Water Training Issues

[newfiemum]

It's the once a year poster and all year lurker again. It's water season and I am having some issues with Ursa (my problem child). After cleaning up her control act and some major holes in my training, I am having two major issues: Underwater Retrieve and Retrieve off of a Boat.

My problem with Retrieve off of a Boat is the jump itself. Ursa has no problems with jumping when she has to come to rescue me. It's when both of us are on the boat that there is a jump issue. Could it be a balance issue? If so, can that be corrected with more work on the Wobble board?

The underwater retrieve: Ursa will do this exercise with no issues in our kiddie pool in the back yard. She did it once this year while training at the lake. I think that waiting to work on this after I have worked on other things may be the issue. I also think that the issue may be Ursa's mindset. If I am not throwing a bumper, she doesn't see a need to chase anything else. I have been throwing the splunky in the yard and she does chase it and carry it around. This past Sunday, I had to lead her over to where I had tossed it and made her pick it up. She did it but really showed no interest on doing it on her own. Granted, we had done quite a bit before this and she was tired. Is there any way to gather enthusiasm for this exercise?

 

[pecanpiepatti]

Have you purchased Capri's training book? Has great ideas in it!

 

[Ivoryudx]

When a dog will jump to you off the boat, but refuses to jump off the boat to retrieve, its two things. One refusing to retrieve, and two not wanting to leave Mama! So work those issues on land. Sit on the top of the stairs, or a bench beside your dog, and toss the paddle and tell her to go get it.

Under water retrieve in the kiddie pool isn't like the lake. Is the water you are training in clear? If a dog can see the article under water it makes a HUGE difference. If the water is clear then slow down, and point it out to them, so they learn to look for it then they will have incentive to retrieve it. IF the water is not clear, then get a extra large rubbermade container, fill it with water so its chest deep and play retrieve. Once they will dunk to get it in clear water, add some dirt to make it unclear. They have already learned that its 'there', so when the water gets cloudy they figure out that its the same situation and the object is still there, and will go for it. At least thats been my experience even with some of the worse ones who don't want to dunk in cloudy water.

Good luck!

 

[pecanpiepatti]

Susan, that's a great idea for cloudy water! Lakes here in Texas are not clear at all; never thought to muddy the waters (at home) myself!

 

[R Taft]

Like Susan said..I would also get back to shore work. We put the boat on shore and also throw treats off the boatt with the clear command and made it very rewarding and lots of fun..initially throw the food. after that throw an item and reward. Swapping is a good idea if you do not want to use food. We throw a paddle and give a bumper to the dog as reward initially..after a while it just happens. Make it fun, play games, do not get too serious and reward even attempts in the early days. From dry land work go to water and do the same.
The other thing I do with one of mine , Annabelle, is work with other dogs and do it. She seems to need to see how it is done. She will often offer it after that. Even if you work with someone elses dog who does it well. We get a lot of our green dogs do work that way at all sort of different things

 

[janices]

Set similar setting on land jumping and work on jump. It may be a simple differences in situations. Does not generalize jump. Dirty water up at home. Bring yourself in little to be not as deep dirty water out training. Bring depth out as get more consistent.

 

[newfiemum]

I have "inherited" the club boat and have done several jumps from the platform. The weird part is she was jumping last year and this is one of the exercises she passed at last year's trials. Not sure what the difference is this year except it's been 9 months since she last did it.

Thanks everyone for the ideas...I will give them a try. And I do have Capri's book...will have to reread those sections again.