Problems With 20 Meter Retrieve

[lovemesideways]

I have taught Rover my Labrador to retrieve.

Recently however he has done this,

1st time around,

I will put him in a sit, he wait while I go and place the object 20 meters away.

I come back to his side, give him the command "Go fetch"

He'll sprint to the object, grab it, comes tearing back to me, sits and drops it at my feet.

Lots of praise.

2nd time around,

I do the same thing again,

give him the command,

he races to the object, comes about halfway back.

Then gets distracted by something and wanders off! Like he'll drop it and go get a drink, or he'll drop it and go have a sniff in the bushes.

What should I do to correct this?

I need him to do it consistently at least 3 times in a row.

Im thinking I'll have to go about 10 steps back and work back up to the 20 meters.

[dogdude]

It sounds to me like praise is not motivating enough for him. If you are going to do repetitive work that the dog really isn't interested in then you have to make it worth his while.

[lovemesideways]

It sounds to me like praise is not motivating enough for him. If you are going to do repetitive work that the dog really isn't interested in then you have to make it worth his while.

How can I make it more worth his while?

His food drive is the highest.

Maybe using a better treat, like raw meat?

[dogdude]

Try cabana or cabanossi. When he gets half way back to you, give him a release command as you turn and throw the food behind you. Mix this up with formal retrieves to keep it fun and speedy.

Start to release closer to the point after completing his pickup and turn to get even better return speed. Never release too close to you to avoid confusing a formal retreive to an early release.

[kallistar]

Hi JenIsAwesome

What sort of retrieving do you want to do? Is it for field retrieving trials?

Obedience trials?

Or just for fun?

Need to know this info too as it will help with your training.

And why are you placing the item to be retrieved?

Is he retrieving to hand?

Have you gone too far to quick? If this is the case back up to where he is doing the exercise well and build it up slowly.

[lovemesideways]

Try cabana or cabanossi. When he gets half way back to you, give him a release command as you turn and throw the food behind you. Mix this up with formal retrieves to keep it fun and speedy.

Start to release closer to the point after completing his pickup and turn to get even better return speed. Never release too close to you to avoid confusing a formal retreive to an early release.

Yeah I'll try that today and see how it goes.

Hi JenIsAwesome

What sort of retrieving do you want to do? Is it for field retrieving trials?

Obedience trials?

Or just for fun?

Need to know this info too as it will help with your training.

And why are you placing the item to be retrieved?

Is he retrieving to hand?

Have you gone too far to quick? If this is the case back up to where he is doing the exercise well and build it up slowly.

The retrieving is for a Assessment. I'm doing the NDTF certificate and I need him to do 2 tricks at least 3 times in a row.

I'm placing it so I can make sure its actually 20 meters away, thats a requirement of the assessment.

I think I may have just made it too boring, so hes excited once and then the after that, not so much.

[The Spotted Devil]

Took me 3 months to clicker train my Dally to retrieve so I am absolutely excitement central to up his motivation

At the moment every retrieve is done in a different way with some of his dinner every 2nd night - e.g. just ask for a 'hold' and present to front for his food reward, then I might hype him up with some silly play, toss the article, immediate retrieve and present to front to get a food reward....then I might hype him up, ask him to heel (sometimes I kneel on the ground instead of standing), hold my arms around him, toss the article, release to retrieve and present to front....then put him in a sit stay, run out and drop some food, return to dog, send him to get the food and present to front for more food...then sit stay, run out and place the article, return to dog, send him to get the article and present to front. I might do one or all of these exercises in varying order depending on his level of motivation. Hope that makes sense like it does in my head

[kallistar]

Try cabana or cabanossi. When he gets half way back to you, give him a release command as you turn and throw the food behind you. Mix this up with formal retrieves to keep it fun and speedy.

Start to release closer to the point after completing his pickup and turn to get even better return speed. Never release too close to you to avoid confusing a formal retreive to an early release.

Yeah I'll try that today and see how it goes.

Hi JenIsAwesome

What sort of retrieving do you want to do? Is it for field retrieving trials?

Obedience trials?

Or just for fun?

Need to know this info too as it will help with your training.

And why are you placing the item to be retrieved?

Is he retrieving to hand?

Have you gone too far to quick? If this is the case back up to where he is doing the exercise well and build it up slowly.

The retrieving is for a Assessment. I'm doing the NDTF certificate and I need him to do 2 tricks at least 3 times in a row.

I'm placing it so I can make sure its actually 20 meters away, thats a requirement of the assessment.

I think I may have just made it too boring, so hes excited once and then the after that, not so much.

HI JenIsAwesome,

What is the critera that NDTF require for this?

Do you have to have him retrieve to hand? If he is spitting it out and not presenting to hand, you will have to go back to square 1 and reinforce (with heaps of positive rewards) the hold, Swap the dumbell for a treat/toy/tug when he releases it to your hand .. as for the retrieve, again do this in baby steps, heaps of praise/rewards for retrieving the dumbell,

Have some one else place the dumbell out for you, calling out to your dog and you release him to the dumbell and as soon as he picks it up (this depends on your dog and how well he understands to bring to hand) call him to come back to you.. when he reaches you, take dumbell and a BIG JACKPOT for doing what you want from him... but remember every thing in baby steps.

But don't praise him for spitting the dumbell at your feet, pick it up and place it back in his mouth and step backwards calling him again, and get him to present to hand, reward when he does...Remember BABY STEPS and always finish on a high..