DuckZone

I have been taking my lab goose hunting every weekend and she loves tackeling geese but I am having a hard time getting her to bring them to me. She has no problem water retrieving but in the field that's a different story. Is it because her teeth are still developing and the weight is hard on them or is it something else. I am doing my best to make sure she is having fun and not forcing the issue. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
DZ

Gude

Has she been force fetched?

Even with a force fetched dog, geese are a tough bird to tackle simply due to their size. Dogs have to get comfortable and develop the confidence that they can handle those birds.

Consider doing something like this to help in the off season, especially if the dog hasn't been force fetched:

http://www.*****************/refuge/...d.php?t=753947


Don't know why it won't show up - but its a link that shows exactly what Dean is talking about - remove the breasts from a goose and sew it back up to use as a dummy.

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Dean Downer

Dogs get their adult teeth at 5 to 6 mo.
Gude is correct about force fetch.
My young female was having trouble with large birds even being forced fetch, switched to having her retrieve JR. High size footballs. Helped a great deal getting her to open her mouth wider. Also have heard of guys using geese and removing the insides filling up with expandable foam and sewing the goose back up, this becomes their training dummies.
Dean

DuckZone

She has not been forced trained. I will have to try that method and see how that works. I like the using the real goose idea.

Thanks for the great tip guys.

DZ

Dean Downer

Duck Zone
You might want to invest in a couple DVD'S
1 Smartworks by Evan Grahm sp? Mike Lardy
Or any other book or DVD that will walk you through how to force fetch, you will understand why so many guys do the force fetch, Dog will handle better for you and understand who is now in control!
Good luck
Dean

axegothic3

I would say Force Fetch is in order as well. If you don't want to buy DVDs, check out BowWowFlix.com . It is what it sounds like, a rental resource for dog training videos, but they have alot of the retriever training vids that guys will mention here.

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"the biggest lies are told before the wedding, during the campaign, and after the hunt!"
-Theodore Rosevelt

SBEII=1POS

As mentioned before a force fetched dog will still have problems with geese (at first). Mine was/is FF and struggled for a while with geese. I also found it was easier on water because the bird floats allowing the dog to push it along and the weight issue is not there. I too breasted geese and duct taped them shut to make it easier. In the end it took a few hunts for her to gain enough confidence to retrieve geese.

Im not so sure your answer is as easy as force fetching your dog.

Why??

There is probably a reason why you did not FF the dog in the first place.

Depending on where you are at in your training it is not just as easy as watching a how to FF video and FFing the dog. There is a lot of training (ground work) that needs to be done before FFing a dog. I don't know of any programs where FF is in the 1st chapter. You may have months of work that need to be done before your dog is ready to FF.

Like I said depending on where you are in your training, it is possible you stopped just short of FF, in that case you could jump in to it.

The force fetch issue is more of do you want a FF dog. There are plenty of dogs that are not FF that retrieve geese, im guessing yours would be one in time.

DuckZone

Thanks for the info. I had an 8 yr old male lab (75 lbs) that was a slow starter. I never had him FF trained. Just lots of repitition. With my female (55 lbs +/-) I am affraid to FF her because she is alread pretty timid (sp?) It's not that she doesn't lack the drive to want to try and pick them up. I think it's just the no confidence and inexperience. If I get any geese this weekend in Mizzu I will hold one back and use as a trainer. I will just have to keep playing with her until she gets that confidence and understanding.

thanks, DZ

wkydog

I have had many Labs in the past 40 yrs. I have run AKC and NHRA. Every dog that I worked with I first got them so birdy that they never thought of the conditions that they were in. They wanted the bird no matter what the bird was. The only problem with Geese is a wounded one on a young dog.
I now have a dog that I rescued. He was 1.5 yrs old and absolutely no training or manners. He now will track, mark, and retrieve anything I tell him to. All without an E-colour Excuse the spelling. For the weight of the Goose I use a dead goose trainer and 4X4's. The dog has to learn that when you tell him to fetch he has to get something in his mouth fast.
Oh the best goose dog that I had weighed a whoping 55 lbs. He pushed them across the water and dragged them across the field. But no matter how far he had to go he never let one, not even one get away. In 14 yrs.
Oh I forgot to say that he had his first water retrieve at 9 weeks and was winning AKC qualifying at 11 months. Push them as far as they can handle it. Every dog is an individual just like people. In fact they are usually better than people.

forestryguy

If you have never done FF before I would highly recommend working with someone that has a good deal of experience with it. I started FF my dog and was having problems, when I talked with some others and spent an afternoon with them they had gotten me through the problem areas. There are a lot of tricks that are not shown in videos.

nobands

Agree on the force fetch.I start with hold without force before force fetch.As far as geese go mine have all had to learn how to pick up.Don't think its weight as much as size.I like Dean's idea on the football.

Cueball65

An important question is, is she not bringing it back to you because she is having troubles carrying it or is she trying to play keep away? If she loves tackling them chances are she didn't have a bad experience with a cripple at a younger age. Force fetch typically solves a lot of problems and I would strongly recommend every dog goes through it but it needs to be done right (no short cuts) and you have to make sure she has her adult teeth. When the time comes get a tape or a professional.

DuckZone

She runs to the bird like she is suppose to and is going thru the motion of trying to pick it up but just doesn't finish. I get out of my blind, walk half way and squat (sp) down and tell her to fetch it up again. I am doing it in an excited voice. From what you guys have stated it does appear that FF might be the only option I have if she continues this. I really don't want her thinking that me meeting her half way is going to work. Do you guys know of anyone over by Council Bluffs that could help me with this?

Thanks again for the suggestions. DZ