future, I was very lucky with Jasper he was and is a natural retriever and as a puppy was keen to hold and push into my lap lol

How often would you do a retrieve with them ?? would you do say 1 or 2 a day everyday (maybe 1 in the morning and 1 in the eve?) or 3 or 4 only 2 / 3 times a week??

Rascal her recall is pretty sharp and will even with the dummy she will rush back but play around when she gets to me.

I wont stress and look at it more seriously when say 7 / 8 months old would you say???

Mad Jasper wrote: Rascal her recall is pretty sharp and will even with the dummy she will rush back but play around when she gets to me.

I meant does she play around you on the recall without the dummy?

Rascal

Hi rascal

She will roll over by my feet or scamp about around them

So she’s doing nothing different with a retrieve then... Why do you think she’s going to do anything different with a retrieve in her mouth?

I would drop off the retrieves for now, you know she wants to retrieve & lighten up she’s only a puppy as the others have said. But I would start putting the building blocks in, so I’d work on treat training her the sit in front of you to voice and hand signal then incorporate the whistle. I’d then introduce the recall but I’d keep it all fun and reward based. Once that is 100% established then reintroduce a retrieve, it’s so easy to get hung up on the retrieve if you are not careful and without realising it you pass your anxiety about it onto the pup. Remember a retrieve is only a recall with something in her mouth.

Keep it fun with loads of praise and don’t do too much at a time 4 or 5 three minute fun sessions a day are much better than one long one.

Rascal