I had a springer that when it was retrieving pigeons would squeeze their guts out the back end. There was never a mark on the bird though. he would only do this on pigeons, everything else he brought back perfectly.
Hard mouth
- Thread starter Barlowbob
- Start date
Plummer
Well-Known Member
I have heard of this many times, it seems the softer pigeon feathers come out into the dogs mouth, and some dogs just don't like it..
Len the dog
Well-Known Member
My springer took to giving everything a shake as he picked it up, I think because my wife and son were throwing sticks into the river for him.
I stopped doing ALL retrieving for a few weeks and then started again with the dummy, as he picked it up and started to rag it I gave a long stop whistle then shouted NO. When he brought it back to me I would put the dummy back in his mouth and give him a gentle but firm shake by the scruff whilst also telling him NO. It only took a couple of times and he got the message and now retrieves everything without a mark.
I stopped doing ALL retrieving for a few weeks and then started again with the dummy, as he picked it up and started to rag it I gave a long stop whistle then shouted NO. When he brought it back to me I would put the dummy back in his mouth and give him a gentle but firm shake by the scruff whilst also telling him NO. It only took a couple of times and he got the message and now retrieves everything without a mark.
Lloyd90
Well-Known Member
Despite being 3, how much experience has she had?
Was she spurred or slapped with the wing of a lively runner? This could be causing the dog to try to ‘finish them off’ when still alive due to a negative experience.
Go and see an experienced lab trainer and best of luck.
If it’s proper hard mouth there’s no cure it’s supposed to be in the blood. I reckon it’s more likely been induced from some sort of negative experience if only on live birds.
Dunwaters
Well-Known Member
It’s not possible to cure, but you can stop it for a short while.
Your case looks like the classic example of a smart dog’s reaction to retrieving live birds, after the first couple of seasons the dog learns that its much easier to carry a dead bird so it gives them a little squeeze.
You can generally see it happen, dog picks up the bird, bites down and comes back. I’ve managed to stop it happening for a short while, but left to its own devices the dog will always bring back a dead bird.
Not ideal in a field trialler, but providing the damage is not too bad no big issue otherwise.
Overlay
Well-Known Member
How old is your dog 3 years, sometimes excitement brings it on, when I used to run a few labs just for wildfowling / picking up dogs, I used moorhens with the feet off in a fine mesh bag so as not encourage any bits or feather tagging and any signs of biting swapped to a corvid, magpie, rook or crow still in a mesh bag they certainly don’t like rooks as they stink all these smell different to game birds and could help calm him down
Just as a try, couple of fresh corvids in a mesh bag just you and the dog in a good calm non excitable place and just 2 or 3 retrieves but keep the lid on exciting the dog don’t put tooooo much into fizzing the dog up nice and calm with no pressure on the dog to perform, its worth a try - good luck
Just as a try, couple of fresh corvids in a mesh bag just you and the dog in a good calm non excitable place and just 2 or 3 retrieves but keep the lid on exciting the dog don’t put tooooo much into fizzing the dog up nice and calm with no pressure on the dog to perform, its worth a try - good luck
Rubbish, it is more important to pick up the flappers/pricked birds as a pigeon will walk off or a teal slither into a hole.
An example of a young Spaniel leaving dead birds to pick a runner...
Gentle as you like.
@Overlay
Dunwaters
Well-Known Member
Maybe you could address the problem the OP presented rather than proposing a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist?
Yes not follow your advice...
Dunwaters
Well-Known Member
Will give that a try cheers very happy with the dog so not a big worry.How old is your dog 3 years, sometimes excitement brings it on, when I used to run a few labs just for wildfowling / picking up dogs, I used moorhens with the feet off in a fine mesh bag so as not encourage any bits or feather tagging and any signs of biting swapped to a corvid, magpie, rook or crow still in a mesh bag they certainly don’t like rooks as they stink all these smell different to game birds and could help calm him down
Just as a try, couple of fresh corvids in a mesh bag just you and the dog in a good calm non excitable place and just 2 or 3 retrieves but keep the lid on exciting the dog don’t put tooooo much into fizzing the dog up nice and calm with no pressure on the dog to perform, its worth a try - good luck
Overlay
Well-Known Member
He’s only young yet, steady calm training little and often might solve it, god luck matey
Similar threads
