# Not picking up geese???



## cut'em (Oct 23, 2004)

Well had my Chesapeake out on her first hunt she's about nine months old I knew ahead of time that she might break early out of her blind so I opted to not shoot and hold her tight in mine. The first flock came in honking like mad and thats all she needed to hear out of the blind her head pops and she watched the birds drop in our faces I couldn't keep her still Luckily the shooting began and when the smoke cleared there were two birds on the ground I sent her and she chased down a fast cripple and attacked it but wouldn't carry it back, She did the same on the other bird run up to it, try to pick it and give up. She works great with pigeons and dummies is it that she's not strong enough for a goose? she weighs 60 lbs. I frooze one bird to work with this weekend.


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## Sasha and Abby (May 11, 2004)

She is nine months old. What did you expect? Has she ever seen a goose? I didn't think so... Work her on a goose before you EXPECT her to pick one up or get in a fight with a cripple.


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## cut'em (Oct 23, 2004)

Where exactly in my post did I mention I EXPECTED her to pick it up? She did everything I knew she would why do think I kept her with me I expected her to break out. I'm just looking for some simple advice as I didn't have a dead goose on hand to introduce her to prior to her first hunt other than the family on my pond that she watched all summer long So yes she has seen a goose before yesterday. And now I have a dead goose to work her with.


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## gonehuntin' (Jul 27, 2006)

I force all of my dogs, but if you don't that's fine. Don't freeze the goose. If it's soft, it'll be easier for her to pick it up. Make it fun. Swing the bird around, blow your goose call, throw the bird. Cheer her on and make it fun. You're damn lucky you didn't get a badly wounded bird that just beat the living hell out of her. I've seen dogs that would never pick up a gosse again because they had been beaten so bad by one when a pup. Send her only for the dead ones until she's retrieving reliably for you. Her retrieving a live goose is kind of like you stepping into the ring with a professional boxer and you with no training. She needs a little prep. I'd also start her on pheasant and mallard from a game farm and work her up slowly to the goose. Think.


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## Goon (Apr 3, 2005)

My lab didn't retrieve a honker until he was almost two years old.
I think its more of a size issue, his first opportunity he swam out to it poked it with his nose and swam off to shore. The second one he brought back to the shore and left it in the bull rushes, the last one he brought all the way in. Its all about learning and repition. I think you are luck that the goose didn't kick the crap out of your pup, but it sounds as if she is proressing nicely.


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## cut'em (Oct 23, 2004)

I got to make it clear when I sent her both birds were on the ground and appeared dead When the one got up to take off it was too late for me to stop her (Still working on the remote sit thing). I thought "OH NO" and ran behind her but she beat me to it and jumped it as it was taking flight Luckily it was a juvenile bird.


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## jonesy (Aug 3, 2006)

Cut em'....if he/she is trying to do a good job naturally.....when you have a dead one, take and give her a couple chances at home.....put it up, and try later...he/she will try to please you, it might take a little work, but patience, as soon as it gets it mouth on, woo hoo, encourage......dogs read your eyes, touuch, voice..........the cripples ...watch, the kickin wont be as bad as a wing flopping across the nose, on a young dog. This make sense?? Cya JonesyThem big boys....I always to my guys, .......if ya think ya can kill em, when they are coming in, and landin gears down....count to 5!! :lol: :lol:


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## CDK (Aug 1, 2005)

The 1st thing you have to do is train the pup to get use to carrying a bigger heavier object. Start small and work your way up I've use peices of wood; start with a stick and work your way up to a goose sized log or Doken goose keep it fun and exciting, if she is tackling cripples at 9 months she'll be bringing them back in no time with a little training. FF is always an option too.


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## Jared Vergeldt (Apr 4, 2006)

I wouldn't even think twice on it. Some of these guys are right. My first lab was an excellent retriever on anything, yet wouldn't pick up a goose till about the 10th one shot over him. Not sure why some do that. The size of the bird may be distracting to them. Good idea to freeze one. Let your dog drag/carry around yard for a couple weeks. I did this with my current lab before she ever hunted and she retieved the first 5 geese shot over her. Give your dog time, all things come together with experience.


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## davenport wa. (Feb 11, 2006)

what about using a boat bumper with wings attached? the white bumper is pretty big comparted to the aveage throw dummy, and a guy could add sand to the boat bumper as needed<bob (it can take a while for the light to come on. we use labs for picken up birds , and spooken out of fields for years, some times it quite a while before they will pick up a big bird, my mix lab is smart he opens his kennel to get out<


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## Goon (Apr 3, 2005)

My yellow lab which is almost three won't pick up a Goose on the land, he will retrieve them in water, yesterday I shot a hutchinson goose (small Canadian Honker) and my dog went and started dragging it out of the bull rushes. During field hunts this season he still wont retrieve them. I think he might be little scared of them or maybe one has kicked the crap out of him I don't know. Most of the geese we shot this year are in the 12 pound range and that is a big bird. That's probably a 1/7 of his weight.


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