8 Week Old Luke Retrieving

Thoughts, suggestions?

Thanx,
Daniel

Good looking puppy! Im by no means an expert, or even experienced... my puppy is just a few weeks ahead of yours!

I would suggest doing most of his retrieving in a hallway for now getting him used to chasing and having to come back to you. That worked really well with my puppy to begin with and now he'll return to me outside when I throw retrieves. Also, I'd develop a "fun bumper" word from the beginning... I know some people say "Hey, hey!" or "hup, hup!"... we did that from the beginning and it was so much easier for him to learn the difference between fun bumpers and retrieves that he needed to sit and be steady for.

Good luck! He looks like he'll be lot of fun!

I used a sweeze toy on Dee when she was that age . Lot softer on their mouth and made noise to get em excited

Not a pro either. Maybe one will chime in.
I would attach feathers to the bumper. They make it a little more exciting for the pup. Move to the hall like was already said. Shorter retrieves and only two or three at a time.
I only praise for the correct out come. If the pup doesn't retrive I say nothing.
Pups learn by trial and error. If I praise the unwanted behavior how is he to know it from the other.

Don't want to come off as being harsh, but your puppy is scared of you. Very afraid to do the 'wrong thing' - and he doesn't even know what that is, let alone what the 'right' thing is. My initial read on the situation is that you REALLY want the pup to retrieve and are frustrated, if not aggravated that it isn't coming together. If I can read it on the video, the pup surely read it directly from you and is shying from the pressure. Dogs are experts when it comes to body language. The pup is trying to escape and when you don't let him, he is shutting down. I had someone else who trains dogs watch this and their reaction was identical to mine in the same exact places by 1:57 into the video. The puppy is only 8 weeks old. There IS a way to get what you want out of him, but this isn't it. I'm just being frank because I see so much that needs to change.

We just picked up a puppy that was whelped in mid-December (free, the breeder needed to get rid of him to make room for new litters.) 4 months old and he had hardly ever been out of his pen, let alone interacted with humans or did any activity whatsoever. We had him retrieving in water 2 days later. I'll get the video up on YouTube as soon as I can and post it, maybe it will help.

In the meanwhile, send me a PM. Now is the time to fix this or you may crush the pup's drive (he has drive.) Again, I'm sorry if this seems harsh, I try not to be, but I'm seeing it from Luke's point of view. You can also visit our website and get the contact info to call or email me. I'd love to help little Luke.

x2. Looks like you are way over doing it for that pup. Even dog in prime, training sessions are 10 retrieves max.. For that pup, I would have a very small, light, fussy fun toy for pup to retrieve. 2 or 3 retrieves a day, and put it up when pup is begging for it. Switch it out for a bumper later when pup is older. Get yourself a retriever puppy DVD ASAP... This would be a good one..

http://www.gundogsupply.com/smartwork-puppy-program-dvd.html

Thanx for all the feedback...I'll take it to heart. Wouldn't have put the video up if I didn't want the feedback

Regarding a puppy DVD, I've watched Bill Hillmann's Training a Retriever Puppy...guess I need to watch it again

Looks like a common theme that less is more, so I'll make sure to dial it back a bit.

Iron Spike, I'll definitely shoot you a PM, as I'd like to get on the right track as soon as possible.

Thanx again to all.

kruzie that's a great attitude!

We all want to get our pups going strong and it's hard to dial it back. Dawn (Iron Spike) will do you right!

Stay tuned in here - we all want to see you and your pup grow!

Best Wishes!

x2 and... Thanks Brian! Videos are great but where I hear from folks most is when the dog in front of you doesn't respond to the drill like the dog in the video (and you are not alone in this, Kruzie - that happens a lot!) If you've not seen it (or something similar) time and time again with other dogs, you're stuck right there. Troubleshooting with others who are familiar with these obstacles helps connect those disjointed dots so you & pup can keep moving forward.

Dawn, your PM was full so I sent you a message via Facebook.

Also, a bit about me. This is my second dog. The first, a yellow female, passed away last October at the age of 11. I had her JH and we had 2 SH runs in which she passed all but the honor both times. That's about the time kid #2 came along and we got out of the game.

So I do have some experience, but it's been a while since I trained a pup, and every pup is a bit different. We're having a blast with this little guy so far and want to get back into hunting with him and hunt tests.

Thanx in advance for all the advice

Kruzie I just watched your video and read up on the post from others. I agree with Ironspikes, right now is the most important time in your pups life. This is the bonding time and building stage. Everything needs to be a game and fun for the pup as soon as he gets bored and does not want to play stop the session. If this is your first dog best advice I can give would be get on a program such as smart works by Even Graham or something else. Another thing I would suggest is look into an area retriever club such as a HRC club.

I've incorporated much of the feedback. I don't have a hallway avail, but I moved to an area of the yard that is somewhat long an narrow. Also switched from the canvas dummy to plush goose that squeaks. I am also only doing 3 retrieves. I did 3 last night and 3 this morning. He went out and got all 6 and brought 5 of them back to me. Got away from me on one of them this morning and wanted to run around the yard with it. I let him, until he laid down with it. I commanded COME and he did, without the goose.

I've looked at Smart Works before. I thought it started a little further down the process, but maybe not. I'll have to check it out again.

I've been a member of the Waterloo club here in Austin in the past, and plan to join again (if they'll have me)

I'll try to put up another video soon.

Thanx all

It is a little of a drive but you are welcome to join us at Ravensway HRC. The smart works puppy program is great I use smart works program and a few other things that I have learned from the pros in my club. One thing that I have used and is in smart works is a paint roller until the pup gets alittle older. The are soft and easy on the puppys mouth not to mention cheap. Best of luck to you and your pup.

If you've already got Hillman's DVD, stick with it (best puppy video out there in my opinion). I don't use paint rollers with puppies; I either use 2" bumpers, Avery Teal or Dokken Dove. They are small enough the puppies can pick them up with no problems. Also, if you've got access to pigeons (live is best), throw one for him. Another thing, when the pup comes back with the bumper, let him hold on to it for a while. Pet and love on him while he's holding it. Then you can take it from him and throw again.

x2. Not sure I have ever seen this recommended in any DVD, but is something I have always done and just makes sense. That is pup’s prize. Stroke pup and bumper at same time (there is a cool connection there), pup learns you are not trying to take its prize, develops trust in you.....

i would say do it in a small area like a hallway with all the doors shut and no destractions and when he retrieves it show him your excitement

Exactly! We work with a lot of pups and we never reach for the bumper first. We wrap our arms around the pup, secure the bumper in his jaw - so he learns not to drop it and to encourage him to hold it. Then we love on the puppy a bunch before saying "give", so that it becomes the norm for pup to hold the bumper until he hears "give." Pups always know it is the PUPPY, not the "prize" we are interested in. We let the pups bask in their 'glory' before taking the bumper. Also, it's key how you REACH for it. We never reach from top down - but we always bring our hands up from under pup's jaw, so they don't see a hand coming. Submissive or respectful pups will immediately release anything they are holding when a hand comes at them on a downward (dominant) angle. This is a key ingredient as to why so few of our dogs are ever force fetched. It just becomes a habit (conditioned into them) to hold onto the bumper until there is a rewarding hand and the command "give." Even when they try a 'fly-by' and a 'run-off', they just run in circles, not knowing what to do with it, until they finally find a human hand to put it in.

Luke did a great job this morning Used the plush goose, moved to the sideyard (closest thing we have to a hallway), and put him on two leashes connected together. Went straight out on the first retrieve, picked it up, I gave him a COME and pulled him in. He did three more where he went straight out, picked it up, and came back. I let him hang on to it when he got back to me and gave him LOTS of praise. We worked on heels and sits a bit and then were done. Re-watching the Hillman DVD, I noticed he said his sessions are almost always in the morning when the pup is most active and only one session a day. The video I posted was in the afternoon. No video this morning as the wife was sleeping in

It's been quite a while since I've posted...got busy I guess. I just wanted to post an update:

Luke Water Retrieve - 7 Months

This was about a month ago. I'm hoping to run him in a junior test the first week of Nov.

Looks Great! He sure has grown up! Nice looking pup!

Well, 7 months later and Luke's got his JH. We passed 4 out of 4

Congratulations!! That's fantastic!!!

Angie