Dog Won't Pick Up Metal Article

[Zug Zug]

I got some scent discrimination articles this week, thinking I'll get my old girl to start fetching different stuff. We will start training scent discrimination sometime late this year, if/when we get our Open title sorted out.

She will fetch the wood and leather articles no problems, but won't fetch the metal article.

I can get her to (reluctantly) hold and carry the metal article, which is essentially a hollow aluminium rod. But if I toss it and ask her to get it, she runs over there, sniffs and paws at it, but then decides 'nup' and just looks back at me. Her face says something like 'can't be done that is clearly unfetchable, perhaps would you like something else?'

On advice from someone today I tried putting some cardboard dumbbell ends on the metal article, so it sits up off the ground and is easier to pick up. She actually picked it up twice and I got really excited, but then I realised that she was very carefully holding the cardboard in her mouth and carrying it that way - not touching the metal at all. Of course the cardboard then came off and we were back to square one.

Any ideas?

[The Spotted Devil]

I just shaped it with a clicker - same way as I did for the dumbbell - a few minutes each night using his dinner. He now LOVES the dumbbell although it has taken an age. He's a lot more enthusiastic about metal than he used to be but still not 100% as he rolls it in his mouth - I think to stop it touching his teeth. I am not even going to consider adding scent discrim to the metal equation until he loves the metal like he does the wood.

[Zug Zug]

Hmm yes I remember having trouble getting her to hold the dumbbell initially, but once I got her holding it, the fetch was fairly quick and easy.

In this case she will hold, but not pick up. But you're right I've only tried a few times so maybe I just need to try longer.

[ness]

Have you got normal plain metals or knurled metals. Mine struggle with the plain metals but both prefer the knurled ones. Kenz wasn't quite so keen on the metal so we put it away and taught scent with wood and worked metal articles separately.

ETA. You can also try taping the metal articles with tape and then slowly fading out the tape so they are having to hold them.

Edited May 23, 2010 by ness

[freundhund]

Okay, haven't done UD for years, but I do remember teaching the Metal with a light smear of Vegemite or Peanut Butter on it! I found that the dogs then didn't seem to mind the Metal, also for picking up Metal there were really big treats and massive praise. I also stopped Dumbell work, Ball throwing scent discrimination on anything other than Metal objectts. In fact I think I spent weeks teaching fetch and games with the Metal until my dogs stopped thinking that there was anything else in the world but Metal objects.