Spaniel won’t pick up ducks

[Beretta V]

Hi all I was just after a few tips on how to train a dog that won’t pick up ducks.
She will retrieve pigeons and game but she won’t go near a duck!
I’ve tried playing with wings etc but she won’t touch them. A pheasant she is happy to retrieve

 

[Tazz]

It is a “ thing” with some gun dogs more so spaniels a mate has the issue with one of his three spaniels the other two are fine but one of them simply won’t retrieve ducks, various theories around smell and texture but very hard to fix.

 

[Pedro]

I found the same with a Labrador, although with him, it was woodcock and snipe he wouldn't pick up. Although with much encouragement and pointing he got the message.

I do wonder if it's just that he was trained to retrieve pheasants and they weren't pheasants.

 

[Tim.243]

Hi all I was just after a few tips on how to train a dog that won’t pick up ducks.
She will retrieve pigeons and game but she won’t go near a duck!
I’ve tried playing with wings etc but she won’t touch them. A pheasant she is happy to retrieve

All mine including the new pup I played hide an seek with teal/widgeon
now Chip has teal widgeon snipe tufted shovler mallard pintail greylag Canada on his CV

Finn is running around with fallow legs at the moment

Take one and lob it in a pond

 

[finbar]

Woodcock snipe have a oily flavour to them a game keeper mate of mine said back in the day they used to train pups with starlings they have the same glossy waxy feather thing
His lab Jake wud gingerly pick a woodcock up then with in minutes be white froth on its mouth
My then young spaniel wud pick them for fun
All her daughters & granddaughters pick all the ducks & geese
Mind the big honkers can be big ask on my small Ess

 

[Donkey Basher]

Mind the big honkers can be big ask on my small Ess

Reminds me of an occasion back in the 90’s on a beaters day. Lined out around the end of a wood shooting pheasants & partridges & then heard the sound of geese. Looked around & the gun next to me had heard them too - they were coming from behind us. Quickly removed the 6s & dropped a couple ‘heavies’ in the chambers then waited, a skein of Canadas heaved into view & between the two of us we dropped 3 on the stubbles & one peeled off & headed down over the brow out of sight but clearly hit. I sent both my spaniels, the old boy who was built like a tank & the wiry youngster who was about 2 at the time & had lost a few kilos over the season. Leaving them to it I turned to resume the drive with the odd glance over my shoulder to see what the dogs were up to. Eventually they reappeared, the old boy had a very p’ed off Canada by the neck & was dragging it protesting up the field - trotting along next to him was the youngster with a partridge he’d picked from somewhere & looking very pleased with himself too. The old dog was brilliant on ducks, geese & woodcock. The youngster would pick ducks but not geese & just seemed incapable of finding woodcock.

 

[sako751sg]

Sometimes it takes a while just to click for them so would keep it fun and hope it's a matter of time.

I've a new one of 6ish months and so far had only been out with me with the rifle and roe until this last week.

Was a walk with him and Jake last week and he brought an unexpected rabbit back that a buzzard had been on,and then Friday night he was in the motor for a duck flight and then let him "play" in the dark whiles Jake was retrieving and was very pleasantly surprised when the young lad took 3 mallard back,and actually picking them up as though he was a seasoned pro.They all have their own timescale for making progress so go by his and not your own expectations,and if needed take a step or two backwards if needed.

 

[Tazz]

One “ Fix” an old dog man shared was to wait for the chance to see one come down close to you that would be a runner/swimmer the “ chase” instinct should take over

 

[Namman]

Reminds me of an occasion back in the 90’s on a beaters day. Lined out around the end of a wood shooting pheasants & partridges & then heard the sound of geese. Looked around & the gun next to me had heard them too - they were coming from behind us. Quickly removed the 6s & dropped a couple ‘heavies’ in the chambers then waited, a skein of Canadas heaved into view & between the two of us we dropped 3 on the stubbles & one peeled off & headed down over the brow out of sight but clearly hit. I sent both my spaniels, the old boy who was built like a tank & the wiry youngster who was about 2 at the time & had lost a few kilos over the season. Leaving them to it I turned to resume the drive with the odd glance over my shoulder to see what the dogs were up to. Eventually they reappeared, the old boy had a very p’ed off Canada by the neck & was dragging it protesting up the field - trotting along next to him was the youngster with a partridge he’d picked from somewhere & looking very pleased with himself too. The old dog was brilliant on ducks, geese & woodcock. The youngster would pick ducks but not geese & just seemed incapable of finding woodcock.

Great !
What a lovely memory reminded me when I had two spaniels. My old boy was built like a tank , my other , his son, was slightly built and a bit skinny.
Luckily they both retrieved game, wildfowl and woodcock,
I still miss the old boy, the younger one is now 14 and retired.

 

[bullet chucker]

A Gun I knew had a springer that would be on a shot pheasant in a flash and pick it, BUT' she would then proceed to bury it in the fallen leaves in the wood, I actually witnessed her doing it on a beaters day.

BC.

 

[finbar]

The old girl always worried the big honkers first

 

[NOTSHARP]

Hi all I was just after a few tips on how to train a dog that won’t pick up ducks.
She will retrieve pigeons and game but she won’t go near a duck!
I’ve tried playing with wings etc but she won’t touch them. A pheasant she is happy to retrieve

If you have Pheasant winged dummies, try adding a single duck wing feather to it. If the dog picks it, gradually, over several days, add more duck feathers. Hopefully, you may get to the point where you can attach a complete a full wing.



Steve.

 

[Alex88]

Have you tried putting the ducks in difficult places, like water or bushes? I once had a puppy who, when transitioning from dummies to cold game, would just look at me and "say bugger off get it yourself" if I put the bird on the lawn. When I put it in a bush and she felt like she was doing something more useful, it clicked, problem solved.

 

[bobt]

our old spaniel was wary of ducks, then it twigged he was bullied by our moskovy duck as a pup once or twice,

he soon got out of it, with a pair of wings on a dummy,

 

[Idlemusket]

competition from another dog for the retreve may work, I wouldnt over do it though I would only try it a couple of times three at the most.
I wouldent worry though I had two dogs one hated pheasants the other anything fur after a couple of seasons they both would pick what they were sent for

 

[Iamtheferryman]

When my lab Jake was a pup his 1st retrieve was frogs! Every day on his walk he would bugger off and find a frog to bring back. Some dead, some crispy, some very alive.........he went on to pick up and find everything fur or feather with the exception of geese...........tried everything but never cracked it. He is now 13 and retired. Doubt I will ever get another dog as good as him again

 

[Heym SR20]

My Labrahound (lab x bmh) is very adamant that picking up ducks and finding is a job for a highly skilled double pedigree such as hers. It requires immense skill and finesse finding them on marshes, in the water and amongst the reeds, bracken and heather.

Phaesants however are fluffy feathery things out in the open fields - ok for humans and spaniels to pick but absolutely beneath her dignity and pay grade.

 

[Beretta V]

Thanks for all your advice guys, I’ve put some duck wings on a dummy, got her fired up with a dummy with pheasant wings on it, then tried with the duck one. She wouldn’t even go near it.
I cut the breasts out of a bird and laid it in the garden trying to get her on it that way but wouldn’t go near it.

 

[baguio]

Try put the sock on a partridge and get her keen on retrieving that before removing the partridge and inserting a duck. If he will retrieve it you need to then fold back the sock and expose some of the duck, etc.

 

[Polar Lynx]

Yes, to compete is a way. 2 for the brown and 1 for the pre-reluctant black