Scent retrieve

Hey guys. I have a question on retrieves. I got my new pup (she is almost 10 weeks old now) retrieving enthusiastically to hand (most of the time!) on short to medium retrievs. Recently, I have been doing short tosses into taller cover (not real thick, knee high or shorter grass and such). She goes right after the bumper and on a pretty good line but has trouble finding it if she can’t see it from start to finish. She has even almost stepped on it as she goes by it to where she thinks it went. We are working on “find it” (partially due to this) but she hasn’t grasped that at all yet. Would scent help develop her abilities in this? I know she is still young and she at times can get distracted. It seems as though if she dosen’t see it the entire time, she loses the desire to get it or even look for it. This is different from my other two dogs I have had and worked with. Their focus was finding what ever I threw no matter what else was going on! Am I looking for too much too soon? The “cover” retrievs are not blind… she sees exactly where they go and land. They are also not long tosses (maybe 6 feet?). Any suggestions?
Thanks! Labman

I think you are rushing it a bit. I would keep the fetching game in short grass at this point. keep it fun and short, we want the pup to be successful. i would move to light cover retrieving at about 4 months of age.

I agree with Don. You are rushing it.

At this age keep all retrieving in short grass where the bumper is visible after being thrown. At this age you want to work on and develop the visual aspect of the retrieve….you don’t want to be concerned with the dog scenting the bumpers. You can keep extending out further in distance as the pups confidence allows. Scenting the bumper can/should be developed later as the dog learns what it’s nose is for. At this point you can decease the confidence if the pup runs out to not find the bumper…which is the opposite of what your trying to accomplish.

Also…limit the number of retrieves each session. 2-4 retrieves per session and stop with the pup wanting more. I am personally only doing 3 retrieves/day with my new pup that just turned 11 weeks.

It’s never a bad idea to see just how far your pup has advanced. Once you see your pushing pups knowledge, backup a bit and train on areas that will work pup up to that knowledge. If pup has a good nose it will come in time and training is a basic part of increasing what momma and pappa has given it.