# Goose retrieval problems



## aboller (Dec 24, 2006)

I have a female black lab who is 4 years old. She is my best buddy in the world and I hunt her all the time for ducks, geese and phesants. By no means is she a champion but overall a good dog. She does almost everything I want her to do except one thing, retrieve a canada goose. She has retrieved hundreds of phesants , ducks and even specks and snows / blues but I have never in 4 years been able to get her to retrieve a big canada goose in the feild. Overall she is a timid dog but not usually with retrevals, except for the canada goose. I know she can physically do it because she is about 75 lbs. I have tried everything I can think of. I have bought the largest canada dummys I can find, and she brings it back field or water no problem. resently I have also been throughing her a bigfoot canada decoy and she also retrieves it fine, but a little slower because it is so awkward. When I watch her try to retrieve a real canada it looks like she thinks it is to big and she cant do it, she has trouble finding a place to grab on to where the goose is in a retrievable position in her mouth. Any help or advise would be great as goose hunting is my passion and I would love to have a dog that can retrieve a big canada.
Adam


----------



## verg (Aug 21, 2006)

Sounds like you have been working her hard. A lot of times those dokken goose dummies do the trick but it sounds like its not for you. (do you have one of those?) Hard to do now but this fall when you shoot a goose, clip wings off and attach to the goose dummy (if you have one). I also like to freeze a few birds each year to use in the next summer to keep the dog fresh. Keep a goose (smaller one) and go through same retrieval training you do with dummies but gradually add the goose in. Sometimes in the yard they're less aprehensive. I have done this with all my dogs and have had success. But, it would be nice fo you to have access to birds now.


----------



## griffman (Jan 17, 2004)

Sounds like she may have had a bad experience with a big Canada at one time. Lot's of dog's get "beat up" as pups and remember it for a long time!

I'd see if I could get a few big farm raised geese and train with them. Duct tape the mouth and wings so it can't attack the dog. It may take some time and coaxing, but the dog should become comfortable with the big bird after a few tries. Then I'd let one wing loose and repeat. Then a wing and the mouth...etc....

You could start by using a dead one first too. Whatever works! If you think it's mostly a timidness issue, a dead bird may work better. But the taped bird may add more enthusiasim. I think as long as you are ensuring the dog is not being attacked you are building her confidence while dealing with big birds.

I wouldn't push the issue with her, just let her feel it out on her own, with that many retrieves under her belt, she knows what to do!

Having another dog in the area to "finish" the retrieve if she fails to do so, can be a great tool. Give your dog the chance to get the bird, if she doesn't, send the other dog and praise the other dog while ignoring your dog....repeat process...competition is a huge helper sometimes. It may also help your dog learn there is nothing to be "scared" of.

Hopefully she's soft mouthed!

Good luck!


----------



## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

IF the lab had a beard it would retrieve bobcats :lol: live ones, well alive atleast half way back :wink:

Watch this


----------



## griffman (Jan 17, 2004)

Bobm said:


> IF the lab had a beard it would retrieve bobcats :lol: live ones, well alive atleast half way back :wink:
> 
> Watch this


 :lol:


----------



## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

I'm going to presume from your post that your dog has not been FF/CC, as if it had you would have all ready corrected this refusal problem. This is exactly the reason to FF/CC, so that you have a means to correct a refusal. What & when it retrieves is not the dog's choice, it's your command.

Right now to your dog, retrieving is a self reinforcing fun game to be played if & when it feels like it, not a task to be done quickly and efficiently on command. Geese aren't fun, so it refuses to retrieve them.
Sooner or later, it will refuse other birds or in training, bet on it.

Without a means to correct a refusal, your only option is attrition training. Essentially repeat the task until you wear down your dog's resistance to doing it. It's going to take time & patience on your part. Baby steps, and praise your dog when it does good. Griffman has some good suggestions that might or might not help.

Personally, I would consult a pro trainer and get your dog FF/CC. Even if you get your dog to retrieve a goose through attrition, sooner or later, it will refuse a retrieve again. When that happens you will be in the same boat, without a tool to correct the problem.

Again, retrieving is at your command, not if the dog feels like it....


----------



## gonehuntin' (Jul 27, 2006)

Before you try anything else, I'd try jealousy. It's a powerful force with all females. Get a large and very dead, farm goose. Have a couple of your friends bring their labs. Toss the goose and keep yours on a lead. Let them retrieve the bird and make sure they pet their dogs and make a big deal of them retrieving the goose. When your's is whimpering and straining at the lead, turn her loose and see what happens. If she doesn't retrieve, put her back on the lead and let the other dog's retrieve again. See what happens. I strongly suspect that as a pup you let a goose beat the crap out of her. Everyone seems to start them on wild birds too young. I never let a young, inexperienced dog retrieve a live goose.


----------



## honkbuster3 (Jan 11, 2006)

Bobm said:


> IF the lab had a beard it would retrieve bobcats :lol: live ones, well alive atleast half way back :wink:
> 
> Watch this


   :beer:


----------



## DakotaDog72 (Sep 27, 2005)

Does she attempt to carry it or does she refuse to retrieve. Both very different things.

If she tries but cant, I would say she doesn't like carrying 10-12 lbs geese in her mouth. A dokken fowl trainer will help IF she is FF. She may need to build up strength in you jaws to do so.

If she won't even touch it, then I would say it was a bad experience, then I would get some farm raised geese and work her that way.


----------



## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

What GH said is what I would try first.

I've successfully used jealousy and competitiveness between dogs to get dogs to do stuff they were reluctant to do lots of times.

It requires no additional training just a set up and let dogs be dogs.


----------



## aboller (Dec 24, 2006)

Thanks for all of your input guys I will appreciate all of your advise. I will definately try the sugestions.
Adam


----------

