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I have a new pup what should i do?

2K views 11 replies 8 participants last post by  Butchhe 
#1 ·
i have a 3mo old chessie and she has a mouth like a croc. i mean it can take some ones hand off.. how do i break the hard mouth?? and what would be best using a whistle or not to train her i am dont no what to do??
 
#4 ·
start training basic obedience. that is the key to any hunting dog. The wistle can be worked in with verbal commands. I like using both when hunting. I do some jump shooting so a soft verbal command is nice when you want to control the dog but not make a lot of noise.

For the croc mouth, get a plastic bristled brush and use that for retrieves for a little while. She'll learn pretty quickly not to chomp down. The knobby rubber bumpers also help.

the "water dog" book or DVD are both great, but you might want to consult other source and merge them.
 
#5 ·
When the pups I train don't give up the bumper/ bird I use the ear pinch I pinch and tell the pup to give the until the puppy releases then I release my grip and praise the pup for giving me the object. I also recommend Richard Wolters "Waterdog" or "Gamedog" the other thing I did was join the UKC Hunting Retriever Club so I could have some help in training and I would have the dogs I have today without the HRC. My ffirst priority was a hunting dog and I run the test for fun. eep your training sessions short and consistent dogs will learn on repetition and always end on a good note.
 
#6 ·
if she's only 3 months I would stay away from the ear pinch. that is part of the force fetch training and you'll learn about it in the WaterDog DVD. You should think about getting into that after she has lost her puppy teeth, maybe at 7-8 months.

Right now retrieving should be fun. It is a break from learning obedience, which is not fun. After force fetch training holding the bird properly becomes a command just like "sit" or "here". Take your time working through the learning progression. You won't hurt the dog by taking it slow and getting the basics down. On the opposite side you will make yourself and the dog very frustrated if you go too fast before she is ready. Ask lots of questions. We're here to help.

Good luck and have fun. Your dog is your hunting buddy. Training builds a bond and trust between you. It is a lot of fun.
 
#7 ·
my other 3 dogs i trained without a problem and 2 dident have a hard mouth and the 1 that did i just used a barbeque brush and a bord and put small nails in it. and now i can set eggs out on the ground and they will pick them up and bring it to me. i also have the "waterdog" DVD and some others.. but i think my problem might be is after the dogs iv trained i might be exspecting the new dogs to catch on quick. but i am learning as more dogs i train the more things there doing diffrent and i dont no what to do.. like i tryed a brissle pad with the one now and now she dont want to pick it up any more
 
#8 ·
I have never had a problem trianing to give with the ear pinch and has never interfered with force fetch. all I am doing is teaching the dog to give I don't force fetch until they are almost a year old. teach them when they are young and avoid any bad habits
 
#9 ·
Remember, if it is truly hard mouthed, that is a genetic thing. It is a trait that can and will be passed onto puppies.
It can be broken, but, it is something to consider when thinking if you want to breed a dog in the future.
 
#10 ·
I know a guy that froze quail and then drove nails threw it and then worked his hard mouth dog. I guess it worked.
I also know a guy that said he used barb wire around a dead bird to break his. I guess that method worked too.
Also had a guy tell me he used water balloons. Once they bust it they don't have anything to bring back and therefore no praise. Don't like the thought of rubber going down my dogs throat.
They make harnesses with dull spikes on it for hard mouthness.

These are a few things I have heard of people doing. Take those for what they are worth. I don't know if I would do any but the harness but only as a last resort.
 
#12 ·
harvey1b said:
start training basic obedience. that is the key to any hunting dog. The wistle can be worked in with verbal commands. I like using both when hunting. I do some jump shooting so a soft verbal command is nice when you want to control the dog but not make a lot of noise.

For the croc mouth, get a plastic bristled brush and use that for retrieves for a little while. She'll learn pretty quickly not to chomp down. The knobby rubber bumpers also help.

the "water dog" book or DVD are both great, but you might want to consult other source and merge them.
You hit the nail on the head with "use a plastic bristled brush". Any hard bristled brush will work. A few pokes in the roof of the dogs mouth or in the gums and they learn quick.
 
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