Swallowing water on water retrieves

[eieieio]

When my lab retrieves from water he often makes a horrible gargling(sort of) breathing noise after grabbing the bird or dummy. When he gets out of the water he then seems very out of breath for a couple of seconds. He is fit and they are only short retrieves so he must be taking on water.

 

Anyone else have this? Will he get a better technique with more practice?

 

Thanks

[fenboy]

I would not worry , its not as though it is something you can train out of him so he will sort it himself .

[kent]

It's like drinking seawater - they soon teach themselves

[gazbev]

Yes more practice, my springer would cough and splutter and throw up sometimes, he still does but not very often

[cracker]

It's like drinking seawater - they soon teach themselves

 

Most do, true, but for others excessive water intake can be a lifelong affliction. Our retrieving is different than yours, kent, in that dogs most often make their retrieves after traversing water then getting up on dry land to pick a bird. Watched a Chessie swizzling its tongue lapping up water with every stroke yesterday then "unloading" (throwing up) the water once on land. Have seen FT Labs that unloaded what looked to be a gallon of water at a time and while vomiting it up lost concentration for the other birds that needed to be picked when resent on multiples. Not to mention they might be bloated on the way back with the bird. Excessive water intake en route to a retrieve can indeed be a problem.

 

MG

[kent]

Answer is give them more water work. I am talking only of proper working dogs that pick fowl across water in water or on grass, mud or occasionally stuck in bushes, sneaking back to the fret edge down muddy gutters etc etc

 

Can't see American working dogs being no different. Trials and tests I don't care for