This video is great. I've been having a similar problem with my Lab (10 months old). She will go out for a retrieve with such speed that local gundog owners ask me how I trained it. I tell them it's all the dog and they should hang around to see if she'll actually bring it back and we have a great laugh when she doesn't. Around half the time she will deliver it back to hand or near to hand. The other half she's so excited to have the toy/dummy that she runs off parading with it. Like this video, I started letting her carry it for long periods just to let her know that she can have it so long as she brings it back when I recall her. It really has helped immensely and like this video suggests, taking things slow and easy can sometimes really help things. Sometimes I will go for a 'walk' pitch out one retrieve and if she brings it back to me, her reward is that she gets to carry it for me. She's started to learn all the fun parts happen if she gives it back to me, be that just having it or going out to get it. It's also helped with her mouthing the ball/dummy constantly - I think she's getting sick of constantly dropping it. A work in process for an excitable dog.
Great video John , I’d add my small bit , I do it at home I’ve a bit of space around the house . When she doesn’t return, she tends to sit and play with the dummy , I walk away and out of sight . In two seconds she’s after me and delivering . Builds up the memory 👌
I had a terrible problem with my dog from 3:00 when he was 8 weeks old up until he was 11 months old. He was mad keen on retrieving but simply would not deliver. I walked off a fair distance and hid behind a bush for over 30 minutes and it made no difference, he never came looking just kept running around with the dummy.
Just some thoughts on your approach. Best not to praise it when it’s parading around with it away from you. Harsh voice when it’s off you parading and warm soft voice when it comes in. If you praise it both ends there’s no distinction. Practice what you did on the footpath in a passage way or narrow area where the dog has to come back past you and simulate bringing it in. Don’t carry out the session in an open area otherwise you just reinforce the habit. Two or three times a week for 5 to 10 minutes so you don’t bore it to death with multiple retrieves. Then only give one or two retrieves as a reward rather than a routine practice once established. The retrieve is a spaniels reward for the hunt and flush.
