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Crazy Dog

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
When I bought my chocolate lab Remington in 2007, I had high hopes of turning him in to a shed dog. He may have the ability, but I didn't as a trainer. At 18 months, I brought home my first duck and introduced him to waterfowl for the first time. Unfortunately, he wouldn't pick it up and to this day, will not pick up a dead bird. We've spent a lot of time training and he looks like he knows what he is doing when we are at the river with decoys, but I've never broke him of not picking up a dead bird. Which makes this afternoons events all the weirder.

When I pulled in the driveway today, I saw two squirrels in a tree right in the edge of the brush. I ran in, let him out of the kennel, grabbed my .22 and went back outside. I made him heel and he does a good job of that and doing it to your off gun side. I took careful aim, cracked off a shot and watched the squirrel fall. I looked down at him and he's just looking at me like he does when I throw a decoy in the water. So I figure WTF and yell: "Fetch 'em up!"

I'll be damned if he didn't run straight to the tree, find the squirrel, brought it back, dropped it at my feet and heeled. lmao Crazy bastard doesn't know he ain't a squirrel dog apparently!!!
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
Do you think it was a fluke or do you think maybe something finally clicked with him?

No. I believe he'd do it again. It was exactly like we train, but with something he'd pick up. I highly doubt he would pick up a bird still. I did save some wings and may very well rubber band some to a dead squirrel and see what happens for shits and giggles.

It was just him showing me he knows what to do, but he'll be damned if he does it when I actually want him to! Fuggar! lmao
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
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Appalachia
He's in the kennel now because I fired up the smoker. After 2-3 hunts, he gets the drift that fall has arrived and cage time is abundant! lmao
 

epe

Senior Member
6,113
93
Lancaster
Have you tried dove with him? My hunting buddies lab won't fetch certain birds. Loves doves, will not get near a pigeon..
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
Yep. Won't do it. I was told to have someone force fetch him, but he was 3.5 by the time I realize I was hooked on waterfowling and having a good retriever would be a huge benefit to me. Hated to do that to him at that point.
 

RedCloud

Super Moderator
Super Mod
17,381
193
North Central Ohio
Thats funny as hell. Crazy dog lol.

Fug it. Take him squirrel hunting with you and maybe after a few trips and bring them back he will figure out it's a good thing to bring back what you shoot and send him to bring back ? Nothing else he will be of some use to find the tree rats.
 

CJD3

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
14,630
201
NE Ohio
Thats funny as hell. Crazy dog lol.

Fug it. Take him squirrel hunting with you and maybe after a few trips and bring them back he will figure out it's a good thing to bring back what you shoot and send him to bring back ? Nothing else he will be of some use to find the tree rats.

Ha! He's just lazy and playing games with you


Try it again. RedCloud may be on to something. Besides. You have 1 squirrel left right? LOL
 

buckstar25

Junior Member
691
81
T-county
Have you read the book "Water Dog" Jesse? I trained my Chocolate using that book and she was an amazing duck dog, it is a great book and may help with the duck thing.

As for the squirrels, that's good stuff!
 
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jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,061
223
Ohio
Damn that is strange! I have never seen a labrador that wouldn't pick up a bird. With labs, usually the problem is teaching them what NOT to pick up... not the other way around! lol
 

Schu72

Well-Known Member
3,864
113
Streetsboro
Damn that is strange! I have never seen a labrador that wouldn't pick up a bird. With labs, usually the problem is teaching them what NOT to pick up... not the other way around! lol

A good while back I posted a pic of my lab carrying a turtle. He will fetch just about anything. Too bad I never made much of a go with waterfowling.
 

ImpalaSSpeed96

Junior Member
561
60
NJ
I trained my lab on Force fetching. He got it pretty quick, but I didn't drive it into him, hence why he'll fetch when he feels like it. It will only take a couple sessions one day for it to click though. Force fetching isn't bad, if the dog wants to work. Mine doesn't, so I gave up on the force fetching. I use him for company when I scout, and if he finds a shed, great. But I've given up on turning him into a hunting dog. He just doesn't have the drive. If your dog has the drive, it'll take a few sessions a day, for less than a week, to have him fetching birds.