Advice on retrieving

springer man

Any advice on this, ive a young pup, 4 months old and ive started doing some small retrieves using a tennis ball or puppy dummy just to get him use to retrieving. I don't overdo it (about once a week) but the pup is running to the ball/dummy and not picking it up.

Any tips?

goz83

Unless someone else has a better idea, you could put a slit in the tennis ball and slip a treat into it. Might encourage the pup to at least wrap its mouth around the ball. They sell balls in the pet shops for this specifically.

Springwell

Start in the house in a hallway (less distractions), sit on the ground so you're down at pups level. Get out the tennis ball, make a big deal of how exciting and wonderful it is, showing it to him but not letting him tough it then roll it 3-4ft away. Pup should run out to get it - recall him as soon as it's in his mouth, the more high pitched and happy you can sound the better. It's all about getting the pup excited about the retrieve item. If tennis balls don't work an old worn sock often does! 2-3 retrieves, twice a week or so at the start and build up his desire to retrieve

Ecotone

You could place the ball in the pups mouth and praise him. Repeat, Let him carry it around. Then try short retrieve after a bit. Worked for me when moving a pup from retrieving a sock to retrieving a dummy.

springer man

Ecotone wrote: »

You could place the ball in the pups mouth and praise him. Repeat, Let him carry it around. Then try short retrieve after a bit. Worked for me when moving a pup from retrieving a sock to retrieving a dummy.

Thank you but this is what I do anyway. My problem is once I do this and the pup runs to the dummy, he doesn't pick it

Ecotone

I saw a video on YouTube before where a trainer would place the sock in the dogs mouth. Hold mouth closed for 5 seconds while rubbing and then give a food treat. After repeating this over time he would put the ball on the ground in front of him and the pup would pick it up to get the food reward. He gradually built up the distance so the pup learned it would be rewarded for picking up the desired object.

deeksofdoom

It's a really smelly sock, something that has your scent on it.
Play with the pup and the sock, tease her with it and get the dog excited about it. Then throw it. You can progress onto a smelly tennis ball after that.

nigelm485

What I have good success with is spitting on it rubbing it in. For tennis ball.

I first use tennis ball with my older bitch and the pup sees what's going on now I've a 13week pup retrieving tennis ball as far as I can throw it. Hope that helps

springer man

deeksofdoom wrote: »

It's a really smelly sock, something that has your scent on it.
Play with the pup and the sock, tease her with it and get the dog excited about it. Then throw it. You can progress onto a smelly tennis ball after that.

+1 to this. Tried this for the last 2 days and has worked a treat. Thanks for the help lads