could do with some advice

[CallumDonohoe 65]

well any help will be much appreciated i have a 9 month old whippet x greyhound which will retrieve toy ropes sticks balls etc in the garden except a real rabbit fresh or stiff she just has a quick sniff then walks away yet her rabbit skin dummy she will fetch all day long over the fence and everything.she has had 2 rabbits on the lamp first one she retrieved and on friday night she caught one so i tried to get her to fetch it but she just stood there looking over with the rabbit in her mouth then spat it out and watched the rabbit WALK away i couldnt believe it that made me think she still to young for lamping but i ain't bothered about that at the min its her retrieve of the rabbit i want to crack tried teasing her with dead rabbit but she don't really try and grab it or anything.when i take her out for a walk and try a bit retrieve work she is just to busy sniffing the ground and looking for rabbits

[skycat 6,174]

For a dog which has not had the chance to grow up seeing other dogs catch rabbits, the leap from toy/rabbit skin dummy to real rabbit can be a big one. From what you say, it sounds as though your pup's prey drive has yet to kick in properly. To her, the whole notion of real rabbits is a bit alien. It also sounds as though the pup is a bit confused by all the teasing you're doing with dead rabbits. Look at is from her point of view: you wave a dead rabbit under her nose, then wonder why she isn't interested in a live one.

 

Or is it your body language that is putting her off? Are you making her think that for some reason she shouldn't be grabbing the rabbit? From what you describe it sounds as though there could be some conflict going on in her head. Is she picking up on your great need for her to catch a rabbit? Is the intensity of your need putting her off? It's so hard to say what is going on in a dog's head without seeing you and the dog in real life.

 

I'd chill out, enjoy the summer, tone down the training: don't do too much retrieve training. Training should be fun, and not over done. There are more dogs soured by too much training than by not enough. Take the pup out, let her use her nose to look for rabbits: its all part of the learning and growing up process. You can't expect a pup to want to retrieve toys etc when there is fresh rabbit scent about. Only do some fun, relaxed training in places where there are no real rabbits. I'd be pleased that the pup is showing signs of wanting to use her nose: pups start hunting with their noses, then move on to using their eyes more, and in the end a good lurcher will use all its senses together. Give her time.

[CallumDonohoe 65]

i have been making it fun just chuck her toy for her for 5 mins once aday normally when i get back from work she loves it and i finish when she is still happy and wanting more.as for her prey drive she is really keen cant hold her back if she sees a rabbit her lips are blowing in and out wanting off she has only chased about 4 rabbits in her life as i aint wanting to run her until her body and muscle is strong enough to cope with it as the last thing i want is her damaging herself so you think i should just keep her reminded about retrieve work as im doing with her dummy for a few month and see if she wants to bring a real rabbit back then