half speed retrieve

[j***@GMAIL.COM]

My dog 10 month female labrador, runs at about half speed to retrieve a
mark. If I throw a fun-bumper she will run full speed to bumper.
However, if we are lined up and she marks a fall, weather it be a duck
or a bumper she will only retrieve it at about half speed. I understand
that the big thing is that she is doing it, but, I know that when she
is having fun she will run faster. My concern is that she does not see
running a controlled mark as fun. Anyone have any thoughts on how I can
make it more fun for her or build desire to run faster on a mark?
Thanks

[Chris Barnes]

Post by j***@GMAIL.COM
My dog 10 month female labrador, runs at about half speed to retrieve
a mark. If I throw a fun-bumper she will run full speed to bumper.
However, if we are lined up and she marks a fall, weather it be a duck
or a bumper she will only retrieve it at about half speed. I
understand that the big thing is that she is doing it, but, I know
that when she is having fun she will run faster. My concern is that
she does not see running a controlled mark as fun. Anyone have any
thoughts on how I can make it more fun for her or build desire to run
faster on a mark? Thanks

Has she had the opportunity to fetch live, clipped wing pigeons?

Imho, very little is better at driving up the desire for real birds than
chasing live birds. Note, I normally do this when the pup is between 6
weeks to 4 months old...


Also, has she just come out of FF (she's about the right age for it)?

[Amy Dahl]

Post by j***@GMAIL.COM
My dog 10 month female labrador, runs at about half speed to retrieve a
mark. If I throw a fun-bumper she will run full speed to bumper.
However, if we are lined up and she marks a fall, weather it be a duck
or a bumper she will only retrieve it at about half speed. I understand
that the big thing is that she is doing it, but, I know that when she
is having fun she will run faster. My concern is that she does not see
running a controlled mark as fun. Anyone have any thoughts on how I can
make it more fun for her or build desire to run faster on a mark?

Yes.

We don't know why she lacks enthusiasm or confidence, but sometimes
it's better to make decisions based on an observation than to confuse
ourselves with explanations.

My first suggestion is to eliminate all fun-bumpers, thus eliminating
frequent reminders that there are easy, fun retrieves by comparison to
which marks are relatively hard work.

Then, do all of the things we try to motivate dogs to retrieve:
-keep success level high (above 80%; close to 100% woudn't hurt)
-stay away from punishing cover, briars, cold water, long swims, etc.
-"unburden" the retrieve as much as possible. If she is already steady,
fine, but minimize the emphasis on steadiness. Send her right away
when the mark hits the ground. At the end of the retrieve, you can
take a lot of stress off a dog by accepting the bumper "coming in,"
and not requiring her to heel and sit. These items of control are
easy to add back in at a more appropriate time.
-A lot of dogs really come "up" when you do marks with terrain--
through ditches and gullies and so forth. Keep these within her
ability, of course.
-There should be NO corrections in the field on a mark, and, at
this point, few to none around the line.
-Praise and a come-in whistle when she finds the bumper can build
her confidence (just "good girl!"-tweet-tweet-tweet-tweet).

Probably she will improve if you attend to these things. Some dogs,
however, never really gain confidence in the field until they are forced
on back. I am sure the issue is not that they go because they are
forced, but that somehow the force process helps them fully understand
that we always want them to go, and the understanding gives them
confidence.

Good luck with her.

Amy Dahl