This dog has natural retrieving instinct. He is a working line golden retriever:
With dogs that have retrieving instinct, the actual retrieving act is reward enough, so the whole training process can start at an entirely different level.
At one point in the video, you can see a very young puppy responding to a human pointing gesture!
Here he is starting out:
And yes, I’m aware that golden puppies of this type and of this age look something like long-haired dachshunds.
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Just my obligatory comment that even those hardass field-trialers with hard-headed abuse-oriented hyper Labs (tongue-in-cheek) begin to reinforce drive and delivery to hand with positive reinforcement and praise in very young puppies (seriously).
;)
No, F&L! Say it isn’t so. I heard that those hardass field-trialers beat the drive into their seven-week old puppies.
Here’s a four and a half-week old flatcoat learning hold.
And a five and a half-week old delivering almost to hand.
You say this in jest, but there are people who do this. Some of these pro-trainers are a bit like the old dog punchers of yore, and if it ain’t a lab, they won’t work with it.
And I’m not saying that a “conditioned retrieve” (is that PC enough?) might not be necessary at some point with these dogs.
“…there are people who do this. Some of these pro-trainers are a bit like the old dog punchers of yore…”
These trainers create dogs called “pigs.”
Good trainers–pro or am–reinforce natural drive in a puppy through praise and shaping instinctive behaviors, even though they will most likely be force-fetching as well.
Keep in mind that some dogs will put up with a lot.
I still think the FF should be used on setters, pointers, and spaniels that have very poor instinct. In fact, the pointer shouldn’t be expected to do a lot of retrieving. They are talented at holding a point, and that should be it. If you want a pointer that retrieves, look beyond the British Isles, they exist in a great diversity on the continent.
If you’re using it on a retriever that doesn’t have very good instincts, you probably shouldn’t be breeding it. If it is used to augment natural ability, fine.
But I see it being used too much as a crutch, a crutch that keeps people from really focusing hard on that instinct. After health, the most important thing to focus on with retrievers is whether they will do it naturally to the point of obsession.
What’s interesting is to compare this dog, which has natural instinct, to the dog being taught to retrieve in the previous post, which probably doesn’t.
https://retrieverman.wordpress.com/2010/02/24/clicker-training-retrieves/
BTW, I’m almost considering secession and joining the Deutsch Drahthaar people.
Have fun force-fetching your Drahthaar! (evil laugh…)
Seriously, the field trial guys I know absolutely live by the mantra “You can take drive out, but you can’t put it back in!” It’s just an estimate, but I’d say I’ve heard it about 500 times…
In the hunt test/field trial circuit I’m privileged to hover around the edges of, a dog that only retrieves because it’s been told to is not a dog ANYBODY wants to have or breed.
(That said–there are some bad trainers out there that expect way too much of puppies and young dogs, too. Ugh. Buyer beware.)
4.5 week-old retrieves to hand.
That looks like a piece cut off of a paint roller.
Yes, half-sized paint rollers are used by some folks as a first retrieval object. Most trainers have soft canvas or plastic puppy bumpers, like adult bumpers, but scaled down. Those are especially great when transitioning to bird scent & feathers, because one can tape or band a bird wing to the bumper. But paint rollers are available at any hardware store, and if someone is just “playing around” with their retriever, it’s a good cheap choice.
At this stage of development, the important thing is the puppy is receiving positive interaction and praise. The pup could be chasing and returning with a rolled-up sock or a plush toy.
Here’s the same dog having his retrieving “refined.”
I know you’ve seen this before.
Dont’ do it Scotty-
Don’t get a DD! I’ll admit, they sound like machines in the field, very trainable, and their breed clubs absolutely get it when it comes to breeding for ability.
They are the Ivan Drago (Rocky IV) of dogs. Physically and mentally superior to all other manner of dogs.
You need a lunatic, 30 lb. working English Cocker, so you can write incessantly about the dogs and their history.
Actually, since you are in WV, a treeing feist would make more sense than a big running upland bird dog.
I can get a treeing feist for free.
Or at least no more than $15.
I know a guy who runs short-hairs on woodcock and grouse.
And those dogs are not simpletons.
BTW, my cocker is being force fetched by a professional right now. I don’t have the experience (or stomach frankly) to do it here.
She has a natural retrieve, but I am hoping to correct the etiquitte problem of dropping her bird or abandoning her line when another one falls around her.