pup shut down

[duckman1106]

I started my 6 month old lab pup on line drills in order to build up to blinds. He did about as I expected. Got a couple then lost interest, so I put him up. Tried it again a day or two later and he went half way to the bumper, then went to the gate to the back yard. I brought him back and he went to the front door of the house.

I went back to marked retrieves/fun bumpers and he wants nothing to do with it. He goes so far as to go to the back door when I open the front door and call him (we train in the front yard). You would think I beat him with a bumper the way he acts. He really acts like he's afraid of retrieving. He sits and does his obedience, so it really seems as though it's the retrieving that he's spooked about. I tried other things besides bumpers and he didn't even want to go get a hot dog inside a sock.

There has been little to no discipline involved in retrieving so far. I've told him "no" when he went to a bumper and didn't pick it up, or dropped it on the way back. But it wasn't even a very scathing "no". And there has been no physical discipline at all. Furthermore, I haven't heard him yelp as though he got hurt during a retrieve and is scared of that happening again.

So what would kill his retrieve drive so suddenly? It has been suggested that he is teething, but I haven't noticed him not chewing on toys. I realize that Avery hexa bumpers are pretty hard, but he won't get the canvas ones either.

I held off for a week with no work at all, then I threw his favorite toy in the neighbor's yard (in case he associates ours). He went and got it a couple times, so I snuck in a bumper. He got that once, then showed no interest again.

Has anyone else had a pup suddenly shut down for no apparent reason? Do I just try and be patient and let him get over it or is there something else to do?

[wackemnstackem]

duckman,duckman,duckman.............where do I start.........let's 1st start off with..... I'm going to say with a 90% certainty that your dog is teething or has just gotten his adult teeth therefore his gums and teeth will be very sensitive....that is why he wants nothing to do with those bumpers........image that you have 4 or 5 teeth with cavities and I forced you to eat some ice cream you wouldn't like it to much now would you........that is what you doing to your pup right now.....so please stop and give him about 2 weeks off....nothing but O/B work.......next throw those Avery bumpers right in the garbage..they are way to hard especially for a young pup who is teething or has just gotten there adult teeth...get yourself some lucky dog bumpers...very inexpensive, durable and most important very soft...( pm me and I'll tell you where you can get them cheap )......FINALLY,,,,,throw all those books away that you have been reading or read ( don't lie I know you have them...) and get with a current and trial proven training program...like..Mike Lardy's Total Retriever, or Rich Strawski Fowldawgs or Even Grahmans Smartworks..........all very good, up to date, proven training programs for the DIY training......I would also like to add..check around and try to find yourself a local retrieving club to join.....guys and gals that have been thru it before and can help point you in the right direction........

[redlab1]

duckman I think its like wackem said he is pretty young and might be teething. I think he should be over that by now, but you never know because dogs are all different. Keep it simple and fun right now. He should be ready and started on force fetch by now. I would stop throwing bumpers and stuff for him until he has been properly force fetched and I think you'll see a big difference in his retrieving. Hope this helps.

[OneShotWilly]

Better stop and wait like they said or you will ruin retrieving for him for a long time. Just work on OB until done teething/more mature.

[dakotashooter2]

They all are dofferent... When my dog was teething it was all I could do to keep her from chewing up everything she came in contact with. Mine does have a particular Dokken dummy that she will not pick up under any circumstances. She will sniff it and walk away. Any of the other dummies she will retrieve except this one.

[duckman1106]

He seems to be back on track now. I gave him about a week and a half off from retrieving. I haven't tried to start working on blinds and line drills yet (BTW Water Dog is what I use. This system has worked great for my past two retrievers and for other friends as well). I started back to retrieving with his favorite plush/rubber toy a couple days ago. Yesterday he was pretty into it, so I threw a canvas bumper and his Avery true bird a couple times. I had a Dokken dummy, but I think it got chewed up or I lost it somewhere along the way. I plan on meeting up with the local retriever club for additional advice, I've just had things to do on their field days for the last couple months.

[duckman1106]

Here's an interesting twist. I took him back to the front yard (I was trying to get away from the distraction of the other dogs) and he went for the garage door again. Wanted nothing to do with retrieving. I took him directly to the back yard and he was all about it. He's obviously afraid of the front yard and I have no idea why.

[pahunter1]

walk him around the front yard, is there an area he shy's away from???? how is he with no training involved (just play) ? could be something you don't realize, road noise, smell etc... my neighbor has one of those electronic "pest-away" gizmo's in her back yard and Scarlette wants nothing to do with even coming close to the property line... I can't hear it, but obviously she does...
if you think it is the front yard, and want to be certain, try taking him out to a field to "play fetch" this way you can see if it is the "yard issue" or a little deeper than that....
Scarlette will listen / retrieve / force fetch/hold and hand signal like a pro in the comfort of "her familiar yard" and in out training field (vacant lot in back)... but,out in the field she will follow hand signals, and has basic O/B, but she more often than not, will mark & retrieve, but will not come directly back, she wants to run around in a giant circle with a bumper (and real bird) {often 20-50 yards} then heel, and will not hold, she drops at my feet... I have tried continued training, e-collar, and even treats to no avail.
I think it is simply the fact that she gets so excited and rambunctious and expects multiple marks
sometimes, i think they train you more than we train them...

[MichDuckGuide]

The magic trick for me is to bring out a duck wing. A few minutes of teasing and tossing and all is well! Then I tape it to a bumper and its game on!

[cashman]

My hound is a Siberian Husky

Whoppee freakin' doo

I think we're gonna need another Hunting Dog Forum Mod here Sarge...

[redlab1]

duckman this is only my opinion, but I think he is to young to begin to work on blinds and pile work. He should have been work on obedience up until his force fetch began (after he has all his adult teeth) he should also be doing simple retrieves. Much more than that at 6 months and I think your rushing things a bit or jumping ahead on training. If you jump ahead on training it will hurt you in the long run. Have you force fetched him yet ? In most training programs they will have a certain order to train in to keep bad habits from forming and helps the dog with a smooth transition from one step to the next step. Im not trying to be a know it all im just trying to help.