# Pup Stopped Picking Up Dummy



## caddis8 (Sep 10, 2007)

My now 9 month old chocolate lab pup has stopped retrieving his dummy when thrown in the yard. He may pick up 1 of 5. He used to pick everything up. I may try a new dummy and put something on it to make it taste good.

Old pup never did that. Suggestions? He has picked up doves this year and retrieved- which is really the most important. I need to put him on pheasants and bigger birds next.

He's very pleasant and happy. He's eager to please. I don't want to screw him up!

Help!!!!


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

He sounds like he's hitting that obstinate teenager phase, and running through a force fetch program will fix it.


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## caddis8 (Sep 10, 2007)

He is hitting that obstinate phase. He picks everything up and destroys stuff, so selectively allowing him to pick things up.

If he can find birds as well as he can find turds, dead stuff, rotting rabbits, nasty food, diapers, and other garbage hereunto known as additional fecal matter, he'll be great.

He's a really good dog. Tons of fun.


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

Definitely sounds like time to do force fetch. Have fun!


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## Steve G (Nov 29, 2016)

Like the other said force fetch is probably the answer, but here is a trick to consider.

When my first lab was young like yours is now he was quite reliable. But then he started this to act up and would go after a retrieve and when he found it he would just start screwing off (presumably so he wouldn't have to come back) but he would always find it first.

So we threw a couple very crumbly dirt clods into tall grass so that it broke up on impact. He thought we were tossing dummies. When he couldn't find them he became "worried and stressed" and wore himself out looking for the non-existent dummy.

After that he never failed to retrieve a dummy he could find.

Of course every dog is different. Good luck


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

I take it you have not taught him "hold"? Its a part of the FF process, but you can try starting there. Once he knows hold, take him into a hallway and play fetch where you can control the situation and not allow him to blow off picking up the dummy. Keep it really upbeat and get him wound up to play with you. I'm not a big fan of using treats, but to start off you may want to reward successful retrieves as incentive. Million ways to skin the cat....


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## one4fishing (Jul 2, 2015)

Gdog is spot on about the hallway and the treats. At nine months treat training should be left behind.


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## caddis8 (Sep 10, 2007)

Thanks. I haven't used treats for a while. He is sitting pretty well. We're working on distance sit, but that will come in time. 

He can sit and wait for 60 seconds in his dog run when I feed him. I don't release him until he holds still and I don't have to correct. 

I'll try the hallway- probably when mom is gone so she doesn't see......

I've worked on hold, but not good enough probably. He did ok yesterday in the session. I only did 3 or 4 throws, and loved on him with the dummy in his mouth. I think he may be slightly confused because he didn't enjoy me taking his doves away.


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

“Hold” command I was mentioning was holding the dummy in his mouth and not releasing it till you command him to.


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## caddis8 (Sep 10, 2007)

Good session today. Retrieves, hold, sit, no drops and no ignores.


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