I have a 3 year old golden she loves the water and will retrieve anything i throw including ducks but if i shoot a duck she will not retrieve it . It seems she wont fetch anything unless it has my scent on it or thrown by somebody. any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks
Does she swim out to the duck and show interest in it? does she put the duck into her mouth then spit it out? Sometimes a dog just doesn’t take to the feathers well. If this is the case, I would spend some time throwing something with feathers to her. Start with a duck wing.
If she is not showing interest in the duck maybe she just isn’t putting it together yet. If this is the case I would walk her out to the next duck I dropped and encourage her to pick it up. Maybe throw the duck for her a couple times.
She should pick it up eventually.
Does she swim out to the duck and show interest in it? does she put the duck into her mouth then spit it out? Sometimes a dog just doesn’t take to the feathers well. If this is the case, I would spend some time throwing something with feathers to her. Start with a duck wing.
If she is not showing interest in the duck maybe she just isn’t putting it together yet. If this is the case I would walk her out to the next duck I dropped and encourage her to pick it up. Maybe throw the duck for her a couple times.
She should pick it up eventually.
Jeff,
Welcome to the site!! Please keep us posted on your progress. I would really enjoy hearing about it, and I bet many others would as well.
Jeff,
Welcome to the site!! Please keep us posted on your progress. I would really enjoy hearing about it, and I bet many others would as well.
Would you enjoy grabbing a smelly, wet duck in your mouth?
It has been my experience that some bird dogs just don’t like retrieving ducks. My dad used to have a weimeruner that was great at retrieving pheasants and grouse but wanted absolutely nothing to do with retrieving ducks. He had no problem with the water. He just didn’t like ducks. I have a friend with a golden that will not retrieve ducks either. Every dog has it’s own personality so I’d imagine that they all have their likes and dislikes as well.
Would you enjoy grabbing a smelly, wet duck in your mouth?
It has been my experience that some bird dogs just don’t like retrieving ducks. My dad used to have a weimeruner that was great at retrieving pheasants and grouse but wanted absolutely nothing to do with retrieving ducks. He had no problem with the water. He just didn’t like ducks. I have a friend with a golden that will not retrieve ducks either. Every dog has it’s own personality so I’d imagine that they all have their likes and dislikes as well.
You could leave the golden in the living room with the family and use your Chesapeake Bay retriever or Lab to get the job done on waterfowl.
You can probably sense some sarcasm, but “I” have never hunted over a good golden. Although every golden that I have seen, has been a great family dog!
cheers
You could leave the golden in the living room with the family and use your Chesapeake Bay retriever or Lab to get the job done on waterfowl.
You can probably sense some sarcasm, but “I” have never hunted over a good golden. Although every golden that I have seen, has been a great family dog!
cheers
You say she only won’t retreive ducks, but anything needs to be thrown by you or someone else. Does this mean she will not retreive pheasants, pigeons, or anything else, or it is just ducks?
You say she only won’t retreive ducks, but anything needs to be thrown by you or someone else. Does this mean she will not retreive pheasants, pigeons, or anything else, or it is just ducks?
Drake. My 1st golden was awesome at pheasants and ducks both. I used to hunt out of a canoe with her and she would sit there until you sent her. Very, very good dog. Alot of it has to do with the time spent training the dog. She may have to be force broke. Mine never was. Just natural at it.
Now my second one is a “Lap” dog. Does not want anything to do with hunting. Fire a gun and he takes a dump!
I also have a lab that is now retired but was extremely good in her time. Bottom line is training and time spent with the birds. Take a duck and make her hold it. Walk around with the bird in her mouth to get used to it. Have someone throw it from the weeds as you shoot. There is a lot that can be done. Just spend the time, they are good hunters! 
Drake. My 1st golden was awesome at pheasants and ducks both. I used to hunt out of a canoe with her and she would sit there until you sent her. Very, very good dog. Alot of it has to do with the time spent training the dog. She may have to be force broke. Mine never was. Just natural at it.
Now my second one is a “Lap” dog. Does not want anything to do with hunting. Fire a gun and he takes a dump!
I also have a lab that is now retired but was extremely good in her time. Bottom line is training and time spent with the birds. Take a duck and make her hold it. Walk around with the bird in her mouth to get used to it. Have someone throw it from the weeds as you shoot. There is a lot that can be done. Just spend the time, they are good hunters!
Don’t mind me. Just testing. 
Don’t mind me. Just testing.
Another Test?
Another Test?
This has little to nothing to do with the dogs prey drive or ability to hunt. This is all about willing acceptance to follow a command. Look at it in this way – the dog is reluctant to use its number one tool (mouth) on you’re terms. You’re best bet will be to take the dog thru a “force fetch” program.
Any trainer will offer a Trained Retrieve or force fetch program – $300 and up usually.
Force Fetch has a bad sounding name but it is not hard on the dog, you are simply making the dog respond in the correct manner, with no room for getting out of the command.
The most common method starts out with getting the dog up on a table and making it hold the trainers hand in its mouth without struggle. Then the dog is expected to hold – not crush or chew – an oak dowel, bumpers, retrieve dummies, coke cans, etc, etc, progressing all the way thru a live pigeon.
Once the mouth is willingly used on all items the command is brought off the table and onto the ground. The dog is given the command to pickup the bumper – again with no room for rejecting the command allowed – often called the force to pile. This is where you will 100% get over the duck issue, as a dead frozen duck is one item that can be used in the “pile” which is really a line of dummies laying close to each other.
Be wary of any quickie fixes offered to solve you’re problems here – giving in with the mouth 100% is really what you need. A quickie jam a dead duck in it’s mouth till it holds it routine will more than likely lead to a dog that spends a lot of time swimming around the boat playing confused.
Even if a dog has a great natural retrieve, there is value in doing this in that it trains the dog to follow commands which includes more than just the fetch command with willing acceptance.
Good luck!
This has little to nothing to do with the dogs prey drive or ability to hunt. This is all about willing acceptance to follow a command. Look at it in this way – the dog is reluctant to use its number one tool (mouth) on you’re terms. You’re best bet will be to take the dog thru a “force fetch” program.
Any trainer will offer a Trained Retrieve or force fetch program – $300 and up usually.
Force Fetch has a bad sounding name but it is not hard on the dog, you are simply making the dog respond in the correct manner, with no room for getting out of the command.
The most common method starts out with getting the dog up on a table and making it hold the trainers hand in its mouth without struggle. Then the dog is expected to hold – not crush or chew – an oak dowel, bumpers, retrieve dummies, coke cans, etc, etc, progressing all the way thru a live pigeon.
Once the mouth is willingly used on all items the command is brought off the table and onto the ground. The dog is given the command to pickup the bumper – again with no room for rejecting the command allowed – often called the force to pile. This is where you will 100% get over the duck issue, as a dead frozen duck is one item that can be used in the “pile” which is really a line of dummies laying close to each other.
Be wary of any quickie fixes offered to solve you’re problems here – giving in with the mouth 100% is really what you need. A quickie jam a dead duck in it’s mouth till it holds it routine will more than likely lead to a dog that spends a lot of time swimming around the boat playing confused.
Even if a dog has a great natural retrieve, there is value in doing this in that it trains the dog to follow commands which includes more than just the fetch command with willing acceptance.
Good luck!
Thanks for the comebacks ill let you in on the progress. 
Thanks for the comebacks ill let you in on the progress.
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
