NEED HELP

[Cody Gruchow]

i am a seasonal hunting guide at marsh lake hunting club in victoria...i recently got this black lab from them..he is 4 years old and already trained for bird hunting, he absolutly loves to hunt...but recently he hasnt been listening very well around the yard.taking a long time to listen to commands only half doing the commands and such or ignoring the commands all together. i used him as one of my dogs when i was guiding so we have a bond and i know he listens alot better than what he has been doing lately. i dont want to physically punish him because i dont want him to be afraid of me or get nervous around me. i know he was force trained as a pup and if he didnt do what he was told he got hit. this was before marsh lake got him. but i dont know what to do. do you have any suggestions? any help would be very much appreciated.

[schwinger]

If he has been trained with a e-collar I would start using it again. Once the dog knows he can get away with ignoring your commands he will. The e-collar is a great tool for this but if he hasn't been trained with one you would want to start from scratch and introduce it properly. Using the collar will allow you to correct him immediately when he doesn't listen so he knows what he is doing wrong.

[Cody Gruchow]

i dont know if he was trained with the collar or not but on certain days out in the field if he does something repeatedly and i shock him just lightly he just heals by me the rest of the hunt and is a big baby about it but on other days its like he dont even care that i shocked him.. but thanks for the info. much appreciated

[Merimac]

  I would keep that collar on even in the yard training.  You dont need to turn it on.  Just put it on.  Keeps the dogs honest when they know you can reach them.

ben

[Hank]

Is he a house dog?If so,go back to the basics-sit,heel,down consistently.Work him on a regular basis-daily,and don't let him get away with anything.If he doesn't do what you say the first time don't repeat yourself,make him do it.My dog has problems like that once in a while also.It usually happens when he feels I don't spend enough time with him.Mine stays in the house,so when I'm cooking supper or whatever I work with him at the same time- make him sit& stay or lay down with hand signals.After 10-15 minutes a night he grts extra attention and listens better in the process.Hope this helps.

[Cody Gruchow]

he is new to the whole inside the house thing...he has always been in the kennel at the hunting club were i work...he learned the house training real quickly only took 2 days. he is very mellow in the house also...but lately he has had a chewing habit..so i think i have to do all the basic things with him that i would with a puppy. yes i havent been able to give him alot of attention lately. i work nights so i dont get home till 1 in the morning. i working with him more and more in the ward with a check-cord because he recently wont bring back the bumper that i throw he comes about half way then starts to toss it in the air, kind of playing with it by himself, which i know he picked that up from my parents blue heeler who does the same thing. also rewarding him with treats hasnt worked to well, he will do something perfectly the way he is suppose to i give him a treat then he just slacks off after that, like he got what he wanted. thanks for the info