Ivel13 Posted December 29, 2007 Report Share Posted December 29, 2007 I have a 3 year old Lab that I have been trying to train myself. Although she will never win any awards things aren't going to bad apart from one mayor problem. She won't retrieve newly shot birds on the shoot I beat on. She seems to have a problem picking them up and ends up just plucking them and licking them. She retreives dummies fine and birds that i take out with her that are a day old are picked without fail. Has anyone got any sugestions on how i could proceed with her training? Thanks in advance Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new to the flock Posted December 29, 2007 Report Share Posted December 29, 2007 Brian, Are the birds she is going after feathers loose and coming out in her mouth when she trys to pick them? Get her to fetch a fresh bird from around 4 feet. As soon as she puts it down check her mouth and see if she is getting a mouth full of feathers. Also try to explain exactly what happens such as she trys to pick the bird up with the front of her mouth instead of the whole mouth, she just scents the bird and then licks at it, she licks at the blood....try to give as much info as possible to build up a picture of what is happening. NTTF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivel13 Posted December 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2007 When she tries to pick them she seems to only use the front of her mouth and not get a good hold, so she ends up with a mouth full of feathers. She does this a few times then seems to get bored and start licking any exposed skin or where the bird is injured. When we use a bird that was shot the previous day she's fine, gets a good hold and retrieves. She occasionaly gets feathers in her mouth then , but just spits them out after the retrieve. Its almost as if she can deal with a bird where rigor has set in and its stiff, but not with a fresh floppy bird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new to the flock Posted December 31, 2007 Report Share Posted December 31, 2007 Ivel13, This one.....as to why she is doing this is a bit of a stumper. Is the a chance that she has taken a spur or been pecked earlier on? What I would do to try and get past this is the following. Buy a couple of pairs of ladies stockings and cut them so you have nylon tubes. Talk to the keeper and explain you have a problem to work on but need a couple of fresh shot birds and ask to work behind the beaters out of the way of the drive. As soon as a fresh bird is shot get it into a sock ...leave the head hanging out the top and give it a toss for the dog. With the bird in the sock you will eliminate the feather pulling problem and start to overcome the shy mouth. Once she is picking the fresh birds in the stocking clean and is use to the warm bird not striking out at her, you should be able to remove the stocking and carry on. Once out of the stocking I would work a couple or 10 dozen dead warm birds before putting her on any runners or cripples. NTTF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivel13 Posted December 31, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2007 Nttf She hasn't been spurred or pecked to my knowledge, but I like the sound of your plan. I'm not on a shoot now for a fortnight but I'll let you know how things go. Thanks for the advice. Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivel13 Posted January 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2008 Nttf Tried your suggestion yesterday. She retrieved the stockinged bird no problem several times after the first drive. During the next drive, whilst beating thru a forest she return to be twice carrying birs she'd found herself!!!!!!!! Don't know who was grinning widest me or her. With a bit more practice I think we may have cracked it. Thanks for your help Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new to the flock Posted January 20, 2008 Report Share Posted January 20, 2008 Glad to hear Keep at it a few times out and you should be on your way. NTTF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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