Retrieving - working

I have earlier introduced Ally to doves, phesants and rabbits to retrieve.
All went well. Only the rabbit needed some training as to the fur perhaps?
Only ducks is missing, but as she shows no probs with feather I dont think it will be any probs at all.

I have of course done this to "test" if she would be any good at it when the dummies was switched with wild life and she did wonderful so I´m very pleased.

I´ve tried it a couple of times and am sure she understands and has no problems with this and then went back to dummys and tennisball´s (for diff reasons).

My Q is now if you belive I should try other animals? Like fox, crow´s etc?
Not that I believe we´ll ever have to use this irl but some argue you should "just in case".

Just edited to say; the animals used in training havent been hunted and are completly dead when used.
I have tried to put this as "non offensive" as possible but see that ppl read but dont comment this thread.
If any of the written is the reason, please let me know as I will edit it.

Hi Amts,

What I know about training a working retriever is limited to say the least but I can't see that training on other animals/birds would do any harm, and it could be useful at some stage. I just wonder of the strong smell of fox would be off-putting for the dog and perhaps present the risk of generally reducing his eagerness to retrieve? What is the opinion of the majority of experienced people that you train with?

Thank god for your answer SB I was beginning to feel left out here

I know there may not be too many training working retrievers on here,and some might take offense to my Q, but instead of me lying about my Q´s and have written "car-keys", "tennisballs", "groceries" etc. I thought I would be honest and see if anyone could help.

To answer your Q about what ppl I train with says about this, it really diff to say. Everyone has their opinion and its allmost like debates on how to feed your dog here. Some say its better to train your dog in retrieving allmost about anything and others say stick with what you know you´re gonna need.

My concerns are, as you mentioned, what if she decides that one of the things I presents her with isnt to her like and puts her off to the extend where we might have a conflict? It could maybe ruin everything?

But then again, what good is a retriever in the woods that wont take whats nessecary incase you´re in the situtation where it happens?

I guess this is one of these situations where theres no right or wrong?
I´m just not sure what to do to be honest

Sounds like an interesting debate amts Does it get as passionate as some of the raw v commercial feeding discussions?

Under what sort of circumstances would you need her to retrieve 'unusual' animals/birds? If it would be unnecessary except in very, very, rare situations then I would probably think it not worth the risk of putting her off normal game. If you want to test her out could you get hold of a fox brush and see what her reaction to it is? If she shows dislike/shyness then don't force the issue. Is she being trained to work with guns on beats, or for trials only? Or both?

Regards
SB

PS Just thought. Is there any danger of her getting mange from foxes there? If so I would forget it!

When it comes to dogs the debates´ allways passionate and heated arent they

Now´s the tricky part; to explain excatly why it might be nessecary to have a lab able to retrieve varios animals
I hope I can do this without upsetting too many ppl.

My plan is to use Ally on hunts. I might add here, that from what my impression of what hunt is in the Uk, its not similar as to what I´m doing here

If anyone´s interested I would like to tell excatly what goes on here but it has to be without the mean comments, the personal attacks and whatever some feel the need to express on this topic

My "fear" is, that on these hunts, we might come abross some animal not trained with but that is nessecary to retrieve. It might happen, it might not happen. But when educating a lab to be your partner in hunting, I just thought it might be best to make sure it will be able to help out no matter?

About the fox; To my believe it will most likely not be nessecary and I feel its more varios birds that many labs refuses to take. This due to, from what I belive, a diff taste to them. But theres a risk in everything. If I chose one or the other I guess.
But in theory, its either do them all or stick to whats "common". And I´m not sure which to chose.

Well amts, I for one would be interested in what you are training Ally for and how you train her PM me if you would prefer to.

I am guessing that by 'hunts' you are meaning that you go out with the guns and your dogs retrieve the game that is brought down. Not everyone's cup of tea I know, but it does go on in the UK, and to some extent here. I think that most people are aware, and accept, that culling must happen in various species. The difficulty is accepting that game birds are raised purely to be killed on shoots for 'sport'.

Your experience is far greater than mine and I'm sure that whatever you decide to do regarding training to various birds etc. will be carried out only after careful thought, research, and consideration of what is best for Ally.

Not been much help have I

I will pm you SB and thank you so much for being the only one who will talk about this on DW
Experience or not, sometimes what to do is about knowing dogs and you sure know your stuff.

As for the hunts I can say that I dont hunt for sports. Neither does any of the ppl I work or train with and that its not that common to do that here.
The etic is something everyone´s very much aware of and even though some will behave badly its not normal. Atleast not where i come from.
Just like some treat dogs badly doesnt mean we all do

I look forward to hearing from you amts. I am always ready to learn and, as I said, I know practically nothing about training working retrievers. I do know someone who trains for retrieving trials and it is an incredible experience to watch his dogs working. Their response to the whistled signals, their abilty to select the correct dummy out of three thrown just by command and signal is truly amazing. As is their willingness to go under, through, or over anything to achieve the retrieve.

It is really both fun and exciting wheter you chose one or the other way.
I spend hours allmost everyday either training with Ally or trying to learn myself.
I truly believe my dog is a much happier dog being able to do what she´s breed to

Thanks again for your reply and I have pm´ed you

I would have offered advise if I'd had any, but this topic is well out of my depth. Been reading it with interest though. Just had a scan through a Lab book I've got and it's no help whatsoever! Good luck making a decision, anyway!