Water Retrieval help!

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GinaB

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Cindy is coming up on 10 months now and her training is goind really well, we're very pleased with her (esp. me, I chose her
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) only thing is water!

We thought she'd quite happily follow Tina (who loves water and does a very good retrieval) but it's a no go. Once the water is up to her chest she backs back out. We throw the dummy into shallow water and she goes up to it but bats it with her paw as opposed to picking it up? She does know how to retrieve to hand and does this with both dummies and birds.

Any suggestions?
 
probably too cold! bless her. Has she tried swimming yet? if she hasn't she's probably worried about not feeling the ground?? I am no expert on this just giving you ideas.

Boris doesn't care and goes for swimming (he still retrieves) whatever the weather only to be shivering afterwards!
 
What are you using for her to retrieve? If not already, you could try a small lightweight puppy dummy or tennis ball even. Try to find an area with some puddles and leave the dummy on the edge and ask her to retrieve and then gradually get it into the puddle. Once she is happy with this go to the water and again start on the edge and gradually get deeper. If she does it once, stop and leave it for a couple of days - putting pressure on her will only make it worse.

Have you started tying feathers to the dummy yet? something a bit novel might make her braver.

Do you have a dummy launcher? you could find a small stream and launch the dummy on the other side and send her across - anything to get her to accept the water.

Good luck - I am sure it will all come with time
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Yep, we're using the puppy dummy so nice and light and she loves retrieving it. Might have a launcher somewhere, will go and have a search. Although I need to go and buy a new dummy as we've lost our heavier ones and the puppy one got chewed through by a rather excitable dog we met! Lol

Thanks for the ideas, I shall try them over the weekend
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I make sure to let her have lots of 'puppy' time and have a blast and she gets lots of positive reward even for the smallest things
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My OH's lab used to be really wussy about going into water, unless there were lots of other dogs, preferably being a bit mad. He always liked it once he was in though. Now he launches himself in happily, and will put his head right under to retrieve a stone if he's missed the stick.

Maybe just let her play in the water with your other dog, and have fun with it, then she'll get more keen in general. Possibly also try her with waves on a beach, then she'll get more used to it.
 
Its a bit cold at the moment to start any serious water training. Wait a month or so for warmer weather. Get those waders on and get in with her. She just needs to get confident swimming. Come summer you will probably have problems getting her out of the water....
 
I would honestly just back off it for now, as she is effectivley learning NOT to retrieve from water.
I would wait till well into suffer when it is hot & that her land retrieves a perfectly established, so it is 2nd nature for her to go & retrieve no matter where the dummy/bird is!
Luckily Quail is like an otter & will even swim under water!

I have just bought a brilliant book I will PM you the link to it tonight!!
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Loki was really nervous about water for quite a while - now he loves swimming and his water retrieval is his best thing... but he is still cautious if he thinks it will be hard to get out (he likes a genle slope into the water
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)

I'm sure she will get better - I honestly thought Loki would never go in.... but he loves it.
 
She doesn't seem nervous. More confused as to why the dummy moves away so easily lol! Ho-hum I fear I may end up in the water with waders on, if so I shall get photographic evidence
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I shall give her time and if she goes in, she goes in but won't make it a part of training in the meantime.

Thanks everyone
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Oh yes and PM me that link please k9h
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