# My golden Retriever walks back when retreiving Duck?



## jnyman81 (Dec 10, 2008)

My 2 1/2 year old Female golden retriever "sprig" is very slow when retrieving ducks in the rice field. The water is only 10" deep and she has no problem running out to pick up the bird, its just when she comes back with it she takes her sweet time. Its very frustrating sometime especially when There are birds working and I need her to hurry up.

She has no problem running back with a big rooster or a quail and dropping it in my hand. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I could work with her to make her bring them to me faster?


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## gonehuntin' (Jul 27, 2006)

A lot of Chessies and Goldens do this. Once they have the bird, the reward is over and by delivering it to you, they can't have it any more, so they walk back. I'd learn to live with it because I've never seen a reliable way to cure it.

If she's a collar dog and it drives you nuts, you can tap her with the collar whenever she slows down and command HERE, but you'll only have limited success with it.

I'd live with it.


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## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

I don't care what anybody says, that has to be a beautiful sight. Enjoy everday with your hunting partner, they are numbered.


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## Leo Porcello (Jul 10, 2003)

My lab always did the same thing. Ran like heck to get the birds. Took her time getting back. Enjoy the sight!


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## jnyman81 (Dec 10, 2008)

It is a beautiful sight when she is bringing back a big ol green head. I want to thank you all for your replys and advice. I will enjoy every minute I spend with her in the field, even if she is a little slow bringing them back, I guess it could be a lot worse! Thanks and merry xmas too all.


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## BROWNDOG (Nov 2, 2004)

> I guess it could be a lot worse


For sure, Iv'e seen some walk out on the retrieve, thats not pretty. Like everyone else said. Be happy with what you have and live with it.


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## irish (Jan 18, 2004)

Seen some dogs do this but not really a big deal ,i have three Chessies
none of them do it . In fact never seen one do that .I allways have to laugh when some one says that they have seen a Chessie do this 
or that and its always negative .

Irish :withstupid:


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## BROWNDOG (Nov 2, 2004)

irish said:


> Seen some dogs do this but not really a big deal ,i have three Chessies
> none of them do it . In fact never seen one do that .I allways have to laugh when some one says that they have seen a Chessie do this
> or that and its always negative .
> 
> Irish :withstupid:


If you have'nt seen one do it then you have not been around it long enough, all breeds do it when enough pressure is put on them, some breeds more than others ( read between the lines) 8)


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## irish (Jan 18, 2004)

I guess what i said was mistaken, what i said was that my dogs don't 
do it and i have been around Chessies all my life . And to me i have 
seen various breeds do this and was never a big deal to me .Now i don't 
hunt test or field trial my dogs just hunt a lot with them .And even if i am with a friend and he has his dog and its not perfect i still would rather 
hunt with a dog than not .I suppose what got the reaction was the I'm with stupid sign !what i meant with that was to condemn one breed that they do that i never get that . It all boils down to you get out of a dog what you put in to it .And as i said before and others have said walking 
back is not a big deal!
:2cents:

Irish


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## jwdinius1 (Dec 14, 2006)

> all breeds do it when enough pressure is put on them,


I was wondering the same question. My choc. lab did it with canadas last weekend. i wasn't sure if it was the cold wheather, high corn stalks, size of the bird or what, or the recent training pressure but he real got lazy the last 20 yards of the retrieve.

so ive backed off the trainign andf went back to marking with bumpers to keep it fun in the wheather!!

Hope it works. :beer:


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## Guest (Dec 12, 2008)

Neither of my Labs do this. In my opinion, she is probably taking her time so you have enough time to get the camera out!


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## jwdinius1 (Dec 14, 2006)

> Neither of my Labs do this. In my opinion, she is probably taking her time so you have enough time to get the camera out!


He did strike the heisman pose one or twice, i guess it didn't dawn on me!!! :beer:


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## tlr (Feb 20, 2008)

My lab does the same thing on pheasants. She cocks her head to the side a little and seems very proud and happy! I guess I enjoy the look on her face. On ducks I suppose it would be a little more frustrating because there usally more birds down. Pheasnts one at a time most of the time and it doesn't make that much of a difference. :lol:


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## Aythya (Oct 23, 2004)

Guess I will weigh in here and echo everybody else, don't sweat the small stuff.

One of the best dogs I ever owned, and maybe the best dog I ever will own was a golden retriever who lacked hustle on the way back. Bugged the crap out of me for a long time but I couldn't change him. I was discussing this with a friend one day and he said, "As long as your dog is helping you more often than not, you have a good dog." Kind of changed my view of things.

Enjoy your dog, slow return and all. I lost my five year old lab suddenly this fall to kidney disease. Wish I had her back, faults and all.


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## cut'em (Oct 23, 2004)

I have a three year old Chessie that runs like hell out and back when hunting. But then when using dummies, she stops about twenty yards out and throws the dummy up in the air , rolls over on it, her feet pointed to the heavens and then grabs it and runs back! Why? I dont know, but she does it every time while training. Then performs great in the goose field. Who Knows what goes through their minds! Gotta luv'em


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## jnyman81 (Dec 10, 2008)

I have a three year old Chessie that runs like hell out and back when hunting. But then when using dummies, she stops about twenty yards out and throws the dummy up in the air , rolls over on it, her feet pointed to the heavens and then grabs it and runs back!

My Dads old dog Drake, half golden and half lab, would do that all the time with the decoys when we would be out in the field when he was younger. He would pick them up, jump around, throw them in the air, but when it was time to hunt he was serious.
I guess they know when its time to play and when its time to hunt.
javascript:emoticon('')

Well in last few days we have really been getting into some ducks. She has made some great retrieves on some cripples. One sailed a half mile down the check and she found him in the weeds. I couldnt be any happier with the way she has been doing even though she is still a little slow bringing them back, I guess it just gives me more time to enjoy it.
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