I have a 4 month old lab that won't retrieve, she really doesn't seem to have much interest in it, sometime she will run over to the item, but that is it.

Is there anything that I can try to help her get on her way?

the last 2 dogs I've had seemd to have some retrieving drive the first few weeks I had them then they turn off a bit around 4 mo. I was thinking that maybe I was trying too much with them, so I cut out retrieving almost all together for a couple weeks. The dog I have now has almost too much retirieving drive and turned into a machine(almost 2 yo now).

SO basically how much retrieving play are you doing with your pup?

Maybe 1 or 2 times a week, been really working on the obidence part of it, shes good on sit, stay, heel, and down, but the retrieving is a mystery to me.

Just keep on trying. Try throwing her favorite toy down a hall way in your house. That way there's nothing to distract her.

I had a dog I raised for a gal out in California and he wouldn't retrieve a duck until 9 months. He's QAA and running the Open in field trials now.

Don't worry too much about it.

Angie

MAKE IT FUN. don't worry about steadying or anything right now, that will kill their drive. hold it up in the air make them jump for it and get them really excited, then throw it. Get their drive up before making them sit and stay before they go get it.

Also keep it to only 2-3 retrieves per session. Build the excitement and then leave them begging for more rather than pushing them too far and souring them a bit.

very few retreives

watch for teething to start it could be hurting to pick up whatever you are tossing

I have a 2 month old lab i would like to train for next season too. Is there a dvd or book that i can turn to for reference? There was a post a while back but i can't seem to find it.

man there's a ton out there! Get your a few different ones by different people. See which one you like the best and go with it I like Evan Graham!

Thanks ill look into some of the stuff Evan has and ill go from there.

X2

+1 I would stop all obedience. Too young. Worry about all the steadying and sitting stuff till later. No obedience or anything during play/retrieving. If you want to work obedience, do that in a totally different place and a different time than play/retrieving. If you work obedience and retrieving in the same area, pup will think it needs to spend time doing obedience instead of retriving.

Eric W.

I loved this comment. We make retrieving a game until & thru the time our pups are old enough to begin obedience (around 10 weeks.) But we do not add the obedience to the retrieving drills until they are at almost 4 months. We keep the two separate. Fun bumpers happen in the yard. Obedience drills happen on our ranch road (structured, defined edges - sends a visual cue to pup.) 'REAL' retrieving happens in the fields/at the ponds. After pup has it all down, we begin to merge the components. We never stop the fun bumpers. We make sure obedience happens in places other than the road. The REWARD for good obedience, once solid, is the retrieve. The reward for good retrieving is fun bumpers. Always quit leaving pup wanting more.