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paulmeyer21
Posts:10

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| 03/22/2012 4:30 PM |
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I have a 10 month GSP, he will not retrieve anything. I am looking for tips or ideas to get him to retrieve a ball, dummy or anything. Please help!!! |
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paulmeyer21
Posts:10

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| 03/22/2012 5:13 PM |
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He will chase a ball and a dummy but will not pick it up and return them |
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pixie bee
 MH Posts:4449


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| 03/23/2012 3:55 AM |
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Chasing is 1/2 way to retrieving. If it's important to you I would recommend teaching a trained retrieve. The most important part of this is the HOLD command. My suggestion would be to pick a force fetch method you like and stick with it. There are many out there. Check into clicker/marker training. |
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"Time with my dogs clears my mind, renews my faith, and lets me see the world as it is. My only regret loving dogs as I do, is the misery of their early departure." Robert G. Wehle
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tgatto Lake in the Hills, IL
 MH Posts:411


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| 03/23/2012 7:29 AM |
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Posted By paulmeyer21 on 03/22/2012 4:30 PM
I have a 10 month GSP, he will not retrieve anything. I am looking for tips or ideas to get him to retrieve a ball, dummy or something. Please help!!!
I would ask what you intend to use your GSP for - Hunting?
I had a similar problem this last hunting season (Sadie's first). She was just over a year old when she got out to the field, and would not retrieve anything (although she did retrieve balls prior). After weighing options, and what I wanted from her (we were hunting pretty heavy cover so a reliable retrieve was NOT an option in my mind), I decided to do a trained retrieve. As Pixie Bee says, get a good resource on it. I used Dobbs, but I would recommend Evan Graham SmartFetch (a little more detailed resource). It takes time (avoid anyone who will grab your dog and start pinching its ear doesn't get it...). It took Sadie a full 3-months to walk all the way through it, but her manners are fantastic now, and her last hunt she retrieved all birds to my hand - it was worth it.

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It is watching the dogs work that I thoroughly enjoy, and love. I could get by with just watching them work - if it weren't for all the training, and the joy they exhibit when they pick-up, and deilver to hand a bird that they pointed, and you shot. - Todd |
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tgatto Lake in the Hills, IL
 MH Posts:411


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| 03/23/2012 7:35 AM |
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Of course, if it is just a game that you want your dog to play with you - keep playing. They all understand eventually.
If you do decide to do a trained-retrieve, post regularly on your progress on this website (or others, if you are more comfortable with that). There are a lot of people here that can help through any issues, as well as people that have the same difficulties that could benefit from some testimonials. I personally found posting on this website extremely helpful. If you post pictures, we all get to share in your successes as well . |
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It is watching the dogs work that I thoroughly enjoy, and love. I could get by with just watching them work - if it weren't for all the training, and the joy they exhibit when they pick-up, and deilver to hand a bird that they pointed, and you shot. - Todd |
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paulmeyer21
Posts:10

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| 03/23/2012 1:33 PM |
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I do plan on using my dog for hunting upland game. I just ordered the Evan Graham Smart Fetch book. What all will I need to train to retrieve? I have a check cord and dummies. Thanks for the help! |
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pixie bee
 MH Posts:4449


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| 03/23/2012 2:10 PM |
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The book is good and the DVD is better,so if you can swing the price of the DVD I recommend it. Also, Evan is on several forums - if you have a question/problem you can contact him and he'll help you out. He starts out with a paint roller,so hop in the car and pick a few up. He then goes over to rubber bumpers - I use the 3" diameter. |
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"Time with my dogs clears my mind, renews my faith, and lets me see the world as it is. My only regret loving dogs as I do, is the misery of their early departure." Robert G. Wehle
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Cricketdog
 MH Posts:73

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| 03/23/2012 9:51 PM |
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Hey Paulmeyer21, If I were you, I would relax and enjoy your baby. He is just 10 months old. Make it fun for him, even if he just runs after the object. You will be able to build on his accomplishments and require more from him a little at a time. He just needs to have his confidence built up. I don't teach force fetching until my puppies are two years old. Cathy |
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In my next life, I want to come back as my dog...what a life! www.tomcatkennels.com |
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Texas Belle Austin, TX
 MH Posts:7839


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| 03/23/2012 10:01 PM |
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| So I attach a string to the toy and toss it out. As soon as he chases and if he does not pick it up I would tug the string and see if you can get him to go after the toy again. I too would wait on the force fetch and see if I could figure out other ways to get him to retrieve. The other thing that works for me is to sit in the yard in a chair, toss the toy. If he wants to continue the game the toy has to be returned. If he doesn't return the toy then I will read and ignore the dog. If after a few minutes the toy is not returned, I would get up and go inside. It doesn't usually take the dog very long to figure out the only way the game continues is to return the toy. The other think to can do is toss the toy and then race the dog to the toy and if you get there first grab it and make a ibig deal out of beating the dog to the toy. |
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Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo), the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo) and the little Princess (Fauna)
Yellow Rose GSPs
"A dog has the soul of a philosopher." - Plato |
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tgatto Lake in the Hills, IL
 MH Posts:411


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| 03/30/2012 7:29 AM |
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Posted By paulmeyer21 on 03/23/2012 1:33 PM
I do plan on using my dog for hunting upland game. I just ordered the Evan Graham Smart Fetch book. What all will I need to train to retrieve? I have a check cord and dummies. Thanks for the help!
COOL! I did not use paint rollers, but I can understand the value - easier to see "Chomping" and other bad mouth habits, and nip them ni the bud before they are problematic. I also agree with Pixie Bee on the 3" rubber, or plastic dummies. Sadie ripped into 3 dummies before I started training to retrieve, and I believe it took an extra month to eliminate some of the bad habits - luckily the bad mouth habits didn't translate to the field on live birds. Using 3" plastic dummies, I was able to weight them with water, which pretty much eliminated any shaking she wanted to do with it. The plastic was also a little more durable than the canvas to start with. Now, after training, we have had the same 3 canvas dummies, which are none the worse for wear (her mouth habits have greatly improved). One did get chewed-up pretty good by our little dog (she aparently wanted to be trained to retrieve them...) .
I also used a home-made force-break buck. It was just a 1 foot length of 1/2" exterior conduit pipe, with 2 "T's" on the ends. I wrapped it with twine in the middle (to encourage holding in the center of the object). This was just to give something else with a little different feel during "Hold" training. |
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It is watching the dogs work that I thoroughly enjoy, and love. I could get by with just watching them work - if it weren't for all the training, and the joy they exhibit when they pick-up, and deilver to hand a bird that they pointed, and you shot. - Todd |
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