# PUPPY TRAINING ADVICE WANTED



## dickera (Feb 24, 2012)

I have a lab puppy almost 4 months old. She does not have a very strong drive to retrieve yet or be in the water is this normal? Any advice to fix this? Thank you


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## dickera (Feb 24, 2012)

I have done obediance as far as sit stay come and heal. Shes retrieves but not very often and is nearly impossible to motivate her to retrieve when she is not in the mood for it.


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## coyote sniper (Apr 15, 2009)

Evan Grahams smart works dvds/books are very helpful and informational. Kinda spendy but worth it. Maybe she needs to be taught force fetch. I am by no means a dog trainer though!!!!! Good luck!!!!


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## dickera (Feb 24, 2012)

thanks ill look into it


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## 94NDTA (May 28, 2005)

Don't be alarmed that your 4 month old isn't retrieve happy. Mine didn't go crazy about it till about a year old. This is not uncommon. At this point, keep it fun, and try your best not to "snatch it" from your dog to cause keep away. One of the best pieces of advise I have ever been told was to simply praise them and pet on them if they bring something back to you (as a pup). This will help eliminate keep away (because it is no longer a game) and enforce how fun fetch can be.


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## BROWNDOG (Nov 2, 2004)

As stated not to worrie YET, if the dog is around a year old and still has little desire to retrieve and work then you most likely have a nice pet on your hands. Some dogs mature at different stages, yes I like to see alot of desire at 8 weeks, and be fairly well along by the time there your pups age but that doesn't always happpen. Keep it fun, has the puppy been exposed to a live wing clipped pigion yet? If not I would try that. and when the puppy does finally start to retrieve stop while he/she still wants more. i would still be working on general OB at this time but not where it involves a retrieve, untill the puppy is wild about retrieving. And no the puppy is not ready to FF, we don't force fetch our dog to make them retrieve, we ff our dogs to accept pressure and learn how to deal with it, delivery to hand,and proper handling of birds, goes along with it, if I have to FF a dog to make it retrieve it's not worth the time. The time to FF a puppy is when there crazy about retrieving.

A very good ( the best) puppy program out there is by Bill Hillman " training a retriever puppy, best $100 you every will spend on a puppy.

Best of luck

Todd


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## Quincy (Jul 27, 2010)

Take the live clipped wing pigeon advice! I had similar issues/concerns with my lab as a pup last year..........got 3 pigeons, tossed em for him,....problem solved. You got her to retrieve birds, get her some birds.

Good Luck


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## dickera (Feb 24, 2012)

Thansk for the great advice i have got her on live birds and she has the drive to chase them but wont pick them up unless they are dead then she will retreive them. her drive is a little better but still not really strong, but she is using her nose a lot more.


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## Chaws (Oct 12, 2007)

Dogs all have noses, make this super easy, super high level of success. Hold onto the dog and hand throw the pigeon in the yard.


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