Water retrieve

[AVB]

My cocker enthusiastically retrieves from water but rather than returning to me and exiting there he heads for the nearest bank before exiting and running to me. I wouldn't be too bothered but sometimes this is the most difficult part for him to exit from and he struggles rather than moving to an easier spot.

 

Any tips to get him to return to me?

[lee-kinsman]

Go to a smaller stretch of water 5 yds ish wide, a stream or beck that you can stand in is perfect, with even banks either side.

Throw the dummy so it just lands on the other bank.

 

Don't work in ponds where he can run around to you on the bank. A dog should first learn to cross water for a retrieve before learning to retrieve out of it.

 

Hope that makes sense

Edited July 13, 2017 by lee-kinsman

[AVB]

It does thanks.

[Saltings]

Go to a smaller stretch of water 5 yds ish wide, a stream or beck that you can stand in is perfect, with even banks either side.

Throw the dummy so it just lands on the other bank.

 

Don't work in ponds where he can run around to you on the bank. A dog should first learn to cross water for a retrieve before learning to retrieve out of it.

 

Hope that makes sense

 

++1

[silver fox 1]

My cocker enthusiastically retrieves from water but rather than returning to me and exiting there he heads for the nearest bank before exiting and running to me. I wouldn't be too bothered but sometimes this is the most difficult part for him to exit from and he struggles rather than moving to an easier spot.

Any tips to get him to return to me?

I know it sounds silly but have you tried the return whistle?

[AVB]

I know it sounds silly but have you tried the return whistle?

 

I have. It's not as though he isn't returning, he is but not in a direct line back. He has worked out that if he swims to the nearest bank he can run to me quicker than swimming back directly. I'll try the crossing the river tips suggested above.

[cracker]

Dogs do what works best for them - at least until they're trained otherwise to do what works best for us and them.

 

In this case, you can avert the wayward return by using a pond instead of a stream for a water retrieve - if available.

 

Just rely on basic geometry for the dog getting it right - if the pond is 50 yards wide, throw the dummy only 20 yards out so that the dog would have to travel 30 yards to get to the other side, and upon picking the dummy immediately realizes that's the route not to be taken.

 

If you don't have a pond available - rectangular or oblong ponds are best - try the same geometry on a stream with flat and even banks. Always make the throw less than halfway across - at least when you're working on the recall rather than the actual retrieve - and get the dog conditioned to the come-in whistle with a straight return back to you.

 

MG

[Rascal]

Make sure he hasn't seen you or someone else walk around the pond. If someone is putting a dummy out heel the dog away so they don't see them walk there and back.