Need help with retrieving and swimming

Post Reply
webfoot1973
Rank: Junior Hunter
Posts: 80
Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2008 11:25 am
Location: Rolesville, NC

Need help with retrieving and swimming

Post by webfoot1973 » Mon Mar 28, 2016 2:05 pm

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.

User avatar
CDN_Cocker
Rank: 5X Champion
Posts: 1416
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2013 5:59 pm
Location: ON, Canada

Re: Need help with retrieving and swimming

Post by CDN_Cocker » Mon Mar 28, 2016 2:36 pm

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

polmaise
GDF Junkie
Posts: 2689
Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2012 2:08 pm
Location: Scotland

Re: Need help with retrieving and swimming

Post by polmaise » Mon Mar 28, 2016 4:11 pm

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.
5-6 times repetition ?. It has to shed the water and a shake ain't enough :wink: .Griffons are not 'shedders' of coat at the best of dry times.
8 month old is a puppy. Chasing the canoe is You going away...he has no choice,going in by himself is his choice.

User avatar
tailcrackin
Rank: 2X Champion
Posts: 422
Joined: Sun Dec 18, 2005 8:38 pm
Location: Crab Orchard, Kentucky

Re: Need help with retrieving and swimming

Post by tailcrackin » Tue Mar 29, 2016 6:31 am

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
"Don't make it happen. Get it ready and let it happen"
- Ray Hunt
www.jonesysgundogs.com

webfoot1973
Rank: Junior Hunter
Posts: 80
Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2008 11:25 am
Location: Rolesville, NC

Re: Need help with retrieving and swimming

Post by webfoot1973 » Tue Mar 29, 2016 8:04 am

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.

twistedoak
Rank: Junior Hunter
Posts: 61
Joined: Thu May 08, 2014 9:13 am
Location: phila penn

Re: Need help with retrieving and swimming

Post by twistedoak » Tue Mar 29, 2016 8:18 am

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

User avatar
tailcrackin
Rank: 2X Champion
Posts: 422
Joined: Sun Dec 18, 2005 8:38 pm
Location: Crab Orchard, Kentucky

Re: Need help with retrieving and swimming

Post by tailcrackin » Tue Mar 29, 2016 8:31 am

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.
"Don't make it happen. Get it ready and let it happen"
- Ray Hunt
www.jonesysgundogs.com

mnaj_springer
Rank: 5X Champion
Posts: 1271
Joined: Sun Jun 22, 2014 5:10 pm
Location: Northern Minnesota

Re: Need help with retrieving and swimming

Post by mnaj_springer » Thu Mar 31, 2016 8:29 pm

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.
“Man's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.”
― Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.

Post Reply