retrieving dummies like a Labrador but not lamped rabbits

[rob arnott 1]

10 month catching some  rabbits while  lamping but will not retrieve them.kills them and lies down with them tried leaving him walking away ignores recall whistle and voice.  Reterives  dummies like a lab right to hand,may be i him  started to young?dont know any ideas?  ROB.

[nothernlite 18,016]

Have you tried throwing a rabbit for him just start 2 or 3 feet away then build it up to further away 

[trigger2 3,100]

ive always said that retrieve  training with a dummy is a load of bollocks seen many a dog do what you discribe. i will often give a rabbit skin with the head still attached to my pups for about a minute or 2 at a time so as they have the feel of fur in there mouth and thats all i give them. i do the rest in the field when they start catching.

you appear to be doing the right thing by the dog. sometimes a walking away does not work, have you tied jogging away as soon as the dog picks the rabbit up so as he hasnt got time to think too much. whilst jogging just flick the light on occasanly so the dog knows your heading away from him/her.

on the other hand my mate had a dog that wouldnt bring rabbits back and we just couldnt break him to the habbit you just simply had to fetch every rabbit off the dog. it wouldnt even come back if you had a second dog with you catching rabbits it would just stay with its catch until you fetched it from him. dogs can be strange old things at times.

[ferretnhound 71]

Got the same thing with my 10 month old pup. Carries the rabbit away from me though. So im interested in how to try fix this also. 

[Str 793]

When you recall him without  a rabbit or dummy etc does he come to you? Not when the fancy takes him! But straight away? I would start with no dummy's etc just recall him in the garden or confined space untill he comes straight to you,let's say he comes to the recall well,next on your knees postion and when the dog comes to you,get him to come right into your chest and hold him there making a fuss of him & the odd treat, do this while out for a walk BUT don't over do it as you will make him a slow retriever,once you get this off your half way there BUT don't move to the next step untill recall & holding dog close into hour chest are 100%,the dog must feel happy & confident close to you.for dummy training chuck the dummy,ally way a confined space is best,when he returns with the dummy DONT be in a hurry to grab the dummy,let him come close to into you & and as you are making a fuss of him slowly take the dummy from him,next rap the rabbit skin around the dummy with insulation tape,now repeat the retrieve and I am guessing he will retrieve dummy with skin no bother,if he does  retrieve it DONT ask him to retrieve it again ONCE is enough,for the rabbit retrieve ( half grown best) do as above. When he does start retrieving stick to 1 or 2 retrieves max, also once he's started chuck the dummy into cover so he has to work for it ( long grass). Good luck.what cross is he?.the pic is of a terrier had retrieving a reeves pheasent on a big shoot day just to prove to you with the right training you can sort your dog.

[darbo 4,774]

im half blind these days STR whats the makeup of the terrier?

[Str 793]

 Darbo he’s a Lucas terrier,I got him from Paul hawks (RIP) his dam & sire were in hunt service for the tynedale Hunt around Hexham.

[rob arnott 1]

He is a first cross bearded collie /greyhound thank,s to all that replied ,i appreciate the impute.ROB. 

[darbo 4,774]

30 minutes ago, Str said:

 Darbo he’s a Lucas terrier,I got him from Paul hawks (RIP) his dam & sire were in hunt service for the tynedale Hunt around Hexham.

Thanks i know its off topic and i apologise i talk to a old gent now and then and he rates them as very trainable for a terrier.

[Str 793]

1 hour ago, darbo said:

Thanks i know its off topic and i apologise i talk to a old gent now and then and he rates them as very trainable for a terrier.

Yes they are bright little dogs,if I got another terrier it would be a Lucas because they a good all round terriers,make a good replacement when you retire your bedlington,in the pic you can see two Lucas terriers & lab with pheasant poults feeding around them,I would leave them like this while I checked snares around the pen,only once did the coloured  terrier kill a poult I reckon it must have pecked him! 

[comanche 2,799]

Compared with most training dummies a rabbit is quite heavy , a much weirder shape and very wriggly.  Retrieving is about teaching a dog to carry things and combining this with a good recall.

Get your dog to walk at heel carrying various objects of different weight and texture . Teach it to pick-up  confidently at short range,on the lead at first, and let it learn ballence points before risking longer retrieves with real game.

Dead squirrels are good for starting with as they are not too heavy and quite a good shape for a dog to carry.

[Aussie Whip 3,819]

Some don't retrieve,like one of mine, but is my best all round hunter so gets away with it.

[Phil Lloyd 10,736]

The recall is the key,...if you have a dog that wants to be close you, and feels comfortable in your zone, everything usually falls into place...

[terryd 8,014]

Good luck rob be interesting to know what to try and how you get on so keep us posted. Mine is nearly 4 and not a chance with a possessive streak a mile wide and some sort of over excited frenzy with day time catches. Not so bad on the lamp just holds them till i get there and one night even bought one back when he forgot where i was and walked into me 

[poxon 5,555]

Interesting read ?? Do you do any retrieving work with dispatched rabbits in a confined space? What’s the pups recall like?