Not retrieving dummies.

[kobidog 1]

I just started beating last year on a partridge and pheasant shoot and decided to take my 8yr old vizsla with me. When he first started he wouldnt retrive or pick the shot partridges, just sniff them, later in the season however he did start retrieving and catching shot partridges but not the pheasants, he would just sniff them or if they where alive, pin them down with his paws. Why is this and how can i help it?

 

Due to the season being just round the corner i thought i would try and get him retrieving again, so i shot a woodpigeon and threw that for him, but no he wouldnt retrive that. So i decided i would go back to the dummies and start him off because he used to retrive them eagerly. anyway it turns out he has no interest now in the dummie what so ever, he wont even run at it let alone sniff it, but he still will retrieve tennis balls.....

why?Is 8 years old to old?he is still very energetic and healthy.any help would be appreiciated, thankyou

[kobidog 1]

bump

[lampinglurcher 36]

it aint looking good on starting an older dog with a distinct lack of retrieving drive

my first bit of advice is try your best to make it all a game, play with him with a dummy, and just try to encourage him as best you can. if he's the sort that picks up anything and everything to greet you with when you walk in the door that'll make it alot easier, just make sure there's a dummy around.

sorry to be the bearer of bad news mate

[Steve McHardy 2]

it aint looking good on starting an older dog with a distinct lack of retrieving drive

my first bit of advice is try your best to make it all a game, play with him with a dummy, and just try to encourage him as best you can. if he's the sort that picks up anything and everything to greet you with when you walk in the door that'll make it alot easier, just make sure there's a dummy around.

sorry to be the bearer of bad news mate

sorry mate but this could be a hard one. the old saying you cant teach an old dog new tricks might apply here. making it all a game is your best bet. if the dog still retrieves balls attach wings from pigeons etc to the ball and use that. dont over do it or the dog will get bored cover the ball with a rabbit skin so the dog experiences different tastes and textures in the mouth and keeps his interest up.

[kobidog 1]

ok, thankyou. i Have tried the tying wings onto dummies method before and it did work until now when he takes no interest whatsoever.

On a good note though i took him for a walk and he eagerly retrieved sticks for me, he even caught a rabbit and brought it back although at first he didnt want to pick the rabbit up atall he just bit at it, eventually with encouragment he picked it up and then carried it for ages after spending ages biting it and trying to get it in the right part of his mouth as if he was abit nervous of it??

just to say the rabbit was dead when he was biting it, he killed with the first bite so it didnt suffer.

thanks