Gloves Question

[kathq]

Things were going along terrific with Coco in her UD training. Thought I had her almost ready to trial when I could screw up the nerve to enter and then.....

She has become fixated on glove 2. Even when I turn so that I am almost side on to the gloves to send her to 1 or 3 she runs out as if to go to the correct glove and then changes course and picks up 2. Thought that a few steps back and change the command from fetch for all gloves to actually using the number of the glove I am sending her to might allow me to guide her a bit better. Does that make sense or is it a silly idea? This girl is retrieve obsessed and has always been that way but I am concerned that if I call her off the wrong glove I might just wreck the whole thing.

Help!!!!

[Ptolomy]

Have you tried bringing glove 1 and 2 a bit closer?

An exercise you can play with place 1 glove out 3-4m in front of you - give direction to this glove with your left hand and with your right hand drop/throw a glove out to your right 1-2m away. The natural reaction is for the dog to want to take notice of this new glove that you have throw to your right - but it should be close enough for you to step in if she opts to go for this glove.

Another exercise is to bring all the gloves in close and try facing in a totally different direction so facing glove # 2 and send her for glove 1 or facing glove 1 and send her to glove 3. Its playing these sort of games that the dogs suddenly reaslies that your hand giving direction actually means something.

[ness]

Thanks for that response Ptolomy - I will be adding those to my list of things to play with with a certain dog who has decided locking into gloves is optional .

[kathq]

Thanks Ptolomy. Will be trying these today.. Didnt think this would be the exercise I would have trouble with

[Seita]

Hey Kathq! Looks like you and I will be debuting in UD together! I'm almost ready for UD too... still got a few issues with seek back and gloves on occasions but am feeling confident that we'll be in the ring withint the next 2 or 3 months!

Sorry got nothing to offer in the way of help with your gloves but I like Ptolomy's sugestions and will try some of them myself!

[mmoo]

Hi, how about eliminating glove 2 al together until 1 and 3 are solid retrieves, 2 is always the easy option for the dog when first training the retrieves. When you get solid retrieves on 1 and 3 then introduce 2. Also be very careful with your turns and signals, they can make or break a good retrieve. I feel that we need to spend more time on our footwrk and signals before we ever try to teach our dogs what we want from them in the Directed Retrieve

[bedazzledx2]

Yep! have to agree there mmoo. Guru Sue H says turn straight, look straight, run straight! I see a lot of people try and fudge glove 2 or 3 by under or over turning and I think this does a disservice to your dog in the long term. Practice turns and reward great turns without doing the actual retrieve. I do this for his dinner if I'm feeding from a bowl that night, otherwise I will do it to a bait plate.

Hi, how about eliminating glove 2 al together until 1 and 3 are solid retrieves, 2 is always the easy option for the dog when first training the retrieves. When you get solid retrieves on 1 and 3 then introduce 2. Also be very careful with your turns and signals, they can make or break a good retrieve. I feel that we need to spend more time on our footwrk and signals before we ever try to teach our dogs what we want from them in the Directed Retrieve

[huski]

Does anyone have any articles or suggestions on how to train the glove exercise? I got given three gloves the other night and I have no idea what to do with them It is probably the exercise I am least familiar with.

[caffy]

Well said mmoo and bedazzled!!!

For me it's your feet! Feet straight pointing to your glove...another one from the Guru

[bedazzledx2]

Start with one glove and work on getting a nice pick up and retrieve with no mouthing in close. Then from further away, then work on a great present with the glove...no mouthing. Then get back to us!!!!

Does anyone have any articles or suggestions on how to train the glove exercise? I got given three gloves the other night and I have no idea what to do with them It is probably the exercise I am least familiar with.

[kathq]

An exercise you can play with place 1 glove out 3-4m in front of you - give direction to this glove with your left hand and with your right hand drop/throw a glove out to your right 1-2m away. The natural reaction is for the dog to want to take notice of this new glove that you have throw to your right - but it should be close enough for you to step in if she opts to go for this glove.

Did this a couple of times this morning with the corresponding correction when she went for the thrown glove, but teaming it with a change in command to the number system. Lots of practice on the about turns doing right about turn for glove 1 and left about turn for glove 3 (Only had two gloves out so that I could have proper distance between them). She seemed to be getting the idea this afternoon in a second training session. Shall just have to practice, practice, practice I think.

[huski]

Start with one glove and work on getting a nice pick up and retrieve with no mouthing in close. Then from further away, then work on a great present with the glove...no mouthing. Then get back to us!!!!

Does anyone have any articles or suggestions on how to train the glove exercise? I got given three gloves the other night and I have no idea what to do with them It is probably the exercise I am least familiar with.

Thanks Bedazzled! Will see how she goes retrieving just one

[kathq]

Does anyone have any articles or suggestions on how to train the glove exercise? I got given three gloves the other night and I have no idea what to do with them It is probably the exercise I am least familiar with.

I started as if was training a new dog to a dumbell. This may not be the way to go about it however as I have a small problem with focus now but it could be a starting point.

[caffy]

Start with one glove and work on getting a nice pick up and retrieve with no mouthing in close. Then from further away, then work on a great present with the glove...no mouthing. Then get back to us!!!!

Does anyone have any articles or suggestions on how to train the glove exercise? I got given three gloves the other night and I have no idea what to do with them It is probably the exercise I am least familiar with.

While you are doing that , find yourself a small container. Put a piece of food on it(show your dog you are putting food on the container) and just have yourself and your dog facing it...no turns. Only be a short distance away. She should be looking at the container, lower your left hand next to her head in the direction of the container. Wait until she "locks" on...my dogs slightly hold their breath..then send with a verbal and slight hand movemnet forward. Play around with that...increase the distance..but just use one container at this stage.

[caffy]

While you are doing that , find yourself a small container. Put a piece of food on it(show your dog you are putting food on the container) and just have yourself and your dog facing it...no turns. Only be a short distance away. She should be looking at the container, lower your left hand next to her head in the direction of the container. Wait until she "locks" on...my dogs slightly hold their breath..then send with a verbal and slight hand movemnet forward. Play around with that...increase the distance..but just use one container at this stage.

..forgot to add that once she has taken the food and turns to come back, then throw food behind you. In the glove ex you want a quick pick up and a quick, straight return. But also vary that...sometimes throw , sometimes ask for a present.

[Lablover]

This girl is retrieve obsessed and has always been that way but I am concerned that if I call her off the wrong glove I might just wreck the whole thing.

Help!!!!

If she is obsessed and has a good history of succcess, calling her off the wrong glove might not be as problematic as you think...as long as you can gauge her well.

Personally if one of my retrieving dogs was focused on a particular retrieve, I would go back to drill form (which is I admit simple as gloves), and remove the focused article.

Most errors in retrieving games, is due to handler error/pointing. Our bodies tend to curve over the dogs, without us noticing the significance. Possibly straighten your body, or have an experienced person (as I have had on many occasions) behind you, checking if your and THE DOG'S alignment(tail, body, brain) is correct.

[Lablover]

This girl is retrieve obsessed and has always been that way but I am concerned that if I call her off the wrong glove I might just wreck the whole thing.

Help!!!!

If she is obsessed and has a good history of succcess, calling her off the wrong glove might not be as problematic as you think...as long as you can gauge her well.

Personally if one of my retrieving dogs was focused on a particular retrieve, I would go back to drill form (which is I admit simple as gloves), and remove the focused article.

Most errors in retrieving games, is due to handler error/pointing. Our bodies tend to curve over the dogs, without us noticing the significance. Possibly straighten your body, or have an experienced person (as I have had on many occasions) behind you, checking if your and THE DOG'S alignment(tail, body, brain) is correct.

Sorry, can I add CORRECT and straight!!!! Both dog and handler.

[kathq]

Was making progress I thought then last night she was back to being as bad as she was on the weekend. Reading these tips again I think maybe her alignment is not straight, when we turn she tends to wrap her head around my leg so she may be locking on to the wrong glove. sigh........

Back to practicing about turns with no glove to get straight ahead focus.

[Lablover]

Back to practicing about turns with no glove to get straight ahead focus.

As you mentioned retrieving is strong/rewarding, why practice about turns with no reward/glove?

Are you placing all three articles in EXACTLY the same position? What is wind direction? Try raising glove one and three on a stick or whatever helps for your dog to focus. Spread the gloves? Try a Noon, 3 o'clock drill, 6 o'clock, 9 o'oclock drill/game (you in the middle). Shorter distance to gloves may help also, as others have indicated? Making one and three impossible to retrieve/non rewarding (depending on dog).

Number one question: We..ask..ourselves in retrieving circles, do dogs lie...?

When your dog is in EXCELLENT heel position, does she focus on the glove you indicate? Watch the eyes CAREFULLY!! I vocal cue good, when correct and have no hesitation due to training-game history, saying NO.

So many questions sorry. Are all the the gloves the same white or fabric?

[The Spotted Devil]

Your dogs have taught me a lot about the directed glove retrieve LL! I've learned to mark that forward focus even in a Dally!