Water training - no, don't leave it!

[LeahO]

Hi all! First time Newfie owner here! I was so excited when Ben got up the guts to take the jump in the water. He loves to swim! At first, he felt that everything and everyone must come out of the water. I pondered the impending scene that would ensue after he got more confident when 2 lovers in a canoe paddled by out of reach of our beginner.

Now he's developed a confounding habit - he darts out into the water, grabs victoriously onto the item that yearns for safety on the shore and promptly drops it, swimming away losing his mission. Then he started to do the same thing on shore when playing fetch. He'll be 9 months old and I thought we knew "Go get it" and "bring it back" routine. Maybe he's lost interest? I try to trade him with treats, but he just comes back and sits in front of me, neon toy floating forgotten behind him.

We've hit a communication breakdown.

The other thing I wanted to ask about was when my husband went out to try acting like he needed some help, Ben lunged at him. My husband realizing that a great monstrosity with lots of momentum and claws was coming at him tried to get out of the way, but instead got clawed with great big clumsy paws. He was a bloody mess! Do you shove the pup away from you and grab on or will he catch on not to drown his victim?

Thanks for any tips! I'll keep reading the board!

 

[SheilaT]

You will get wonderful advice from our water training gurus here...of which I am NOT one!....so my advice to you is to get a copy of Judi Adler's book Water Work, Water Play and to heed the advice of those that have been there, done that!

 

[wrknnwf]

We teach the Newfs to "hold it" in addition to taking things and giving them back.

Its not unusual for the dogs to initially try to climb on the very people they are trying to save. Teach him to swim just past and around you. When he is on the return trip, then you can grab his fur and hang on.

The Judy Adler book is great, but there are some parts I am uncomfortable with. Specifically, being rough or abusive to the dog. Water training should be fun, not punishing.

 

[Tracy]

Getting into the water is great but you need to start on land first. As far as going to your husband, start a few steps away from each other in your yard, living room, not by the water. What you will do is send him to your husband who will have a treat in his hand, as he gets to him, your husband will hold the treat in front of his nose, where the nose goes the rest will follow.
As he gets to him your husband will spin around clockwise the dog is now learning to go around, hold the treat out away from your body so that when he gets in the water he will be on his way to learning the correct distance to be from his victim.
When he gets around your husband he will give the treat to the dog and you will call him back to you. It's just a game of go out and return to the handler but he will love it. As he starts to get it down increase the distance between you and your husband. If he starts to wander as a result of increased distance, move closer again and start over. Once he has this down on land start working the same game in the water at first along the edge of the water back and forth then work going out deeper into the water. The reason they climb you is as they get near you their butt sinks as they stop paddling, so they climb you, just watch what the dogs body does as they slow down swimming. They will learn how to avoid this with experience.
Tracy

 

[Ivoryudx]

Very good input above!

Now he's developed a confounding habit - he darts out into the water, grabs victoriously onto the item that yearns for safety on the shore and promptly drops it, swimming away losing his mission.

Just be sure and check his mouth that he doesn't have something painful that is causing him to stop retrieving.

 

[2Paws]

I have three commands that I train for and give for the retrieve. "Take It" "Hold It" and "Give" Judy Adler's book (wrknnwf's suggestion) is a wonderful source for training for this and it all can be done on land.

Some dogs will drop their article when they reach that spot in the water when they go from swimming to walking. This is when the handler stays in the water at that precise point to get the article from the dog. When you have success at that spot then move closer to shore. Eventually the dog will understand they can hang on to the article when they are walking in the water until they reach you and get the command "Give"

Everything Tracy stated above is very good input for you. It sounds like you have a very good start. Just keep it fun for Ben and you will do fine.

 

[heather pluciennik]

Takes lots of training. Morgans 1 1/2 years and still has a ways to go. Don't give up! Its is a lot of fun once they get the hang of it!

 

[CMDRTED]

I have three commands that I train for and give for the retrieve. "Take It" "Hold It" and "Give" Judy Adler's book (wrknnwf's suggestion) is a wonderful source for training for this and it all can be done on land.

Some dogs will drop their article when they reach that spot in the water when they go from swimming to walking. This is when the handler stays in the water at that precise point to get the article from the dog. When you have success at that spot then move closer to shore. Eventually the dog will understand they can hang on to the article when they are walking in the water until they reach you and get the command "Give"

Everything Tracy stated above is very good input for you. It sounds like you have a very good start. Just keep it fun for Ben and you will do fine.

Yup, Yup, YUP!

 

[Bojie]

As stated above, land work is key! Bojies best exercises for the water test are the ones that we did the most training on land with first.

To try to prevent clawing, when your husbands out in the water, have him take some meatballs or hotdogs with him, and teach your pup to go around him by luring him to his side with his arm outstretched with the treat, and have him follow it around his back, and let him have it when he reaches the other side, you can start doing this on land, and then in shallow water, and gradually increasing depth. They catch on pretty quickly But claw marks are somewhat of a rite of passage

 

[2Paws]

But claw marks are somewhat of a rite of passage

So true!!!!:!rolling::!rolling::!rolling:

 

[Bojie]

Ah! And most important! Make sure your hubby and whoever is near the water wears a life jacket!

 

[Ivoryudx]

Another thought - What is your timing of praise when he grabs whatever he is retrieving? I've seen A LOT of dogs, leave what they are supposed to retrieve when their owner yells 'good dog'! I've also seen a lot of them drop things when their owner says 'come'. My young girl was doing this so I've worked on myself to just use words of praise, not a specific command. I'm one who stays quiet when the dog is working and doing what they are supposed to do, and I honestly, I get a little irritated when others start yelling before I time my praise for my own dog when we're working. This happens at tests more than anything, and can break a dogs consentration. I typically try to time my praise once the dog has turned and is on their way back to me with whatever they have. This way I know they are focusing on returning to me, and not going after what the were sent for. The only time I will yell any command at my dog, when they are on their way out, is if they are going to the wrong object, or in general doing something wrong. If they are on target, they don't hear from me until they are on their way back!

For dogs who drop things as they get to wading depth, I back up the beach. I'll even run away to get them excited about coming to me, and keeping it fun for them. Canines read body language very well, and if you come at a dog, and they are uncertain in any way, they will stop what they are doing. If you back away from them when they are uncertain of what you want, it will invite them to come to you. I make a game of teasingly knocking things out of my dogs mouth, and having them pick it back up, so they get to where they literally push things into my hand, to play with them. This helps tremendously for them to bring me things without dropping it.

Hope this helps!