A lab not interested in retrieving! Help!!!! UPDATED

Hi

I'm starting training on sunday after a summervacation break.

We are doing fine, only miner problems (if we want to go to the next level )

Luna doesn't quite see the fun in retrieving. Well sure once or twice she'll do it, but the third time she does either 1, 2 or 3:

1 run out to the retrieve thingy and sniff at it, then runs off leaving it behind.
or

2 run out pick the retrieve thingy up and drop it on the way and then run off again.

or

3 dont even go near the retrieve thingy but just go sniffing around

Arghhhh!!!!

Oh and she can't bark on command, so that's really what hold us back

Can anyone help getting Luna into the retriever mode?

jeanette my staffs are better retreivers than my labs, im not kidding.If i throw anything daisy and poppy look at me like im mad and candy and bud go and get it and fetch it back!!weird or what!!

Very, and a bit embarassing at trainig, when all other dogs retrieve even a rottie!

Sounds as thought she has got the 'Boxer smarts', i.e. "I've brought the thing back once & you throw it away again, next time go and get it yourself". Unusual for a Labrador but you might have to be satisfied with one perfect retrieve, which is all you need for competition unless you are doing field trials. You might be able to increase her enthusiasm by rewarding with extra special treats which she gets ONLY for retrieving.


As for speak on command, I know she can bark so have you put a name on this behaviour? It would be valuable for you as, once she knows what speak is you can easily train "no speak". Try holding her dinner dish, or a favouite toy, get her excited and ask for 'speak'. She should eventually bark & then you reward her with the food/toy. Mine will speak on a hand signal so you could try giving a signal at the same time. I have my fingers together, thumb against them, and open & close my hand so it sort of resembles a mouth opening & closing, say 'speak' and voila - a window-shaking woof.

Hi SB

Well yes one perfect retrieve will be fine

I'm not too overly concerned as we are just training for fun. Its just strange

Well I try to say the danish word for "speak" when she barks, but it hasn't caught on yet

Tried with the treat, but she just sits down and give me the paw, and nothing more. Tried it for 10 minutes without break no go!!! My trainer has tried many times. Luna sees all the other dogs run out to the trainer and bark, but she don't seem to get it!

I would really like to be able to do it at command, so I can teach her not to bark, as you say.

But I'll just keep trying

Thanx!

Hi guys

We went to training this morning, and guess what? Luna retrieved!!!

She was sooo good. First I got her to sit next to me (is that heel?) and took her lead of. Threw the retrieve thing (a soft thready thing) and told her to retrieve. She ran straight out, took it, ran back to me and sat down in front. One little miss, she didn't wait for me to grab hold and say release, but just let go.

But she RETRIEVED!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeeehaaaaaa

Still cant bark on command but who caares today

Well done Luna and Jeanette

Good job Jeannette and Bellaluna Tigger doesn't like retrieving either, but since we got the puppy he's gotten competitive and will retrieve every time. He used to be like you said Bellaluna was, once or twice, and that's it. He won't speak either. I've heard that if you do like Shadowboxer says, it works. I never bothered because it wasn't that important to me. Savannah on the other hand speaks on command and I use the same hand signal SB uses.

This is a problem I had with Heidi, she had a limited interest in retreiving and would only retrieve a couple of times before giving up on the game.

The way I got round it was to limit her retrieves, that is for every 10 ten times you throw what ever you want her to retrieve, she retrieves it once and you retrieve it nine times.
Each time you retrieve it, make a big show of how much your enjoying it ( you might want to go some where private to do it, other wise people start talking )
Also only use your retrieve item for retrieving, its not a toy or hers but yours, so if you throw it or lose it she has to bring it back to you, if she starts playing with it take it off her and the game is finished there.

Heidi soon learnt that if she didn't retrieve to me then the game ended, now to keep her interest in retrieving, we do a little training every day but retrieves are only done every three days at most.

Hi Shadowboxer, Barbara and Robert

Thanx SB. I was so proud of my girl And she got loads of praises.

Barbara (and SB also): I think I've been too concerned to make her "shut up", so instead of saying "speak" I've told her to be quiet. I have to remember when she barks to say speak!

Robert: Ok I will try the retrieving with fun And find myself a quiet place for it

Her retrieve thing is in the closet, when not used, and she's not allowed to play with it at all. And I do finish if she starts playing, so I'm doing things correct. Just gotta keep at it, it seems

Thanks all

A very proud Jeanette