2 year old springer still not retrieving

temujin

hi, i have a 2 year old springer spaniel and he has a serious problem with retrieving on water. If a duck lands anywhere more than 25 yards out on the water he'll swim half way and then turn back.even if he retrieves across a canal he's inclined to take a moment to get into the water and then when he picks up the dummy he walks around the far bank with no real urgency to bring it back and on occasion has just left it there. It's actually almost shocking because he's an outstanding hunter for woodcock and for hunting cover and you'd think how could such a confident hunter be so bad with water. I have another older springer who can be a bit of a bully as he's mad for retrieving but he's getting old now. i wondered if he has had much of an effect on the younger one but then the younger one will retrieve fine on land. He just seems to show very little interest, as if i throw a dummy he looks away at the crucial moment. in fairness to the dog he never really got many birds as unfortunately the duck numbers have decreased significantly in the last few years here in the west of Ireland. It's an awful situation to be out at the lake as i was this morning and to have had to leave a shot duck behind because of this issue and not having the older one with me. Would anybody have any solutions or tips on how i can fix this or is he a lost cause? thanks.
i also have posted this on THL and IRISHSHOOTER if anyone wants to read some replies there as well.


he's the one on the left here with his full brother

quicko

Could you find a training area where the water is shallow enough for you to wade out with the dog on a lead to the dummy. Don't give him the chance to refuse to enter the water or turn back. Somewhere with no flow or waves , flat entry I.e no banks to jump down or climb up.

Ronnie Beck

I would start from scratch. Get a wetsuit/ kayak waders or some way to get across a canal or calm river and leave him on the other bank. See what he does first. encourage him to cross over if he doesn't come on his own. Use a long llead if he's looking for a crossing point. When he does eventually cross wait a bit and cross back over give him loads of pets and head off. Do this a few times a week and then start introducing retrieves. short ones first and build it up. Try to progress as slowly as you can between now and next season. Its always tempting to fire a tennis ball 30 yards out. Increase the retrieves by a yard a week. Get a big floaty canvas dummy that brightly coloured and sits high in the water. Throw them upwind too. If they cant see it or smell it they will turn back. Sea water is warmer than freshwater. The beach in late summer is the best spot to get their confidence up. Get in yourself in a pair of shorts and let them follow. Good luck.

cavan shooter

My Springer is a great hunter but is slow on the retrieves however on the first of September he came good. I dropped a duck in front of him and he retrieved it no bother. He is 3 year old. It was my fault with my lad in that I bored him stiff on dummies and when he was younger spent more time on discipline and hunting. I honestly believe you need to drop more birds in front of him if you want him to retrieve. Dummies are grand but they are not the real thing. Persevere, it will come right

Ronnie Beck

cavan shooter wrote: »

My Springer is a great hunter but is slow on the retrieves however on the first of September he came good. I dropped a duck in front of him and he retrieved it no bother. He is 3 year old. It was my fault with my lad in that I bored him stiff on dummies and when he was younger spent more time on discipline and hunting. I honestly believe you need to drop more birds in front of him if you want him to retrieve dummies are grand but they are not the real thing. Persevere, it will come right

You just cant beat a duck crashing into the water right in front of them.

Took my pup out for ducks for the first time last week. We sat there for 3/4 of a hour with nothing happening, but she was very alert watching all the geese and waders flying past. She was getting a bit distracted by the cold tide coming in so I tried to get her to sit and stay on a small bit of grass beside us. Just then 'bang' my mate shot a teal about 25 yards out in the water. She didn't see it at all. Wind was the wrong direction and I haven't done any blind retrieves on water so she'd no interest and only went out about 10 yards and turned back. I was left wondering what if she'd seen it

cavan shooter

Irwins book on training springers explains how a dog sees things from his perspective. Sometimes he doesn't see it. Its the scent that will egt him in on the retrieve. I shot two woodcock this weekend and he retrieved, but not as per the regimental straight over and sit and preeee-sent. What do you want from your Dog?.

My lad pulled a winged woodcock from brambles walked around me three or four times proud as punch then came up to me with it and after a bit of patting and scratching gave it to me. No marks on the bird last night when I dressed it.

I am happy with him, he is a good dog good pet and does me just fine..

TriggerPL

id take her off hunting woodcock and keep her on duck for a while ,

try and get a duck and simulate a night flight , have some one with you and throw the duck from behind you fire a shot and let the duck hit the water about 10 yards out .

remember finish on a good one if she does it once that it give her praise and put her back into the car . then try it again few nights later .

by keeping her from hunting other game she will realise that this is the only game she is getting and she'll go for it

it could be the older dog taking all the retrives has put her off it in the water ?

it she never retrives no matter what you do , keep her for woodcock or pheasent or advertise her there are lots of people that dont duck shoot at all that she would suit