Tur Bo on the bench holding a quail.
Blaze holding the quail in a sock.
Luke with the quail in a sock.
I haven’t trained dogs for a long while. My wife, June and I went on a cruise through the inside passage to Alaska. Trips are nice but it’s always good to get home. This gave the dogs about a 2 week break counting rain days, too.
I heeled Tur Bo to the retrieving bench with an e-collar around his neck. He jumped onto the bench and I walked him back and forth petting him every few feet. I placed a frozen quail in his mouth and let him hold it for about 30 seconds then said give. He wasn’t ready to give and wanted to hold the bird. I pushed it back farther into his mouth and when he gagged I took the quail. I started toward him with the quail and he opened his mouth to take it. I walked him back and forth on the bench with him holding the bird. I said give and he dropped it in my hand but tried to take it back. I had the bird in my left hand and when he reached for the quail I slapped his shoulder with my right hand and said no. This wasn’t a conscious thought it just happened. It could have turned out bad. I didn’t hit him hard but with me saying no he could have decided I didn’t want him to take the quail in his mouth. I held the frozen quail in front of him again and he took it. So this time it worked okay.
I walked him up and down the bench with the quail in his mouth. I took hold of the quail’s legs and said give. He opened his mouth and moved his head away. When I took the quail he didn’t try to grab it. I held the bird out again and he took it. I have been walking him back and forth on the bench but this time I said whoa then I walked to other end of the bench. This was new and he tried to walk down the bench when I did. I told him whoa again and he stopped. When I got to the other end I said here and he trotted to me with the quail. I said give and he opened his mouth and pulled his head away. I held the bird out and he took it. I said whoa and he stopped. I walked to the other end of the bench and said here. He ran to me with the quail. I grabbed the birds legs and said give. He gave me the quail. I set him on the ground and said whoa.
Tur Bo has always retrieved if he saw the bird fall. I took the frozen quail and threw it in front of him. He ran to it, scooped it up and returned to me in a dead run. I petted him before taking the quail from him. When I said give he dropped it in my hand. I threw the quail again. He ran to it, scooped it up and came back. I had squatted down and he tried to run his head under me. I pulled him back and he still had the bird. I said give and he turned loose of the bird. I threw it about 4 or 5 more times and he retrieved it every time but each time he tried to run his head under me. Finally, I just had him stand in front of me while I petted him. Then I let him run on the way back to the kennel.
I heeled Blaze down to the retrieving bench next. After walking her back and forth petting her I put 3 frozen quail and the live quail in a sock on the other end of the bench. She walked down the bench when I sent her to retrieve and brought back the 3 frozen birds just fine. I sent her after the quail in the sock and she started to pick it up but then turned and started back without it. I walked down the bench and she turned around and picked it up. We went back to the other end. I made her hold the live quail while I petted her. She dropped it in my hand when I said give. I held the live quail and had her fetch and hold it from my hand then laid it on the bench. This time when I placed it on the bench she retrieved it after retrieving the frozen birds.
I put her on the ground, told her whoa and threw a frozen quail. She ran to retrieve when I said fetch. She is a lot happier about retrieving on the ground than she is on the bench. She runs out with her tail high and wagging. I threw the frozen bird 6 or 7 times and she retrieved it each time. I let her run to the back of my training grounds before going back to the kennel.
I heeled Luke to the retrieving bench and he jumped on it. After walking him back and forth petting him I put the 3 frozen quail and the live bird on the other end of the bench. He retrieved the 3 frozen quail then I sent him for the quail in a sock. He went down the bench and scooped the live bird up and returned with it. He wanted to drop it but I told him to hold it and he did. I petted him for a while then said give. He dropped it in my hand.
I put him on the ground and said whoa. I threw a frozen bird then said fetch. He ran out, picked it up and threw it to me as he got close. I told him to fetch then hold. I petted him then said give and he dropped it in my hand. I said whoa and threw the bird again. Luke does everything in a hurry and when I said fetch he ran to the bird, scooped it up and returned, rapidly. I told him to hold before he got to me and he did. I petted him for a while before saying give. I threw the frozen quail 6 or 7 times and he retrieved it each time. If I could remember to say hold before he got to me he would hold it until I said give but if I didn’t say hold he would throw it to me. He’s just in a hurry. I let him run for a while before going back to the kennel.
I heeled Lucky to the bench next. He’s 11 years old and I’m just happy to get him on the bench to pet him. He’s been force broke to retrieve and most times does it correctly. I put the 3 frozen quail and the bird in a sock on the other end of the bench. He retrieved each one and held them until I said give. I put him on the ground.
I threw a frozen quail. He ran out and retrieved it perfectly, tail up and happy. He held the quail until I said give. I like to have them hold a little while as I pet them. I threw the quail again and he ran out but when he got about half way to it he turned and came back. That really surprised me. He usually retrieves until I quit. I held the button on the transmitter down, on level 3 and walked to the bird with him. He picked it up and took it back where we started. As soon as he picked the bird up I let off the button on the e-collar. I threw the bird several more times and he retrieved it each time. I let him run for a while then went back to the kennel.
I heeled Dolly down and she jumped onto the bench. After walking her back and forth on the bench petting her I put the 3 frozen quail and the bird in a sock on the other end of the bench. Dolly has been force broke to retrieve but each dog are a little bit different. When she retrieves she never drops the bird before I tell her to. She wants to be petted while she holds the bird. When I’m hunting and she retrieves a quail then hangs around after giving it to me, she wants the head. I give it to her. She retrieved each one so I put her on the ground.
I told her whoa and threw the frozen quail for her. She scooped it up and ran back with it when I told her to fetch. She held it until I said give. I threw the bird for her 6 or 7 times and she retrieved it each time. I let her run for a while before going back to the kennel.
Dogs are like people, each one has a different personality. You can train each one to the same standards and they will be a little different. It’s fun to see each one learn, grow and see what personality comes through.
Lucky on the bench with a frozen quail.
Dolly with the quail in a sock.
Dolly with a frozen quail.