Minnesota Waterfowl Hunting

I have a yellow lab and I have taken her duck hunting before however whenever she approaches a duck she wont pick it up. I have even thrown a duck to her in the yard and she does not seem interested one bit. She is a good shed dog but just doesn't like feathers.. Any Tips?

With my pup I tied wings to fishing line and got her to chase it, pounce on it, etc. Kind of like a cat, but this is training.

After a bit of that I clipped the wings to the line while she sat in her kennel, then I dragged the wing around the yard and hid it somewhere she couldn't see it (have a big yard, lots of woods, so I'm lucky this way). Would open the kennel, make her heal, then give command. I used "hunt 'em up!" Talk to the pup the whole time, keep excited. When pup finds it, fall all over pup with love attention and treats..... then do it again one, maybe two times. Then let pup watch you put that wing away.

Once done with that I zip tied wings to a canvas training dummy. I found pheasant wings on the rack somewhere in a package. I also used scent liquids, don't remember what brand. Anyway, dumped the wings alone and went to the dummy. Used zip ties around the ends, was supposed to teach pup to pick up bird in the middle, might have read that somewhere.

My dog bailed on size, though. Mallards and up. Got her arse kicked by a hen mallard on her first live bird water retrieve, cracked across the nose by the wing.... after that, she wouldn't pick up a mallard or goose dead or alive. However, she was still awesome at marking them.

Others might have force fetch recommendations. I never did that but it would likely be an option to explore.

How old? Was she exposed to birds young? Did she have any bad experiences with birds? Does she enjoy retrieving other things?

Nothing got my pup more excited about birds than live pigeons. I used it to help cure him of being gun shy, it may or may not be helpful in your case though.

shnelson wrote:Nothing got my pup more excited about birds than live pigeons. I used it to help cure him of being gun shy, it may or may not be helpful in your case though.

I need to figure out a way to get my pup on live birds to help him with his gun shyness.

Check Craig's list and also swap meets. I have seen birds, ducks, and rabbits at them.