# Well....she ATE it!!



## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

We had fun today at our first field training day. There were like like seven goldens (mostly, if not all conformation lines--one Yogi granddaughter) to fifty+ some odd labs (almost all black).

I really enjoyed watching the older dogs work--especially the ones with pros. They make it look so easy!

I had ordered a duck, but Scout has never had the opportunity to pick up a single bird before. We had some difficulty trying to get her to pick up a dead duck by the water so they decided to try us on a live pigeon on some more open ground. She was definitely interested in the bird, but it took some coaxing to get her to pick it up. Finally (after they killed the pigeon), I got her to pick the pigeon up.

She was wonderful at first! She picked it up and delivered it to hand twice and was very good about giving me the bird. They were going to let me take home a pigeon and we were going to to move her to the side and work her on a long line, but they decided to do just one more toss. 

Well, after picking up the bird she decided just as she was coming back that she didn't want to give it up this time. :no: Off ran the puppy and out the door went her recall. A few seconds after that and she started chomping on the bird--and I couldn't get her back. By the time I caught up to her she had it half swallowed and I had to dig it out of her mouth. So--it felt like we went from not wanting to pick the bird to having it half eaten in five minutes!

Anyway, we will be getting a frozen bird now to work her with. I was told to avoid pigeons for awhile now. On the bright side--she picked it up, we had fun, and we got invited to go to a training group tomorrow morning! It's a start.


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Ohhh, perhaps that might be one of the reasons pigeons are most recommended for puppies, but then to get them onto bigger birds? 

And you are so right, she did pick it up, she did have fun and finding folks to train with is always a good thing


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## DNL2448 (Feb 13, 2009)

We all have to start somewhere! Sounds like you had a GREAT time, and found a wonderful training group. You are well on your way!


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

And you know what? My friend even got it on video!

Also interesting, you may never guess what showed up today--a labradoodle! (just 4 weeks old)


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

LOL, well I was told that them eating the bird means at least they are interested in it 

I threw a duck for Flip when he was young and he immediately began chomping on it and running away from me. So I tore off a wing, thinking it wouldn't be as much fun to chomp on. As soon as that wing was in his mouth he went "gulp" and swallowed it whole! So his experience since then has been only on frozen ducks while we're going through force fetch. I'm nervous about his first time back with a thawed duck.


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

GoldenSail said:


> We had fun today at our first field training day. There were like like seven goldens (mostly, if not all conformation lines--one Yogi granddaughter) to fifty+ some odd labs (almost all black).
> 
> I really enjoyed watching the older dogs work--especially the ones with pros. They make it look so easy!
> 
> ...


Success is measured in many ways, so take that to heart. 
Some things didn't go quite as planned today, but those things happen when you train dogs. You learned that ducks aren't your pups' favorite thing yet. Something to work on. You learned that pigeons can be a very "Tempting" thing for older pups. Something to work on. You learned that when birds are involved, recall (and OB in general) can become a serious issue. Something to work on. 

You learned some things about your pup today, and that means you had a degree of success. Now, take the information you learned and use it to shape your training plan.


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Loisiana said:


> I threw a duck for Flip when he was young and he immediately began chomping on it and running away from me. So I tore off a wing, thinking it wouldn't be as much fun to chomp on. As soon as that wing was in his mouth he went "gulp" and swallowed it whole! So his experience since then has been only on frozen ducks while we're going through force fetch. I'm nervous about his first time back with a thawed duck.


I went to my first training session with my golden club yesterday and was a bit concerned when I saw the ducks; they were soggy and some were probably nearing the end of their usable life. Faelan had never retrieved soggy before. He actually did fine - I borrowed a bird ahead of time and practiced hold & give and he had no hesitation picking it up in the field  And it was a good experience for us both. So, once the fetch is in place, I think Flip will be fine.


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## 12687 (Feb 24, 2010)

When you get these guys in the field-anything can and does happen. Swampcollie hit it right on the head-you learned a lot and had fun. Ryder never, never gets pigeons, because he still crushes them-even to this day. He has not seen a pigeon since he was 4 months old and he won't ever see one if I can help it. Good luck and enjoy the ride.

As for soggy ducks, if you compete you will eventually see soggy ducks that are gross and disgusting. So it's a good idea to practice and just one reason why FF is so important.


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