Lab question

[ETDDT]

I've had several labs but the one I have now ( just turned 1 yr. ) has done something I have never seen. A week ago my son shot down a mallard and sent our lab after it. He exploded into the water went straight to it and brought it straight back. Since then-- he will not pick one up. He explodes in the water goes to it or finds it but won't pick it up. The last time I sent him he pushed the duck back to the bank. Anyone ever seen this and what causes the problem, and how to fix it. Any ideas.

 

[Scud]

May have got stuck in the mouth with a broken wing bone on the retrieve. Go back to practice with a dummy and then add a wing to it for a few days or weeks then try a dead bird again.

 

[JBell]

Force fetch

 

[rukiddin]

Force fetch

^^^^what he said. It's one of the most valuable, under appreciated things you can do while training and can also be the most nerve wrecking roughest part of training for a dog. Many trainers will tell you that you can read a lot into a dogs future and "grit" when it comes to the time to force fetch. I feel very confident in my ability to train a dog with the exception of force fetching. I leave the that part to the pros.

 

[casjoker]

Agreed with the previous two posts. If he hasn't been force fetched you should seriously consider it. I know it scares a lot of people but FF really isn't that hard. Find a video from a quality trainer, Lardy, Hillman, Voigt and follow it to the letter. Keep the sessions short and always finish with success. Also, join your local/regional retriever club. They are generally a great resource for any question you may have.