# 6 Month Old Boykin has stopped retrieving - Any suggestions?



## South GA Hunting (Mar 24, 2007)

I am new to this forum, just registered today. I need some help!

I picked up my pup in November, at the time he was 8 weeks old. I spent a lot of time with my new pup just playing and trying to develop a bond. At 15 weeks (January 5th) I took him back to the breeder/trainer where he was to be trained in obedience, force to hold, force retrieve, multiple retrieves (land and water), and blind retrieves. I visited the my pup to observed his progress at about a month into his training. He seemed to love to retrieve at that point. I picked him up yesterday, and basicly he will retrieve about 30% of the time. He is a wonderful little dog and does great with his obedience comands, but he is just not interested in retrieving.

How do I get him back interested in retrieving? Does anyone have any suggestions?


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## tallgrasser (Nov 18, 2005)

6 months old?? You're going too fast. He's just a pup. OB training before 6 months old??? WOW! slow down

And he's probably loosing his teeth and it hurts to pick up the training dummies. All dogs go through that phase when the loose their puppy teeth.

Also, when you practice retrieving always leave the dog wanting more. Don't over do it. Throw the dummy once or twice and stop. Puppies loose interest so fast. Spaniels get bored easy, at least mine did. Wait a few weeks and then throw a dummy just once or twice and see what happens.


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## South GA Hunting (Mar 24, 2007)

You are probably right and I will take your suggestion and not through any dumbies for a few weeks. Still, have you ever seen this before and did the dog come around and begin to want to retrieve again?

Thanks for your response!


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

Yeah I've seen it and you got a good answer. Leave the retrieveing alone for a while, in my opinion a dog should get to hunt his first year before ff.

proir to that let the dog play retrieve and like stated above give him acouple and leave him wanting more, keep it light.

I'm in ga also and have a boykin where did you get yours?

Mine is a retrieveing nut goes crazy when he sees the dummy. He is two and never been FF they are strong natural retrievers, but soft and somewhat stubborn dogs

Mine is laying in bed between me and my wife right now, spoiled little beggar :lol:


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## South GA Hunting (Mar 24, 2007)

I live in Fitzgerald, GA. I got my Boykin from a guy who raises and trains Boykins and other breeds here locally. I sure hope that he comes around. He is a great little dog! Where in GA do you live?


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

Walton country near monroe east of loganville out in the country.
About 30 miles east of atlanta.

What was the guys name you got your dog from?

I cant remember the guy that I got mine from my wife did the deal.

I will ask her the guys name tomorrow I think he was from down your way


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

The guys name is Bennet


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## South GA Hunting (Mar 24, 2007)

I know of seveal dogs that he has trained and all are doing fine. I guess all dogs are different.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

I've been training labs and shorthairs for 30 years, lots of them not just mine and my opinion is its not a good idea to FF a 6 month old spaniel.

Too young for that kind of pressure.

Its the equivalent of a 3-5 year old kid


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## South GA Hunting (Mar 24, 2007)

After this expreince, I will have to agree. My concern is will he ever come around?

When you say "FF", do you mean Force Fetching? Sorry for my ignorance.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

yes FF is the abbreviation for force fetch. The dog should recover just have a lot of play time with him and keep it lite for a while in sevearl weeks try a ball tennis balls work well on small dogs. Bounce it in front of him tease him a little and throw it close if he act like he want to chase it.

If he does let him hold it for a while dont take it away immediately stroke him and tell him hes a good dog, if he drops it pick it up move it back and forth then roll it or short toss it away.

What your trying to do it make it a fun game for him. Play with him.

Everybody is in way to much of hurry nowadays, to give you a frame of reference I expect my dogs to be finished in their third year, its a topic that takes too long to type, in short let a pup be pup.


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## gonehuntin' (Jul 27, 2006)

I'm having a hard time believing what you're saying here. Are you really saying that a professional trainer took a 15 week old puppy and tried to force train and obedience that baby? Before I declare the man incompetent and insane, please clarify this for us.


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## South GA Hunting (Mar 24, 2007)

I'm not interested in running anybody down. I didn't have to let him train my dog. If the approach was wrong, it is as much my fault as his. I'm looking for what I need to do about my current situatuion. From the reponses that I have gotten it appears that I need to just need to back off and give him some time and he will come around. Thank you all for your help!

I really like this forum. I think I may hang around.


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## CrashinKona (Mar 5, 2007)

Sounds like your on the right track now. Have fun and enjoy the pup while he is a puppy. Like everybody said. he is a pup and will get bored fassssssssst. I use grouse scent on my tennis balls just to encourage my pups to go after the ball.. they can chew on their toys but not tennis balls or the dummies because of the scent. :beer:


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## tallgrasser (Nov 18, 2005)

I'm no expert on spaniels but the one I had trained and the many books I've read indicated that training a spaniel is different than the retriever breeds. Once they get the idea of what you want them to do you'll need to change things up occasionally to keep them interested. Where as a lab, generally, will fetch a tennis ball as you're arm holds out. And the fetching of a training dummy isn't as important as fetching game. Wait a season to see how your pup does. I bet once he gets feathers or fur in his mouth things will be different. Good luck


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## boykinhntr (Mar 11, 2006)

I sent you a PM


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## South GA Hunting (Mar 24, 2007)

Thanks! Great info! I feel much better now that I have a plan. I will keep you posted.

Thanks Again


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## kgpcr (Sep 2, 2006)

SLOW DOWN!! I cant beliver that a trainer who knew anything about training at all would start OB at that age! Have fun you have plenty of time.


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