Tips on water retrieving & confidence building

[matthew snelling]

Hi, has anyone got any tips that could help me train my 12 month old weimaraner. During the summer we didnt have a problem retrieving from the water,and she has been fine for the start of duck season and only the last few weeks she has become abit hesitant when retrieving from the water and is taking alot of encouragement to get her to retrieve. i understand that she is a young dog and she doesnt fully know what i am wanting from her. She is a soft dog and i only need to raise my voice and she will cower and lay down, how can i get past this? Yet she is happy to play at home with the dummy when we play fetch and she never has a problem with the retrieve. im wondering if it is my gun that has frightened her or if anyone can tell me what it might be and how to help her get confidence when out in the field. She doesnt run or cower when shots are fired just hesitant to retrieve. She is more confident when i have her on a lead when out in the field. If not on the lead she tends to fall behind. Should I have her on the lead when out or not as i have had people tell me not to.

[Gareth Tawton]

Hi Matt,

No matter what the breed there is a big difference between retrieve drive for a ball in the back yard and that required for a testing swim in the winter months. Without seeing your dog I suspect she is a bit light on for drive when the cold water comes. Given her young age I would not push the water issue in the winter months. In the next few months spend plenty of time making retrieving fun on land without to much pressure. Then return to water work next summer after you have really built up her drive.

It might also be worth investing in a neoprene wetsuit for her before next duck season.

The Vic Gundog Club will probably have some sort of training days over the summer but nothing for the next few months as the trial season heads into the various state and national champs.

Hope that helps,

Gareth

[Diane McCann]

Matthew, if she is not cowering or reacting to the sight and sound of the gun then it is not likely to be the gun, if she is happy to retreive on land then it is not likely to be the retrieve, so that means it is likely to be the water or the ducks that are the issue. If she is happy to pick up a wounded duck on land then it is not likely to be the duck so it ends up being the water. She may just be finding it too cold and doesnt find the retrieve reward enough for the pain of the cold water. As Gareth said, make her retrieves a great deal of fun, getting her really going hell for leather and having a ball, then when the water warms up a bit do the same thing with short swims, shallow water and build her up. Do not create a battle on the waters edge and do not keep asking her to do something that she refuses. Good luck

[matthew snelling]

Thanks for the advice hi Diane iv been out with
My dog a few more times over the last few weeks Since
Posting My dilemmaWith my dog The problem seems to happen
on the first retrieve of the day But once I have convinced her to
get in the water she seems to come good It is a bit frustrating because
in summer time I cannot keep her out of the water I think you may have
a good point Diane with the water being cold
Just hope she gets passed this I've never had to train a gun dog before
I've had hunting dogs in the past and still have but training a gundog is a bit of a challenge
And I know getting frustrated with my dog is no good for nobody
And I can see that she can see the frustration in my face But my
frustration is with my self and my inexperience at training dogs just wish I knew
more but we will just keep trying until we get it that's the fun of it! And I do enjoy watching her learn new things and knowing that I taught those things to her Makes me feel good