Has anybody had any dealings with a dog that hesitates to jump out of the boat to retrieve. My dog is going on 3 yrs old and it takes him forever to jump in, i end up throwing him in allot of times. After being thrown in he never looks back its all assholes and elbows to the bird and back. We don't hunt out of a boat very often but its just annoying when we go out riding around and he gets hot and won't jump in.

Repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat , repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat......praise and repeat sequence.

Yeah that's kinda what i was thinking man thanks for your input.

You have to remember that boat work can be intimidating for a dog. Think about it...they look out and see big water, perhaps with decoys, and they're supposed to bail out and go get the birds.

I usually take a two pronged approach to boat work.

The first is just getting them comfortable in a boat. Riding, moving around the boat, getting used to the motor noise and the waves. But I don't let them bail out (yet).

The second is to get an old Jon boat and put it on LAND where it's stable with a good piece of carpet under their feet. Boats are slippery and rock so take that out of the equation. And put it on a SMALL POND a little ways back from the shoreline so they have a firm place to launch onto firm ground and go get their birds with no big water in front of them.

Then you move the Jon boat closer to the shoreline so they eventually have to launch into water.

Eventually they graduate to your big boat facing a shoreline. A slough is ideal.

Gradually make it bigger and mix in decoys, calls, shots...all in a controlled setting.

I know it sounds like a lot of work and it can be. But it will pay dividends with a confident retrieve.

Seen more than once a dog that won't launch because of bad footing. Make sure he has a firm place to jump from, like they have on a stand. If he slips and falls out of the boat he won't like it. A piece of carpet can be a big help.

Other than that start small and work big and practice/repeat like the other guys said.

Thanks for your responses. Its funny because he wants to go so bad, he barks and moans all the while running all over the boat like he's going to find a secret place he don't have to jump in from. He's got drive just shy in the testicular fortitude lmao

do you have access to a Dock over a pond, you get him launching off of that, problem solved he won't hesitate to launch off of your boat

also works by making him/her load up in the back of your truck, you take a dummy and throw it and make him jump out the back of the truck to go get it

Repeat repeat repeat those process and he won't think twice

I had similar issue with my GSP when I first got my boat, except her bigger issue was not understanding to use the dog ladder to get back in the boat. She had never hunted out of a boat before, always from the shoreline. I took the ladder and her and put it on a pic-nick table. tossed bumpers mader her use ladder to get back on. Transitioned from there to the boat by beaching it on sand bar in river and doing the same thing.

I've had him out 4 days in a role and he's doing allot better, i have to say i am proud of him. I told my wife he will have to do for my son since i have all girls lol