ragtimedog Posted October 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2008 yeah, I really like simple, step-by-step methods. Not that every method works for every dog, but it gives on a basis to work from. L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninso Posted February 27, 2009 Report Share Posted February 27, 2009 I know this topic is from forever ago, but I just wanted to give an update, because Lok is finally doing an obedience retrieve (rather than a play retrieve, which he's always been able to do)!! It took forever (though I haven't been working on it solid all this time--we took breaks) but he is doing it and I am so excited! The biggest obstacle for me was the "hold" part of it. I tried forever to shape it with the clicker, but Lok just wasnt getting it (probably partly due to my lack of skill, partly to the fact that he wasn't really familiar with the "shaping" process--once I clicked a behavior, he pretty much thought that was it and wouldn't really build on it). He would take it from me, but drop it right away. So what I did was have him take it, and then just hold it in his mouth for a second. I didn't hold his mouth shut, I just held the dumbell in both hands and didn't let him drop it. Click and treat. Doing this a few times, he finally understood what I wanted him to do! Then I built up the time, switched to one hand on the dumbell, then no hands, then lowering the dumbell, then finally asking him to pick it up off the ground and hold it. All of these steps still took quite awhile and Lok didn't enjoy doing it at first. But once we got to the point of picking it up off the ground consistently and holding it until I took it for him, I started throwing it short distances. That's when Lok started to LOVE retreiving. It was almost like a fetch game. He's now waiting in heel position for the throw, retrieving on command, sitting in front position and holding the dumbell until I take it. And on top of that, we've been working on retreiving different objects, so that I can incorporate retreiving into different tricks in the future! We've also been working on our shaping skills. He's learning to "limp" and also to blow bubbles in a bowl of water! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ziggzmom Posted February 27, 2009 Report Share Posted February 27, 2009 I had dogs years ago that would do this - but I used corrections to get it. Since my dogs are mostly older and not akc ob. dogs anymore, I just want to do it for fun. btw I tried a new toy for Sarah (a stuffed sheep, of course) easier for her to get her mouth around than the stuffed owl. She's progressed to grabbing it off my knee and throwing it to the floor...progress? hehe. L Hi, Since she likes fleece toys, you could wrap some fleece around the bar of her dumbell. Makes it more acceptable to some dogs initally. Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ziggzmom Posted February 27, 2009 Report Share Posted February 27, 2009 Instead of using the DB to teach a retrieve and a hold - use your finger. Too many people can't truly tell if the dog is actually "holding" the DB or not. We teach ours to "hold" a finger, this way you know how much pressure they are placing on the object, you can control the mouthing and you can teach a true "hold" (cause they are biting your finger!) Also, they learn to be careful, have a softer mouth and can learn a proper release. Karen I've used this method on several dogs and have been really happy with their holds.... Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herdcentral Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 This has been very timely revival of this topic. I am having all the same problems with teaching the dumbbell to my 2 yo BC. My baby ACD had the whole hold and retrieve totally nailed in about 1 week so I thought it was going to be easy when I started teaching my BC, but she has been much more resistant to the whole concept. She eyed it with a certain measure of disgust when I first brought it out and wouldnt have anything to do with it. Whereas my ACD will persist and experiment with the dumbbell and the metal and leather scent articles untill she finds what earns her a reward, my BC gives up very easily if she cant figure it out and simply lies down on top of the dumbbell. I have found that if I take my ACD to practice with the dumbbell and throw it, if I have my BC there as well she will compete for it and being the older dog will knock my ACD off it and grab it and run with it. This is how I initially got her to show any interest in it. My ACD is very laid back and it made no difference to her retrieves. She is now starting to interact with the dumbbell on her own after lots of click and treating. Because I have taught her to touch targets for agility she first thought that this is what I want. She has started to pick it up briefly and I get very excited which she seems to find encouraging and I play silly games with her and the dumbbell. I can get her to take it very briefly and I have found that I can get her to grip it if I give a little tug. So we are making progress, but it seems to be taking ages. The hold seems to be our stalling point! I am going to read all the ideas in this thread and have a bit of an experiment. I dread the thought of teaching her to pick up the metal scent articles! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninso Posted March 2, 2009 Report Share Posted March 2, 2009 Hang in there! I thought Lok would never get it, and certainly never enjoy it, but here we are (though several months later) and he not only gets it, but enjoys it!! If something is not working, there is always another way to try. You just have to find what works for that individual dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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