Labrador pauses before picking up to retrieve

[semi-auto]

I am having a problem with my 19 months old Labrador. I acquired him when he was 8 months old. His working pedigree is outstanding, but his previous owner had had a heart attack shortly after getting him and had done absolutely nothing with him. The dog had spent his time in a kennel with another dog and little, or anything else. He didn’t know what a ball was and certainly had no idea what a lead was for, so it was clear that a walk was new territory for him. He was also hand shy and very anxious.  That is now largely history! His training was slow, but now he is absolutely steady (even to shot), will respond to the whistle, will take direction and retrieve dummies to hand with good presentation. The problem is that when sent for a retrieve, he will find the dummy and then pause to take a good look around before picking it up and bringing it back. It is almost as if he is seeking confirmation that I want him to retrieve that particular dummy. I have tried encouragement, waving my arms around, shouting ‘good boy’, taking a break from retrieving, but he still pauses for up to a minute or so, before picking the dummy up and bringing it back. If anything, the problem is getting worse rather than better. Any suggestions from those more experienced than I.

[B725]

Sounds like your doing all the right things, I would try walking backwards away from the dog just as it gets to the dummy, start slowly and then move away a bit quicker, hopefully the dog will pick the dummy but want to get back to you. 

[old'un]

 

How long as he been doing this? Are you sending him for to many retrieves? He maybe getting bored if you over do it, is he retrieving game?

Try this, throw the dummy about 15 feet away, send the dog for the retrieve, then start running away from him, calling him at the same time.

[Dave at kelton]

9 minutes ago, old'un said:

 

How long as he been doing this? Are you sending him for to many retrieves? He maybe getting bored if you over do it, is he retrieving game?

Try this, throw the dummy about 15 feet away, send the dog for the retrieve, then start running away from him, calling him at the same time.

Exactly what I would do and use a rabbit skin dummy that should be more attractive. What you also don’t know is whether the dog has been chastised in the past for picking something up and is wary. One of the many problems with picking up an older dog… just don’t know the history.

[Walker570]

If he has been kenneled with another dog he has probably had to check before a) picking something up or b) eating his food.  Try as mentioned above but don't over do it three retrieves max, then do something else totally different.  I had a GSP at 10 months very similar but this one had been abused as well. Ot took me a whole spring and summer to sort him out gently and steadily. He became a killing machine pointing and never told me a lie. Sounds like you are working in the right direction.  Time and patience by the load I'm afraid

on edit...Dave is spot on and backs up my feelings.  Mole my GSP was very wary about going to eat his meal and it took three months before he fully trusted my wife. He had been abused by a woman and mainly around food.

Edited September 9, 2022 by Walker570

[ninjaferret]

As said above. As he gets to the retrieve run away call his name or peep on the whistle.

[Dougy]

Chatting to a chap today on a SIM day, he has the same problem with his Lab, but only on dummy's, shot birds no problem, could it be a he's bored with old canvas dummy's 

[Jim Neal]

Wait till he gets a real bird to retrieve.  Problem solved.

[London Best]

11 hours ago, Jim Neal said:

Wait till he gets a real bird to retrieve.  Problem solved.

The first runner will certainly cure it.

[semi-auto]

Thank you all for your advice. He doesn't do this every time, about 80% of the time. Strangely enough, he found a squab the other day, just learning to fly. He picked this with no problem and several months ago he dived into a bush and brought me a woodcock. I do worry though that he is getting bored with dummies, although he seems keen enough. I do limit the number of retrieves and try to vary the distance and type of retrieve (e.g. blind retrieve up to 80-100 yards, together with much shorter thrown retrieves). With the shorter retrieves, he is more consistent and less prone to pausing. As Dave at kelton suggests, this may be self induced as when, as part of his earlier training, I threw two dummies, as a way to choosing which to retrieve, I did chastise him (gently) for not retrieving the dummy I indicated.  Perhaps this is the cause??

[old'un]

46 minutes ago, semi-auto said:

Thank you all for your advice. He doesn't do this every time, about 80% of the time. Strangely enough, he found a squab the other day, just learning to fly. He picked this with no problem and several months ago he dived into a bush and brought me a woodcock. I do worry though that he is getting bored with dummies, although he seems keen enough. I do limit the number of retrieves and try to vary the distance and type of retrieve (e.g. blind retrieve up to 80-100 yards, together with much shorter thrown retrieves). With the shorter retrieves, he is more consistent and less prone to pausing. As Dave at kelton suggests, this may be self induced as when, as part of his earlier training, I threw two dummies, as a way to choosing which to retrieve, I did chastise him (gently) for not retrieving the dummy I indicated.  Perhaps this is the cause??

think you have answered your own question, now put the dummy's away.

[ShootingEgg]

On 12/09/2022 at 08:31, semi-auto said:

Thank you all for your advice. He doesn't do this every time, about 80% of the time. Strangely enough, he found a squab the other day, just learning to fly. He picked this with no problem and several months ago he dived into a bush and brought me a woodcock. I do worry though that he is getting bored with dummies, although he seems keen enough. I do limit the number of retrieves and try to vary the distance and type of retrieve (e.g. blind retrieve up to 80-100 yards, together with much shorter thrown retrieves). With the shorter retrieves, he is more consistent and less prone to pausing. As Dave at kelton suggests, this may be self induced as when, as part of his earlier training, I threw two dummies, as a way to choosing which to retrieve, I did chastise him (gently) for not retrieving the dummy I indicated.  Perhaps this is the cause??

Might be worth using cold game now the seasons started or even a wood pigeon. My spaniel got to a point where he will only retrieve dummies or game. Used to retrieve tennis ball but ignores them completely now .

[marsh man]

32 minutes ago, ShootingEgg said:

Might be worth using cold game now the seasons started or even a wood pigeon. My spaniel got to a point where he will only retrieve dummies or game. Used to retrieve tennis ball but ignores them completely now .

That would be the route I would take , once he was steady them move on to dummies , after a few sessions with a bare dummy them make them more interesting by tying a pair of wings onto the dummy , after a short while I would have moved on to cold game by trying a feral Pigeon with a elastic band around the wings which should stop the dog getting any feathers in it's mouth , if you can't get hold of a feral Pigeon then a Wood Pigeon will do if you slide a sock over it and leave the head and tail exposed .

Only you will know when to move forward or stay where you are once your dog start reacting to what you are asking him to retrieve , once you are satisfied with the dogs progress them move on to what you intend to use your dog for , in my case it was wild fowling and Pigeon shooting , so the retrieves were then into reed beds , across small dykes and if it was in the warmer months then water work would come into it , with the darker nights it was then the odd retrieve by walking to heel , drop the dummy in view of your dog , both carry on walking and then after about 50 yds send your dog back into the darkness . For Pigeon shooting it would be a mock set up with a certain amount of training involved before the real thing.

You can only train up to a certain level and then once you start on the real thing the dog will learn a lot  by himself and all your hard work would have paid off .

GOOD LUCK and I hope your dog have a long and happy life .

[semi-auto]

Thanks Marsh Man.