Dog Chewing Birds

[LMboy]

I have a 2 year old Large Munsterlander who has shown great prey drive and retrieving instinct over his first two hunting seasons. He is having issues completing his retrieve, however, wherein he doesn’t want to bring the bird all the way back to me as he opts to chew it up instead. I have spent time working on his hold and correcting him when he chews a dummy or dead bird but he can’t seem to shake the habit in the field. Any suggestions on how to fix this issue? I am close to sending him off to a professional trainer to go through force fetch training if I can’t get a handle on this.

Thanks all!


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[cjhills]

I would like to help you with this, unfortunately I have never had this problem before.
A really good recall may help. I have heard of people putting nails in birds to stop the chewing.
I think a good force retrieve trainer could fix it.
Seems like somebody would give you an answer on here........Cj

[slistoe]

Yeah, I thought there would be someone come on here with experience with fixing this issue. The only dog I have seen like that was a buddy's dog and his solution was to get the the bird before the dog did.

[mask]

force fetch. You and the cog will be happy and better for it.

[cjhills]

Well, anyway you win the prize for the first post in March! Don't know what that is though..........Cj

[Sharon]

You need an expert- force fetch expert. Anything you think might work could turn the dogs off birds completely. Then you'd have a huge problem.

[mask]

Spot on Sharon. There are trainers and those that call themselves trainers. The last time I saw someone put nails in a bird the dog never chewed up a bird again. She never picked up a bird again either. A good force fetch person is a must if you decide to go that route. Best to you and your dog.

[Idylwyld]

Sometimes you have to go backwards before you can move forward. Pick whatever force break method you are comfortable with and run dog thru the process.
There are a lot of different ways to FB. Ive used/played with most of them. Ear pinch, Toe hitch, pinch collar etc. All worked.
Some folks use a electric collar to do it, I have tried that and that idea was a hair shirt to me. It works, I just dont like it. Personal preference.

I prefer and have the best results with the toe hitch. You can find that method outlined in Bill Tarrants book about the Delmar Smith method.


Ive never looked, but I would bet you can find some good videos on you tube describing whatever method you choose.

Because of the problem you describe. My thoughts would be. In the beginning spend extra time on hold before moving to the next step. I would start with a wooden buck an old piece of shovel or hoe handle or a training dummy and not stop working on hold until dog is holding the dummy or buck real nice, then move to frozen birds, Stay with it, patience is called for here, better to go long, rather than move quick. Let dog dictate speed. A break thru will come. Then graduate to a suffocated (bloodless) fresh warm pigeon. Make sure dog is holding that warm bird very well. Dont give up.

Then go back to the buck or dummy and start the actual force part of the process. Have two bucks, keep one in your back pocket, dog tries to spit them out sometimes, and you cant get it quick enough, no problem, snatch that spare buck out of your back pocket and stay right after that rascal. Do not lose your patience. if you get frustrated, and you will, quit and come back later.

I am FBing two Setters currently. Two a day, short 10 minute sessions. In the morning before work and in the evening after work. On weekends I squeeze in a third session a day. I am on second week of hold. The first week was nothing but hold, now they walk back and forth from one end of table to other holding that buck to deliver it to me and I tell them drop. Do not get in a hurry. All dog training is building a chain, one link at a time. It takes what it takes. Ive done the whole process in 6 weeks and had a few stubborn ones that took 12 weeks from start to finish.

One other thought. When the great day comes that all table work is complete and you go back to the field. No verbal release. Start by throwing birds by hand a short distance, gradually increase the distance, graduation day is the day you walk in to a point, shoot bird, walk slowly and calmly to dog and physically release the dog. My release command is touch an ear gently and say fetch.

[cjhills]

Idyllwyld
Thanks, just what I was hoping for........Cj

[jmez]

If you don't want to force fetch hunt the dog on a 50 foot check cord. Soon as they get the bird in their mouth start reeling them in. Keep their feet moving, they can't chew when their feet are moving. Generally will work with a dog that retrieves but chews.

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[gonehuntin']

About 99% of the time the problem is the recall and the dog doesn't have to be force fetched (which I do to all of my dog's). Very, very, dog owners can do a really good job of Ff, it is really a GOOD Pro's baliwick. Before you send him to a pro, try instilling a force HERE in him. A dog usually doesn't chew the bird while running, they stop to do it. When the dog slows down or stops, command HERE!, knick it with the collar and get it coming toward you again. If he chews all the harder as he nears you, you won't break him and you need a pro. Send him to a retriever Pro, an established one; those guys know the program.