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well this is how it is. I have a 9mth old black lab who will not go into the water to retrieve on dry land 100% no problem. I have tried the thing on the leash lets go for a walk that's ok tried bringing a older rertreiver to show her this is the way it's done. nope nothing works. I am lost I need
I'm no dog trainer but I had the same issue with my female choc. lab .
I waded, swam etc. and even tossed the ball through puddles and small streams before it finally clicked. I began to think I was the only one to have a lab that wouldn't swim or be comfortable in the water.
I attribute her reluctance to having fallen in at an early age into frigid water and me having a difficult time getting her out due to a downed tree in the water.
It all worked out due to helping her overcome that fear and some maturity on her part.
Swim with her, after she has been for a long hot walk (with no water). Ahort retrieves at first right at the shore and building them as she gains confidence.
deb
That's unreal. My girl is bananas about water. In fact sometimes I wish she wasn't. She feels the need to jump in every ditch no matter how gross they are..lol
http://i808.photobucket.com/albums/z...pszet6zdww.jpg
I probably contributed some to her reluctance by being over protective and trying to prevent her from entering the water without my ok.
Just too dangerous back when she was a pup with all the gators.
Here, she just jumps in as soon as we get near water.
Forget about the retrieves and focus on making water fun. Go in for a swim with her. Put your trunks on and wade in with her, praising her and having fun. My dog routinely goes swimming with the family this time of year. He'll go off shore or jump off the boat and swim in the middle of the lake for hours with us (he never tires, I do feel that swimming tires him a bit more than running does). Perfect time of year right now - its hot and water temps are warm. Get in there!Quote:
Originally Posted by DDT
hi everyone. I have tried the lets spend a day at the beach but no. never was she forced to go in the water. on dry land she is perfect but water well she will sit oh so nice and wait for the bumber to float to her. it may take the better part of the day but she will wait. I hope she gets it soon but for now I just shake my head. she knows left, right, sit, stay out all by the whistle and hand but water I am confused. thanks all I guess we just keep working. ya gotta have a since of humour training dogs but when you put a experience dog out to show her how it's done and she still won't do it guess who's tail is between their legs
Ok u stated that u where over protective of the dog and let it go do to gators how u inforced that maybe the cause or another thing that could be a factor is the size of body of water it may intemadte the dog . So put the dog on a lead ( check cord) and U wade out into the water and encourage it to come tug lightly on the cord DONT DRAG THE DOG IN . Most dogs have a strong need to be with the master so when your out there pump the dog up toss dummies ducks whatever it takes but don not let it float away keep it in your control so the dog want its it has to come to u . If the pup steps forward and gets a toe nail wet give positive praise and keep going even if only get it to get a paw wet . Once this session is over don not give it any land retrieves as it will figure out that it gets reward on land so work strictly on water . Have u done any other training with the dog.
When all else fails food usually works. Buy a package of weiners and keep feeding them to her as you back into the water. Never heard of a lab pass up food. Then praise the hell out of her and treat her again. Bet she's swimming like a beaver in no time.
Damned Labradors, they do have nice looking noggins. Bet she gets away with lots of things.Quote:
Originally Posted by bellerivercrossbowhunter
Naw Terry, you can't teach a dog to swim by using hot dogs. That will never work. You have to use Cheetos.......they float.
My idiot will do anything for a hotdog. But the floating Cheetos thing does make sense.........
[QUOTE=overtheir;980954]Ok u stated that u where over protective of the dog and let it go do to gators how u inforced that maybe the cause or another thing that could be a factor is the size of body of water it may intemadte the dog .
I think we are talking about two different people here. The original poster and skypilot
anyways DDT be patient and make it as fun and exciting for the pup. Leave the training and commands while your attempting to get him in the water. As mentioned already throw the shorts on and go wading in the shallows and tempt him to play. I had a yellow that would wine and watch the others swim then one day it clicked and she won't leave the water now she loves it. Best of luck
Some pointing breeds that compete in NAVHDA hunt tests require forced retrieve training before they will enter the water, something to consider.
Good advice here ^^^.Quote:
Originally Posted by terrym
The approach we use in overcoming obstacles is to create motivation. You could start by standing on the other side of a small stream and calling her over and giving praise and the reward when she does, gradually work up to bigger bodies of water. Start small, give lots of praise and use a rewards and make it fun, we will sometimes call the dog and jump up and down.
In regards to the reward, find out what your dog is crazy about and use it only for training. It may be a hot dog, or a squeaky toy, if she is still reluctant and you are using a food reward skip the meal before training - skipping the meals before training made the biggest difference for my dog.
- As previously suggested used food as a motivator. Peanut butter on dummies, wieners, cheesies, dead birds
- Find a body of water with a gradual, solid bottom (no soft muck) like at a boat ramp.
- Start small, just getting her feet wet may be all you get the first time, and be happy with that. Go back the next time and getting the feet wet should be easier. PRAISE her for any slightest achievement.
- Go in the water with her.
- Once she is wading in the water with confidence, playing with dummies, you can toss the odd one just beyond where she can reach by less than a foot. The idea here is to have her lunch for the dummies lifting her rear legs from the water and returning to water she is confident in. Gradually repeat this until she is taking more stokes to retrieve the dummy. Food as a motivator will enhance her drive. Praise her
- If you have a wing from a bird and a fishing pole tossing it just beyond her wading depth is another motivator. I have also used pigeons, with primary feathers pulled from one wing.
- If you have a location of a small pond with an island, take her to the island and leave her or a stream where you can cross and she will need to swim. A few trips to the island will force her to swim. Praise her.
- Remember, this can not be done in one session, be patient praise the success, encourage her. This is a good time of year to work on this while the water is warmer.
Word of caution .... if you are going to work on this around a public boat ramp .... as where there are fishing boats being launched, more than likely there are lost fishing lures on the bottom in the area! You do not want to have to get a treble hook out of either your foot or your dog's!
If you have access to a swimming pool with stairs (not a ladder), it makes things easier. I just carried Rocky in and let him sit on my lap in the shallow end and let him swim off my lap to the stairs. I would get further and further from the stairs each session and before I knew it, he would follow me into the pool whenever I went in.
so here we go. tomorrow I have all the family gathered together to trick or show her this is what we need you to do. lots of treats plus above 30 temps thanks for all the tips and help lets see by 7 tomorrow night.
not perfect but a better outing. I think she is on the right track. thanks all
:thumbup: Take your time, be consistent.
well after countless trips, and treats my little girl finally for the first time jumped in head first and did her first water retrieve today. and then she made about 20 more. and I was about to give up, stupid me. and the funny part of it all was the look I got when I praised her it was like " so what that's nothing" she didn't even wag her tail. I will never understand labs.
Awesome. Good to hear!
Just took a while for the light to go on, I guess.
Way to go, your persistence paid off big time, and now you have opened the door to big adventures for both of you.Nice work.