Rob85 Posted February 7, 2022 Report Share Posted February 7, 2022 My pup is now around 14 weeks old and apart from carrying things about that she shouldn't have, picking up wood chippings or sticks etc, she doesn't seem to have much interest in retrieving anything i have tossed for her. Her main interests seem to lie in playing with/tormenting the older dog. I have heard that the retrieving instinct really starts to kick in around puberty, as I'm a complete novice with labs I was wondering if I should be worried thus far Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted February 7, 2022 Report Share Posted February 7, 2022 (edited) She's 14 weeks old for heavens sake. At this stage all you need to do is gently take anythng she picks up and carries from her with a " Thank you" and a fussy cuddle. Now is the time to spend teaching good behaviour, sit, heal etc etc. The sit/stay is easily ingrained if you do it every time her food is put down. She only gets to eat it when you say so and sits and stays before that point. It makes me seriously mad when I see perfectly good dogs which have not been taught good manners. Teaching retireving and hunting comes secondary in my book. Photographs please..please.... Edited February 7, 2022 by Walker570 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted February 7, 2022 Report Share Posted February 7, 2022 Mine is 18 months and still enjoys tormenting the older dog! 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptC Posted February 7, 2022 Report Share Posted February 7, 2022 Spot on Walker570! At 14 weeks old the pup is only just finding what life is about. May I add another re behaviour - Make the dog sit before you open a door and then make it wait until told. A big dog like a Labrador can be a dangerous menace when young children are in the doorway. We live near a footpath and I see badly behaved puppies/dogs towing their owners on leads. Then they jump up covered in mud and the owners think its perfectly ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted February 7, 2022 Report Share Posted February 7, 2022 buy yourself a whistle and choose a recall peep peep........and use it to alert the pup to dinner time.....everytime........choose the words of command you will use with the dog and make damn sure everyone else uses the same language this is going to be your working dog not someone elses toy/plaything...........but apart from that let the dog play.........and not tug-o-war....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob85 Posted February 7, 2022 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2022 Everything you all have said is already being done, I'm not a novice at training dogs in general. I'm just wanting to make sure I'm going on the right lines, my cocker was a natural hunter and retriever, that all came naturally, with her it was all about teaching her to put the brakes on. I was just generally questioning when the instincts kick in, the furthest I've tried taking the retrieving was tossing a wee mini dummy 6 feet across the living room a couple of times to see her reactions... im not standing in a field like a muppet with a dummy launcher losing my mind....no doubt that day will come 😄 Shes growing like a weed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob85 Posted February 7, 2022 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2022 You can see how much grass her and my older dog have wrecked ripping around the garden at full speed 😐 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigroomboy Posted February 7, 2022 Report Share Posted February 7, 2022 You need to choose you moment and make it noting more than play. When there are no other distractions find a quiet spot like a dead end corridor with nothing exciting down there. Play with a favourite toy and when showing interest toss it a little bit down the corridor. The dog should go and pick it up. This is where its key, there are no other distractions but you, and nowhere to go but back to you. Do everything to encourage the dog back. Get down on the floor, make happy noises etc. When the dog come back encourage it up onto your chest and give it a little fuss understeer chin then calmly take the item with your command and then reward verbally with a fuss. Best not to use food and don't do it more than once or twice at this stage, remember it's just a fun game. Also don't let anybody else do random retrieving of things and when the dog has picked thing up you don't want then tobhave don't tell them off, encourage them to you and take it then reward and fuss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave at kelton Posted February 7, 2022 Report Share Posted February 7, 2022 There is no easy answer to this but yes it does take time to develop. I am not sure puberty is the answer indeed not sure there is any specific age you just see it develop and have to be patient. I have had 6-9 months before it is really instilled and in other dogs longer. Not saying they won’t bring before then but it’s not the automatic reaction when they pick up an object. One of the best ways to develop it is to walk away when they have something in their mouths and ignore them thus encouraging them to come after you. Don’t take the object just make a big fuss for a while then do it. Pestering the older dog can last a lifetime. Certainly my nearly two year old is still at it. Is kennelled on his own to avoid problems and vet bills. Not aggressive but overly playful and grabs the ears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted February 7, 2022 Report Share Posted February 7, 2022 Handsome looking young dog. Perseverance. They are not machines although some folk treat them as such. Get the behaviour first and I am certain she will come good on the retrieving. I have had three labs and never had a problem in that direction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickeydredd Posted February 8, 2022 Report Share Posted February 8, 2022 Depends on the breeding..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted February 8, 2022 Report Share Posted February 8, 2022 1 hour ago, Mickeydredd said: Depends on the breeding..... Nah rubbish. The best dog I have owned was a chocy lab and whilst he was under the care of a friend whilst we went on holiday (he was 6 mths old) this smart alec trials jduge woman looked him over and sneered. Very poor legs, he will never jump anything. Old Muffin must have heard her because one of his pleasures was to jump five barred gates, particularly when someone was halfway over, a leg on both sides, just breezing past their noses. He was the finest working dog I have ever known on land or water. No special breeding , the pup from a farmer friends bitch. He was also a gentleman in company be it dogs or humans, loved everybody. That's how he was introduced to the world and everyone loved him. He would wait for the kids coming home from school along the avenue but would never step over the line betwen the concrete drive and the footpath. All of this I put down to how he was brought up by both my wife and myself. Pity some folks don't spend such time with their offspring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si.F Posted February 8, 2022 Report Share Posted February 8, 2022 Following this and other threads with huge interest ! we picked up our new Lab pup last weekend. The main thing I have read from these threads is that sensible play is a key thing. There is my temptation to do to much to soon, but fully appreciate slow and steady will get the results. Really looking forward to many years of fun and hopefully some decent retrieving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob85 Posted February 8, 2022 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2022 1 hour ago, Si.F said: Following this and other threads with huge interest ! we picked up our new Lab pup last weekend. The main thing I have read from these threads is that sensible play is a key thing. There is my temptation to do to much to soon, but fully appreciate slow and steady will get the results. Really looking forward to many years of fun and hopefully some decent retrieving. Thats a beauty. One thing I love about lab pups is how their paws look almost comically too big for them. Like a child wearing daddies work boots 😄 I'm smitten down with the covid at the minute and I can really tell the pup is missing her longer walks out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickeydredd Posted February 9, 2022 Report Share Posted February 9, 2022 22 hours ago, Walker570 said: Nah rubbish. I was responding to the specific point in the OP post, highlighted below, so can assure you it isn't rubbish. A good working line, exhibiting a natural propensity for retrieving, steadiness, game-hunting, lack of aggression to other dogs/humans/whatever etc is generally more inclined to produce such characteristics in the offspring. This does not mean you cannot get either "duds" in the line or indeed brilliant pups from keeper's dogs lines, but selective breeding for required traits should generally create what is desired on a regular basis - that is the whole point of selective breeding. A dog is obviously shaped by how it is reared/trained, but without without the natural instincts/traits required it will not deliver the goods to any great level. The quote highlighted below is however rubbish, our dogs are keen retrievers from a very young age.....maybe it is just in the breeding...? 😉 "I have heard that the retrieving instinct really starts to kick in around puberty, as I'm a complete novice with labs I was wondering if I should be worried thus far" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted February 9, 2022 Report Share Posted February 9, 2022 Had two dogs with fits as a result of 'selective breeding'. Plus very rare these days to see a proper labrador, all snipey nosed curly tailed mongrels. Don't give me 'selective breeding'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickeydredd Posted February 9, 2022 Report Share Posted February 9, 2022 22 minutes ago, Walker570 said: Had two dogs with fits as a result of 'selective breeding'. Plus very rare these days to see a proper labrador, all snipey nosed curly tailed mongrels. Don't give me 'selective breeding'. Perhaps you are just a poor judge of lines.... These are mine, look okay to you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted February 9, 2022 Report Share Posted February 9, 2022 Yup they look tidy labs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob85 Posted February 9, 2022 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2022 Sooooo as if to show me up in the time honoured tradition of gundogs who like to extract the urine out of their doubting owner, guess who decided she now wants to play fetch. I didn't just decide to try to throw it and see what happens, she brought it to me first... I don't even know where she found it! I'm now making sure nobody (my daughter especially) over-does it with the tennis ball routine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted February 9, 2022 Report Share Posted February 9, 2022 Love it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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