Gun Dog Forum

Just wanted to reach out to everyone for help with a problem I just started having with my Boykin. He’s around 18 months and his training has been going fairly well. He retrieves to hand whenever I throw the bumper out in the open. He use to retrieve just as well when I threw into cover. However, 3 days ago he started hiding the bumper from me when I threw it into a corn field. He has retrieved out of the corn field beautifully up until now. I don’t over do the retrieves. Usually only doing 3 or 4 per training session. I’m not sure how to tackle it. I’ve been putting him back on a leash and taking him straight back to the kennel when he shows up empty handed (mouthed), making sure he knows how disappointed I am. I thought this might work, but 3 days in a row now and nothing’s clicking. I never force fetched him because he has always retrieved flawlessly. Is force fetching the solution? Any other ideas?

I can't help as I'm not a retriever expert; I'm sure some will help though. FF is common here and successful , but other countries don't use it and have successful retrieving happening.

" I’ve been putting him back on a leash and taking him straight back to the kennel when he shows up empty handed (mouthed), making sure he knows how disappointed I am. I thought this might work, but 3 days in a row now and nothing’s clicking. " quote CB

I have learned though that this won't work. Discipline for a dog has to happen within 30 seconds? a minute maybe. After that they don't connect the incident with the consequence- something like a 2 year old.

Some say a Boykin is not a Spaniel and some say it is not a retriever.
My advice is edited .have fun with the little Boy

Shoot a live bird or throw him a wing clipped bird. My bet is he delivers the bird to hand. I had a Boykin that refused the plastic bumpers but would bring the canvas bumpers to hand. I don't remember my Boykin ever not bringing a bird back when hunting. Boykins are unique dogs.

Thanks everyone. You’re probably right about the instant correction Sharon, but I did have some success with kenneling him when he was dropping the bumper earlier in his training. Although he was probably able to connect the dots better in that scenario. The problem with the corn field is that I can’t see him when he’s actually picking up the bumper and hiding it. This d$&@ dog is frustrating the $&@“ out of me. It sure is awesome when he does what I want him to though. I think if I was trying to teach him to go and hide the bumper he’d bring it back to me! I’ll try the real bird, I think that may work.

Teach him to recall anytime, anyplace, anywhere. Your problem is in the recall, not the retrieve.

I have never used putting a dog back into the kennel as a form of correction. I am not sure that a dog can make the link between what it did "wrong" and being returned to the kennel ?

I don't use F.F. either but I know that it does work if correctly done.

Personally I just use "fun" as a motive for a pup /dog when getting it to retrieve. Part of the fun when a dog gets to the age your one has reached is to make the retrieving interesting to the dog. Perhaps your dog is bored stiff with the cornfield ? I'd try changing my training area.

I'd also try using a bird instead of a bumper ….it's worth a try but ,for me, it's really all about making lessons fun-fun-fun where retrieving is concerned.
I don't really agree with the training method of giving pups only 2 - 4 retrieves in order to boost a pup's willingness to retrieve. I am never happy until a pup ….of any breed..... will do at least 10 retrieves with considerable enthusiasm . I work my pups up from 3 -4 retrieves to about a dozen retrieves within a very short period of time by continually changing the type of retrieve article I use and by varying the training area.

As a last resort I've just taken a pup out and shot a bird over it then closed my eyes as the pup ran in and rumpled the bird up a bit before retrieving it. I usually just turn and walk away from the pup as it investigates the freshly shot bird while calling the pups name in a happy manner or/and whistling it back to me ….hopefully with the bird !

Make yourself interesting and pups/dogs will want to return to you.

Bill T.

polmaise wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 16, 2020 3:42 pm

Some say a Boykin is not a Spaniel and some say it is not a retriever.
My advice is edited .have fun with the little Boy

That's right, Robt., Boykins are one thing and one thing, only: untrainable curs. But who knows, if 'Bama shoots a bird for him, he might "choose to share his prey"...

MG