# Water question?



## 2Retrievers222 (Sep 5, 2007)

I would use another dog.


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## Jige (Mar 17, 2011)

I think I will take Miss Vendetta down to the lake tomorrow. Jige follows her everyplace. She is a swimming machine so maybe he will follow her lead and go in further.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Wait, are you meaning yards or feet?
30 feet is only 10 yards, not very long.
I would try another dog, and I would try using a gunner out there so he has something to focus on. Or have someone (i.e. your son) hold him and you go out there and throw so he will want to come to you.


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## Jige (Mar 17, 2011)

Yes I was talking feet. This is a big lake not really set up for someone to go out and throw bumpers.http://www.lake-link.com/lakes/lake.cfm?LakeID=7702 .We use the lake along Pickerel Rd. 

I could take him to the river and we could try that. The river is about 22 yrds.

I would like to know what happened. He was fine he would swim way out there he loved swimming then something happened and he doesnt want to go out far. My sister was wondering if a fish bite him. I woundered about a crayfish or I had his long line on him did that get hung up on a rock and he had to pull to get loose.


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## EvanG (Apr 26, 2008)

If those distances are literal, those are microscopic distances, even for a puppy. But if this dog is that fragile about water you must appreciate that many retrievers are intimidated by large bodies of water before them. You may be much better off for a while to work small ponds.

But, before playing games with water, what real training have you done with this dog? The pictures appear to be of a fully grown dog. Have formal Basics been started? Completed?

EvanG


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## Capt Jack (Dec 29, 2011)

I don't know anything about the water in in Minn. but could something like a crab have bit him on the first long retrieve? Jack got bit by one when he swam under the dock across the canal & he still doesn't want to go under there.The only way I knew what it was was because it flipped out of the water when he shook it loose
OOps didn't see your last post guess you already thought of that LOL


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## Jige (Mar 17, 2011)

All the distances are guesstimations. Evan BaWaaJige will 1 on the 9th of this month.
I have been doing water marks with jige since last fall. He has loved the water and still like the water as long as he isnt going out to far. He plows right in comes back on a straight line. It is when the bumper is (what he seems to think) too far that he looks at it and looks to me then he will go just no enthusiasm.

I train with Marsh Meadows hunt club every monday night. Yes he has been through the basics Amish style.


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

You might try being the gunner for once and having someone else handle him. That worked for the distance with my girl (jealousy didn't really). I was told by my pro you can get dogs to run longer marks than normal if the handler becomes the gunner than they are out their in the field with the dog which helps drive them out.

I have had similar problems with mine off and on. Seemingly loves to swim, but every now and then poops out on going in water. I am resolving with the aid of pro and water force...which I know isn't something you want to do...but I think having you try being the gunner might help that out if you build it.


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## Jige (Mar 17, 2011)

I noticed something tonight when I was doing water marks with him. I was using a white bumper and I went to Walker so we were on Leech Lake. If I threw the bumpers to either side it did seem to matter how far I threw them he would plow right in. If I threw the bumper straight out he would hesitate again. We did water marks for about 40minutes and he did the same thing everytime I wanted to send him straight out. 
Tomorrow going to go back to Garfield Lake and try an orange bumper see if that makes a differance.


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