# Puppy Eating Wings



## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

Hah! That reminds me of Lucy when she was small. I had no idea what to do, she was birdy and ate any wings. So I went back to my breeder who referred me to someone to help. Little Lucy thought birds were for eating not retrieving! So I made that phone call to the person my breeder referred me to. We met up and had Lucy retrieve a thawed pigeon. She was 14 weeks old. I had to pry her jaws open she had that darn pigeon so far down her throat. I learned very quickly to keep Lucy on a long line to reel her back in. We did complete her forced fetch training when she was 14 month old and eating birds stopped then. So going back to your puppy. I would definitely keep her on a light line like a very light cord or string. Enough for you to get ahold of but not too heavy that she can't drag it. 

Since you are in Dallas there are many people in that area that train. The golden club website is: Dallas-Ft. Worth Metro Golden Retriever Club Terry Thornton is with the club and very involved with field and agility. I would contact her for ideas if your breeder is too far away to help you out. Aren't baby puppies fun! They are at such a perfect age to get them onto birds.


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## boomers_dawn (Sep 20, 2009)

Mine did this too. In fact Gladys went postal and made some beeping and terminator noises. So we don't have to worry if they're birdy, they are.

I confirmed with our field class instructor - no more feathers or wings until they learn to hold and out. Birdy is not going away if you withold feathers or wings. 
Bad habits will come in if you keep up with the birds and wings until they are trained what to do and not do with them.

There are several different ways to go about this training, some people subscribe to a structured "FF" or force fetch process to be followed exactly step by step; others tailor the training and methods to fit the dog. You will have to make some choices how you want to train and get some help as Alaska said. 

You can work on basic obedience in the meantime. Have fun


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## danjor92 (Dec 16, 2013)

Yeah, I figured just hold back on the birds until she learns force fetch and to hold and let go and things like that.

Ok to use the lead with a choke collar or no? Too young? Just like a lead with a slip to retract then release pressure?


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

danjor92 said:


> So my 12 week old field bred golden is getting socialized and learning everything quickly. I am trying to start small sessions of retriever training gundog stuff as well as obedience. She will retrieve toys back to me very well. Her mouth isnt quite big enough for the bumpers, even the small canvas ones. So I am assuming to hold off on using those? She just has a hard time picking them up and I do not want her to get distracted in the process or start pulling bumpers by the string
> 
> 
> Also she tried to engulf a wing I was trying to get her to retrieve the other day. I pulled her back by the lead to me once she picked it up, but she tries so quickly to swallow it almost. I would like to keep up her desire for birds and wings, but do not want to encourage a desire to eat or chew the wings. When I rubberbanded a wing to the toy she would retrieve then she would just stop and try to eat thing feathers.
> ...


 
She's big enough for a check cord and training collar. (I start with a puppy sized pinch collar as soon as I start with the leash work).


Ditch the wings. They're too tempting for her at this point. try small paint rollers or whole frozen pigeons. they're both easy for her to pick up and light enough for her to carry. I usually get rid of the wings as soon as the pups are big enough to carry a frozen bird. Frozen birds are easy to carry but difficult to chomp on.


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