Puppy Wont Fetch Geese, Confused.

[ChrisWallace]

Got out yesterday morning to an area lake that we have been doing alright, went to the same spot on Thanksgiving and limited again as well.

Heres my question for ya. My puppy Picha, is almost 6 months, she was fetching ducks out of the water for me on the weekend after opener, the first time she had ever been out hunting. So I keep her active with ducks through out the season.

She has no ambition to fetch a goose though, is it a size thing? She weighs thirty two pounds, and some of the Giants are weighing in at 22-24 pounds.

I dont want to Force fetch, but the hell am I supposed to do? Wait till next year for her to mature. I havent released her on any live birds, so its not like shes has been beat up on. I guess right now, I am thinking about not pushing the subject too much with her. Is that the right thing to do?

Like yesterday, my buddy and I did not have any mallards flying and when a raft of coots come by, I figured it would atleast be good work for the dog. So we ended up shooting 28 of them off six shots. That dog went out and fetched every single one of them for us.

Flock of geese come by, swing and we shoot three, get back on the calls, started screaming, turned them once, turned them twice and made one shot to finish up the four, she would run out to them like a maniac, look at it, and then push up to it and start howling?


Heres My Pup and My Two

[jigglestick]

chris, I'm no pet whisperer, so I cant pretend to know what your pup is thinking, but one thing for sure is that it does have some sort of reservation to retrieve the geese.

as long as this pup is retrieving ducks eagerly, I would'nt be to concerned about the goose thing.

remember she is only a three and a half year old, in relation to people years.
the ducks are no more than playing with "ABC" blocks.

the geese represent something much more user unfriendly and apparently outside of her confidence level.

don't worry about it. she's only six months old. dont burn her out just to show all your buddies what your dog can do at only six months old.
a good hunting dog will take years to develope. dont expect you can get it all done in the first half year of her life.

do what you can with her this season and make sure she is having nothing but a good time. dont make her bust ice, no force fetching, just fun.
I guarantee you that at this time next year she will be bringing those geese in.
when she see's the other dogs hauling in geese, she wont want to be outdone.
if for some reason, when she matures a bit more and then has a problem with retrieving, then you may consider a force fetch session, but I would recomend using a professional trainer to do this.
remember this too, they are called retrievers. it is in their blood. it is instinctive. it is what they are made to do naturaly. they shouldnt have to be made to do it, they should want to do it.
it sounds like you have all the right ingredients in this pup.
it also sounds like you are getting more than your money's worth out of her this season.
enjoy her and enjoy watching her grow and learn. before you know it, they are gone.

[Bufflehead]

If your dog is retrieving ducks, with some age and growth it will retrieve geese too. What your experincing is normal.

Quote
"and some of the Giants are weighing in at 22-24 pounds. "

 I would get a new scale. I myself have shot over a 1000+ geese in my day and never seen one over 16lbs and 16lbs is a huge Giant Canadian

[jigglestick]

buffy, I know some of those geese down in Rochester get huge. 22-24 does seem quite big, but maybe these are the the ones he is shooting, either that or maybe chris is talking about a couple pounds of steel shot? :o
c'mon on, havent you ever caught a fish that was...
"THIS  BIG  < )((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((< "?

[JohnWester]

I knew a taxidermist once that said "you bring me a goose that is over 22 pounds; I’ll mount it for free."  Like bufflehead, I've shot many geese, even the giants in Rochester and up in Canada and I've weighed some of those monsters and haven’t had one break the 20 barrier yet.  But I am sure they do exist.  Average goose is around 12-13 pounds, and the giants will be in the 18-19 range.

[ChrisWallace]

ok, now I am kinda back pedaling, two were over twenty and yes they are both being mounted, one was banded, pretty stoked about that.

So not every bird are behemoths. lol.

I am going to Rochester late season and then its waiting for the spring snows

[JohnWester]

cool on the big guys.  I'd like to see pictures when you get them back.  I bet the wingspan is just huge.

[guythathunts]

I do not suggest feeding your dog people food! However if you shoot a goose and retrieve it give your dog a very small piece of bacon. Then rub a piece of bacon (don't eat it after that) on the goose head. Let your dog lick it off. Rub again then throw the goose in the water. F-ing magic! It is about a 7 Min training session and it prevents you from having to get wet. Good luck!

[gds]

It will eventually start retrieving them, my dog did the same thing the first time he saw a goose.

[h2ofwlr]

Quite normal at such a young age.  Take her Snow goose hunting next month, they are 5lbs and I get she'd go get them in a heart beat.

BTW, a 16lb Cannadian is just a huge newborn or a 2 month old baby for a Canadian.

But for a Canada Goose, it is awfully huge goose.  I've gotten them over 16 before, back in the late 80's, never realized how big it really was until later.  Many 20lbers are really 12s when put on a scale.

Anyway, a Canadian is a person living in Canada.  A Canada is type of goose.

[guythathunts]

16 + lbs for a Canadian is nothing to brag about. Plus why would you shoot your neighbor? Is it because the are above us? It's just a map man. It's not life and death, except for the Canadians that is. The main thing is don't shoot Canadians, if you do they wont let us fish on their lakes!

Ha,
Greg