Retreiving outside vs. inside

**usahoe18** · 12-10-2007, 08:50 PM

My male lab is almost 14 months. He will fetch and bring ball back to me inside the house. However when we go outside, it's a whole different story. He will come back to me with it, but not actually give it to me. He'll keep his distance. He knows "fetch" and "drop it" and will do it inside, but it's a pain in the ass when you go to water outside. Suggestions?

And i almost forgot. He doesn't seemed to be driven to retrieve. He'll do it, but it's like if you throw it real far he is kind of like "yea right."

**Tagen** · 12-11-2007, 01:44 AM

Fetching in the house and fetching outside are two completely different things for your dog. Just because one set of rules applies to retrieving when inside, does not mean that he realizes that this should be carried over to the outdoors. Train with him outside if you want him to obey you there.

And i almost forgot. He doesn't seemed to be driven to retrieve. He'll do it, but it's like if you throw it real far he is kind of like "yea right."

Part of this may have to do with he typical daily activity. Do you start retrieving with him after a long walk or game of chase/tug-o-war? Are you doing other exciting/energy-consuming activites before you start the retrieves? What have you done up to this point to encourage his desire? If his typical day includes lots of excitement and retrieving is just one more game, it's not unreasonable to think that maybe retrieving just isn't the highlight of his day.

Truth is some labs just don't have a lot of desire for retrieving. You can do a lot to encourage it as much as possible, but if they just don't have the drive, they are never going to enjoy it for themselves. The dog may go through with the activity because it likes to please and interact with the owner, but that's not real drive.

If you are real serious about your lab's retrieving, consider getting your hands on some birds (dead or alive) and introduce those into the retrieve. If you have a birdy dog, then that's all you'll need to turn him into a retrieving nut. My lab enjoyed retrieving balls and frisbees as a pup, but it wasn't until I got her on some birds that she became INTENSE!

Your best bet is to get on a program that you can follow and stick to it.

**pross1492** · 01-17-2008, 07:21 PM

hope this isnt a stupid question, but im just curious....
tagan - you mentioned that introducing real birds can increase a dogs drive to retrieve. would artificial bird scent, such as the ones remington sells, do the same trick or is it a completely different ballgame?
http://www.opentip.com/product_info....ucts_id=643908

**Tatyana** · 01-17-2008, 08:12 PM

IMO, it's not just the scent. I believe it is in Lardy's videos that he recommends using freshly killed pigeons to start puppies on birds. It must be a combination of scent, feathers, and warm flesh to get them going. As they get older and get through force fetch, they'll pick up anything.

**Tagen** · 01-17-2008, 08:19 PM

would artificial bird scent, such as the ones remington sells, do the same trick or is it a completely different ballgame

I've heard from others that it really isn't the same. It's about bringing out the dog's natural prey drive, and having a real bird (feathers, carcass, smell, movement if it's alive) is the best way to do that. I would think (but I don't know for sure) that having a dog use these scents without exposing it to birds prior to wouldn't have any great affect because they are not associating the smell with prey. It's just another interesting smell, like rotting garbage or another dog's behind :-X That's my guess anyways

**pross1492** · 01-18-2008, 06:34 PM

thanks for the answers. im trying to figure out a solution to my dog complete lack of interest in retrieving. but since i will never take her hunting, i just cant see myself working with live birds for training. i was just sort of curios if there was anything (short of real birds) that might spark some sort of instinct to get her going.

**Tatyana** · 01-18-2008, 07:30 PM

How old is your dog? Were her parents hunting dogs or have any hunt test or field trial titles? If you're not going to hunt with your dog, what is the reason to get her retrieving?

My Lab did not show much desire to retrieve until he was older. He's pretty decent now and loves his birds. But I did get him on real birds as soon as I started to train him to retrieve.

**pross1492** · 01-19-2008, 10:40 AM

oh lord no. no titles in her background as far as i know. in fact, she isnt even a pure lab. her mom is a lab and her dad is a german shorthair pointer. i mainly want to train her to retrieve for fun and exercise (for both us). she quite a majestic dog as she runs through the fields and the woods, even though she is just a pup. i just want to train her to harness that. i think it would great for both of us. but so far she just isnt interested. she is 6 months old.

thanks.

**imported_queenofthedogs** · 01-20-2008, 11:22 PM

IMO, if you just want to get your dog retrieving for fun & exercise, use treats!
start in the house, the very second he brings you the item, and ONLY if he retrieves, he gets a special goodie you only use for this. [can be anything he likes, cereal, leftovers, cat food. whatever....and change-up now & then to keep him interested.
when you go outside, do real short throws, letting him know you have the goodies...he should be MUCH more interested!
you also might want to try different throwing items, some dogs get turned on by a bouncing ball, or something squishy, or something that squeeks.
if he will 'sit' and 'stay', you can also occasionally go & get the thing yourself, making much of how much You like it--the look on his face the first time you do this will be a Treat, i promise [you might want to potty yourself first, LOL!]

**pross1492** · 01-21-2008, 05:17 PM

thanks for the tip. i need to try some different treats to get her interested again. it almost seems like she is tired of the treats i give her now. her main problem is that she gets distracted easily. she has problems with "come" when there are other people or other dogs around. and with the retrieving, she loves just about any object i throw, but once she gets out there she stops focusing on me and drifts off. so yeah, maybe if i can find treats that really drive her nuts, she will be more apt to keep her focus on coming back to me, whether under distracting circumstances or when i trow her a ball/bumper/etc. thanks again.