Retrieving

[birdielover]

I also remembered that our senior instructor made it a game for Mysta to "get" the dumbell in the beginning. did not matter how he got it as long as he got excited and picked it up. He just was not interested until she did this and he loved the game and getting him hyped up. Then I would hold his snout gently and also walk backwards telling him "come" "hold, hold, hold" then "give" - it worked for us.

[Kavik]

OK well I think I know part of my problem.

So far I have been clicker training the retrieve and I just reread the article I am following, I am trying to go too fast! (as per usual ). If I follow the article I have been trying to increase the distance too fast.

I guess the only bit about the article I worry about doing is clicking for small lifts of the dumbell and allowing him to drop it (as he should if I click) - as I had the problem with him throwing the dumbell before.

The question is: do I continue witha purely clicker approach or combine it with another approach based on prey drive and try to get him motivated to chase the moving dumbell?

Here is the article I have been following so far:

http://www.shirleychong.com/keepers/retrieve4p.html

[Kavik]

Double post

Edited August 22, 2005 by Kavik

[Kavik]

Ok well we had some success today . . .

This is going to sound hillarious so feel free to laugh

I have tried throwing the dumbell and for some reason Diesel just isn't interested in chasing it. Maybe something to do with the clicker training I have done so far with retrieving?

Anyway, I decided to try something different. Diesel LOVES socks, he thinks they are the best tug toy ever (I should have brought one to the K9 Force workshop!). So first I decided to put the dumbell inside the sock and throw it to see what he would do. Diesel thought this was a great game! :D Unfortunately he carried the whole thing around by the sock and not the bell.

So next I tied the sock around the dumbell. He chased it enthusiastically! Totally different to just the dumbell. But he still carried it by the sock. So I found a smaller sock and cut it so there were no ends for him to grab and Presto! He enthusiastically got the dumbell and held it by the bell.

I managed to get him to bring it back by using the other sock as a second toy, got him to sit in front and give .

So we have gotten more enthusiasm and speed, after a while I just have to figure out how to wean him off the sock!