Dog guys- hard mouthed dogs

[Playa]

I love my DD, but she is terribly hard on birds, especially smaller varieties like Dove and teal. She has a dental alignment issue with one of her lower canine and almost ever retrieve ends with a bird with a solid puncture wound in the breast.

Any tips on getting a softer mouth?


Its exponentially worse if the bird is still alive when she arrives on the scene. Those tend to look like they were ran thru a burger maker.

For the record, i wouldnt trade her for the world. She was nails yesterday evening hunting a field with tall, thick grass. Those birds were like lawn darts falling out of the sky and burying themselves up under a mat of grass. We only lost 2, which was shooters faults (mine included) for not getting solid marks.

But if I can ease up on her mouth, she would be as perfect as I could hope for.

[Jason Slocum]

Play fetch with a wire brush and a tube sock, she'll get used to not squeezing so hard pretty quick.

Jason Slocum

[Snapper]

I have the same problem with my lab. He is a machine finding them but he sure will tenderize a couple of them for you. I don't worry too much about it and am not hard on him because of it. I don't work him enough to expect more. He sure makes hunting a lot more enjoyable too,

[Playa]

Play fetch with a wire brush and a tube sock, she'll get used to not squeezing so hard pretty quick.

Jason Slocum

Done that. She's extremely intelligent and knows the difference between a brush and a feathered flyer. She's so gentle with "other" objects when we train that the bounce around in her mouth. Real "prey" and she got iron jaws....

I have gone so far as to drive nails into a frozen bird and toss.

[ClayW]

Playa

Does he chew them or just clamp down?

[cantexduck]

Force fetch from a pro ?
With the dental problem it might be something that can not be fixed depending on how bad it is.

[Playa]

Playa

Does he chew them or just clamp down?

mostly clamps down. If i hunt her "hungry" she will try to eat the first 1! a bowl of kibble prior to the hunt usually prevents the worst case scenario.

[ClayW]

mostly clamps down. If i hunt her "hungry" she will try to eat the first 1! a bowl of kibble prior to the hunt usually prevents the worst case scenario.

Gotcha

I would say force fetch would be the best option to try. Or yiu could try training with some larger birds. Has she retrieved any bigger ducks?

Jake can have a hard mouth sometimes but enforcing the "Here" command as soon as he picks em up takes care of it. It's hard for him to chomp down or mouth em when he's running 100mph

[Texas Tracker]

Old Timers like myself used to take the dove and wrap some barbed wire around it and play fetch with it.

[Johnny Dangerr]

Old Timers like myself used to take the dove and wrap some barbed wire around it and play fetch with it.

Yup - - you can grind the points flat.....

[bearintex]

Force fetch, force fetch, force fetch.

[SaltwaterSlick]

Old Timers like myself used to take the dove and wrap some barbed wire around it and play fetch with it.

Yup. Me too. Also, just trained with pigeon or dove wings tied to some bow tie bent up barbed wire. Never hurt the dogs, but it sure would soften the mouth up. I'd combine that with the instant here command and down on one knee to cheerfully call the dog in. Most times, they were so happy to see me down and encouraging them, the forgot all about biting the birds. Also, a good feeding just before going out helps too.

Had a GSP once that no matter what I did, she was bound and determined to eat the first bird of a hunt. Was a great pointer and even did water retrieves vary well, but never was able to cure that starting habit... didn't keep her long.

[Playa]

Gotcha

I would say force fetch would be the best option to try. Or yiu could try training with some larger birds. Has she retrieved any bigger ducks?

Jake can have a hard mouth sometimes but enforcing the "Here" command as soon as he picks em up takes care of it. It's hard for him to chomp down or mouth em when he's running 100mph

She has picked up plenty of big ducks, still happens, but not nearly as bad.

Shes not hiding in the brush chomping them. This happens she while she running back post pick up.

Barbed wire is a good idea, have a nice supply of Eurasian collared dove I can kill with a pellet gun

[Blue Tick]

I would think force fetch would help with your problem. Out of curiosity, where'd you get your DD? Have you done all the training? My next dog will be a DD!

[npe001]

Old Timers like myself used to take the dove and wrap some barbed wire around it and play fetch with it.

This is the right way to go. and if she is not fetching it. Use said bird in the force fetching.