Chrome
Firefox
Edge
Any bird dog worth his kibble will run out and pick up a bird. That’s when the hard work begins.
If you’re still chasing your own birds, bad human! No treat for you. There are a ton of ways to teach retrieving, some harsh, some soft, and a lot in between. Here are some suggestions to make your dog a retrieving machine that kind of split the difference.
The foundation
We’ve already agreed any self-respecting “bird dog” will go out after a down bird. And you’ve already taught “come,” or “here,” right? Now let’s help your dog comply with that second command, no matter what the distraction: other dogs, people, shots, hunting buddy’s rude comments … or a bird in his mouth.
Start on the table with a bird wing or a bumper with feathers on it – because he’ll probably be glad to grab it. With him at one end, call him to the other end. Use a check cord to remind him. Reward generously with high-value treats, praise, and whatever he loves. This will help later, too.
Work him both on and off the table, at a distance, and in different locations. Then introduce bumpers, and frozen and thawed birds while you start adding the “fetch” command. Eventually, that word will cover the entire process from running out to giving the bird to you. But not yet.
Don’t drop it
When he’s returning nine times out of ten without encouragement, it’s on to the next step: hold.
It’s easy with a bird – after all, he’s a bird dog. We’ll probably need a strong incentive for him to give it up … but that’s next. Right now, it’s about preventing dropping and “drive-by” retrieves where a wing-clipped bird has started to run away. So, back to the table, first with bumpers, wings, then birds. Press under his chin to keep his mouth closed and repeat the “fetch” command. Yeah, in my book, the word fetch entails the entire process, so until he is ordered to release, he should start associating “fetch” with go out, pick up, come here, and hold it.
If he drops it, put it back in his mouth and repeat the command. If he’s got lockjaw, open his mouth by pinching his bottom lips against his teeth. Then, proof it by trying other objects, reaching for it, and throwing other stuff. He’ll figure things out, especially when you get back to wings and birds. Then combine the first two parts: coming back, and holding, on and off the table, in the yard and the field.
Here’s a neat trick that helps my dog: hold the treat or your hand in the air as he comes back. It raises his head, and he’ll naturally keep the bird in his mouth.
Gimme that thing
And now, the part that makes him a star: “release.”
Back to the table first, with bumpers and birds, and a pocketful of high-value food treats. In my experience, it’s the best incentive for opening his mouth. That’s a pretty even trade, right? This is where you give him a new command: release, or give, or thank you. Only a drool-inducing treat can compete with the deliciousness of feathers, so make it a good one.
Two tricks will ensure your success: letting him hold the bird for a while before you ask for it and giving it back as a reward while retaining physical control of him. What else could a dog ask for?
Overlay praise, wean him away from treats, and you’re on your way to a finished bird dog. Give yourself a reward when you’re done … cheers!
--Scott Linden
