Need help with retrieving and swimming
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Need help with retrieving and swimming
I have an 8 month old Griffon that I am having issues with retrieving and swimming. He will retrieve 5-6 times then lose interest, which in turn makes it difficult to get him to swim.
He will chase me on the canoe and sometimes go in by himself. Any help would be appreciated.
He will chase me on the canoe and sometimes go in by himself. Any help would be appreciated.
- CDN_Cocker
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Re: Need help with retrieving and swimming
Two options: decrease repetitions in hopes to increase retrieve desire or start force fetch. As for just swimming, he's young - he may take it upon himself to swim more in the future. Or he may not. He's a dog, not a fish so as long as he doesn't balk at water when faced with a retrieve it doesn't matter a whole lot.
Cass
"If you train a young dog for momentum, precision will arrive. If you train for precision, demanding perfection, momentum will depart." - Rex Carr
"If you train a young dog for momentum, precision will arrive. If you train for precision, demanding perfection, momentum will depart." - Rex Carr
Re: Need help with retrieving and swimming
5-6 times repetition ?. It has to shed the water and a shake ain't enough .Griffons are not 'shedders' of coat at the best of dry times.webfoot1973 wrote:I have an 8 month old Griffon that I am having issues with retrieving and swimming. He will retrieve 5-6 times then lose interest, which in turn makes it difficult to get him to swim.
He will chase me on the canoe and sometimes go in by himself. Any help would be appreciated.
8 month old is a puppy. Chasing the canoe is You going away...he has no choice,going in by himself is his choice.
- tailcrackin
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Re: Need help with retrieving and swimming
Does the dog like birds? You can use electrical tape, and tape a wing of a pigeon to the body. Leave other wing loose. Pigeon will flap on the water, and most times, is all that it talks to get dog off the bank. The electrical tape, will pull off easy, and not harm the bird for re use. Thanks Jonesy
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Re: Need help with retrieving and swimming
He does like birds. I have had him on quail and pigeons. He does so much better pointing quail and opposed to pigeons in launchers. I've been playing fetch with him in the house at odd times. I'll hold his collar and throw the object and get him amped and let him go. Seems to be enjoying it. My older Griff will fetch until he falls over. I'm hope that the younger one will follow suite.
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Re: Need help with retrieving and swimming
every dog is different.
I had an irish setter that swam like a fish just because water was near.
my current griff likes to wade all day long ,but isn't big on swimming unless theres something worth swimming for.
try the hobbled pigeon trick
I had an irish setter that swam like a fish just because water was near.
my current griff likes to wade all day long ,but isn't big on swimming unless theres something worth swimming for.
try the hobbled pigeon trick
- tailcrackin
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Re: Need help with retrieving and swimming
Will he retrieve a pigeon on the ground? Help him so he does......quail are to lil, and cant take much. The pigeons will help the dog use eyes, and once your ground work, is happening pretty well, go to water. It should overlay nicely. big thing when at water, start small, work into big. Give the dog a little more time, to build its confidence. 8mo, on a griff, is still a little immature with most of them. Thanks Jonesy
Last edited by tailcrackin on Fri Apr 01, 2016 6:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Need help with retrieving and swimming
I may be alone in this boat (sorry, the pun is awful but I had to) but 2 great water retrieves are better than 6 weak ones, and I try to end on a great one, which means I must have some discipline when training, knowing when to say "when."
I guess my suggestion is to do less in the hopes of getting more.
I guess my suggestion is to do less in the hopes of getting more.
“Man's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.”
― Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.
― Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.