I have a 2yo female that has been in training for 4 months last summer and about 2 months this spring.

When I ask how she is doing I get comments like she likes to retrieve or likes doing marks. But than comes back and said that she needs more confidence while in the field. Another words she does not follow through and find the dummy or bird. The trainer ff and cc her last summer.

Since it seems like she is making no or little progress since last fall is it time to find a different trainer or is it time to quit.

That is something that is very hard to determine online...recently another person posted a similar question....

It really boils down to what you want from your dog, and does she REALLY have the ability to get to that point....Only someone very familiar with her, such as yourself and/or your trainer, can make that determination....

It is worth mentioning that sometimes a dog will do better with a different trainer...

Good luck with your decision.

Juli

quote:

Originally posted by Moonlightbay:
I have a 2yo female that has been in training for 4 months last summer and about 2 months this spring.

Last summer the trainer accomplished ff + CC. How was she doing before you sent her back this spring? What were your expectations for the 2 months this spring? Have you ask the trainer if your short and long term expectations are possible?

Tim

It may be the dog and it may be the trainer. Tim had some good suggestion.

Nearly two years ago I sent my bitch off to be forced and started for hunt test work. I got her back a neurotic mess and all the trainer kept saying was "she needs to submit".

The dog I sent had been a retrieving maniac before she went to the trainer, but she broke down during the force fetch. The trainer was basically a lab trainer. I tried to explain to the gal that chessies will break down and to back off on the force fetching, work on getting her attitude back and go forward from there. Well, the trainer didn't do that and I had to leave Annie there for another month due to a major illness in my family. I got back a basket case.

But I practiced what I preached....and started working her just to get her attitude back....lots of happy bumpers, but real birds is what really turned the tide. I didn't get her out much last year, but was happy with what I did get from her at some of the subsequent training days I took her too.

This Sunday we took her out to throw marks for her, and the old Annie is back. Enthusiastic retrieving, but steady at the line, and delivers to hand from heel position, so the basic foundation was laid by the trainer and I got the attitude back.

I never doubted the ability of my bitch for a moment. Just needed to work with her and build her confidence back up!

The trainer often times can make or break the dog!

Kathy Miller
Sandy Oak Chesapeakes

In defense of the trainer. FFing and CCing your own dog vs a dog strange dog that gets dropped off is literally 2 different animals.
While I too have FFed my own dogs in 1-2 weeks it has takes me at least a month to FF friends dogs. This is not a task where you take out a strange dog the first day and begin. This is true for all breeds.
Trying to force a strange a dog generally results in either a dog that quits or a dog that fights you ( I don't need anymore scars).

Tim

CBRs have to decide you are worthy of their effort before they let you train them.

Threaten to pull the dog and see how much progress the dog will make.

Tell him the dog is not making the progress you would like to see and with this economy you dont want to keep spending more and more money.

But you have to ask yourself what is your goal with her training. Are you trying to get a senior level dog or a field trial dog? Do you have the right dog for what you want to do.

Why isn't she finding the bird? Does she give up, pop, or does she totally blow it off?

A couple of us on here have had some horror stories about trainers.

I know I had my dog at a trainer. When I dropped him off he was doing 100 yard marks but would drop the bird 4 feet short. His obediance was good and he loved to retrieve and work. I kept calling and he was telling me how great the dog was doing. The trainers girlfriend even told me how good the obediance was and that he was teaching her how to train for obediance on my dogs. I then asked where he was in his training and after 3 months he told me he was just getting off the FF table. I left him there another month and then picked him up. After 4 months of training he still wasnt finished FF. Then he told me that my dog wouldnt not be more then a Junior hunters. Well 2 and a half years later my dog became a Master Hunter.

I talked to alot of people while my dog was there questioning the progress but alot of people knew the trainer and said he is good and knows what he is doing. They dont feel the same now and have heard alot of the same stories about the guy.

When I look back I paid $500 a foot.

I also had another dog there to get FF and I picked her up at the same time she was there for 3 months and he told me she would never be FF. She earned her JH but she had a cataract in her eye that affected her vision so I did not do any more test with her. She is a good meat and family dog.

When I got my dogs back I worked alot with some VERY good amataurs and they helped my straighten him out and helped make me a better handler. I am glad I did that because tne trainer was going to handle both of my dogs at my first hunt test but after I took them back I decided to handle them and we earned passes on both dogs. I also have handled both dogs on every single hunt test they have entered and I am very proud of that.

Thanks for all of the replies. My goal for her was to get her JH title. When I dropped her off in March I was told that they wanted to start JH title with her in June/July. I was told now that she will not be ready.

When I ask how she is doing I will get the comments that some days she is good some days are not so good. No indication if she is making progress.

This trainer does a month of obedience prior to working on force fetch or collar conditioning. As of today I have not been able to see how she is doing. Normally on my days off she is not at home. There has been many times on a weekend the trainer has been out of town or doing something with their own dogs.

From what I understand when she can not find the mark she just quits does not look any further for the fallen item, unless the trainer is with her.

I have already told the trainer that I am going to pick her up. I don't see a hunt test dog in her future.

If a dog is at a pro trainer for that long and can't pass a junior test. Either the dog or the trainer doesnt have it.

I took my girl out on Saturday. And she did fantastic for both water and land marks. She only missed one mark.

I am going to look for a trainer that is closer to us. The other one was about 4 hours away.

Does any one know of a trainer that has worked with chessies in Indiana

quote:

Originally posted by Moonlightbay:
I took my girl out on Saturday. And she did fantastic for both water and land marks. She only missed one mark.

I am going to look for a trainer that is closer to us. The other one was about 4 hours away.

Does any one know of a trainer that has worked with chessies in Indiana

It seems like he might be close to a junior level now. Do it yourself.


Check these two.
http://www.featherhaven.com/

http://www.outdoorproductexcha.../trainingprogram.htm

Put your dog with a proven professional!
It's the same price!

I would recommend:
Hunt Tests
Buck Shope Orange, Massachusetts
Swiftriverretrievers.com

Field Trials;
Rick Milheim NY
or
Colin Mcnicol Manitoba