gooeydog Posted January 18, 2003 Share Posted January 18, 2003 Anybody know how to get a dog to do (I think this is what it's called) a retrieval to hand? I've been trying to teach Annie to do it, but she won't actually "give" it to me. She'll bring it up and drop it at my feet, but not my hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black GSD Posted January 18, 2003 Share Posted January 18, 2003 Are you just trying to have her hand it to you so you don't have to bend over, OR are you training for a "purpose"? (Meaning are you wanting to compete with her?) The reason I ask is that "I" go about it differently depending on the reason. (Make Sense?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gooeydog Posted January 18, 2003 Author Share Posted January 18, 2003 Mostly just for "normal use", but I've been thinking about trying to do obedience competitions with her (I must be crazy... obedience with a dachshund :o ), and don't they have to be able to bring the dumbell back "to hand" when in one of the advanced levels? I'm probably just confused though, and even if I'm right, I'm still not even sure whether we'll try obedience. Newfiemom, she has a good retrieve (and an even better "ANNIE! Spit that out!" :lol: ), but just drops the toy/stick/whatever at my feet. I just can't get her to actually bring it to my hands, she always drops it at my feet (she'll even run around my hands to put it there) :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gooeydog Posted January 18, 2003 Author Share Posted January 18, 2003 Well, I'm not in any hurry :) . I don't use clicker training, but do use marker training (just telling her "good" instead of clicking), and it's worked well so far. Also, she has a this "thing" where once she's got a toy/whatever, she won't want a different one. I'm guessing this will be another problem? And because she's so short, if we were to do obedience trials, would I be able to bend down so she could give it to me, or would she have to "reach" to me (I'm guessing I can bend down to her level, but not sure)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogPaddle Posted January 18, 2003 Share Posted January 18, 2003 Kavik is very kong motivated and we just wouldn't throw it till he brought it right to our hand. We did hold our hand out to him, below his mouth and say drop to start. Unfortunately we started this training in doors. Kavik will return to hand freqently (paticularly if I'm watching tv) in the house but never outside. :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black GSD Posted January 18, 2003 Share Posted January 18, 2003 I didn't realize she was a Dachshund. THANK DOG I have tall dogs. lol Anyway. YES, they do have to deliver the dumbell and hold it until you take it from them. And you CAN bend down to take it from her. Will she take the dumbbell if you hand it to her? If so I would hand it to her, say "Fetch" (Or the command of your choice), then take it back (tell her "Out", "Give" or whatever command you use) then "good". You just have to make sure you take it BEFORE she has a chance to spit it out. If she tries to spit it out immedately before you have a chance to take it back, hold her mouth shut for a second then take it back. Gradually increase the time she has to hold it before you take it. I wouldn't let her retrieve with the dumbbell until AFTER she is reliable about holding it. You don't want her to learn that it is OK to spit it out. Is this making sense? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black GSD Posted January 18, 2003 Share Posted January 18, 2003 [quote name='DogPaddle']Kavik is very kong motivated and we just wouldn't throw it till he brought it right to our hand. We did hold our hand out to him, below his mouth and say drop to start. Unfortunately we started this training in doors. Kavik will return to hand freqently (paticularly if I'm watching tv) in the house but never outside. :roll:[/quote] This is the same thing I do with my "recreational retrievers". (As in fetch for fun and exercise instead of for obedience competition.) If they don't put it in my hand, I WILL NOT throw it again. They catch on pretty fast. But my dogs are VERY high in prey drive. Don't know if Annie is or not. So she may not really care if the game ends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eggrolyn1223 Posted January 18, 2003 Share Posted January 18, 2003 Throw what ever you want her to retrieve, then when she comes back, stick your hand out.If she drops it at your feet, ignore her.Oh, you might want to sit down for this.Just sit there and don't move your hand....and ignore her..until she puts it in your hand...then...you know the rest..praise!!I've heard that works...sometimes.. :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gooeydog Posted January 18, 2003 Author Share Posted January 18, 2003 [quote name='Black GSD']I didn't realize she was a Dachshund. THANK DOG I have tall dogs. lol Anyway. YES, they do have to deliver the dumbell and hold it until you take it from them. And you CAN bend down to take it from her. Will she take the dumbbell if you hand it to her? If so I would hand it to her, say "Fetch" (Or the command of your choice), then take it back (tell her "Out", "Give" or whatever command you use) then "good". You just have to make sure you take it BEFORE she has a chance to spit it out. If she tries to spit it out immedately before you have a chance to take it back, hold her mouth shut for a second then take it back. Gradually increase the time she has to hold it before you take it. I wouldn't let her retrieve with the dumbbell until AFTER she is reliable about holding it. You don't want her to learn that it is OK to spit it out. Is this making sense?[/quote] I'm pretty sure she'll take it if I get her really excited about it. Should she be in a sit when I give her the dumbell, or just doing whatever? Also, I use the toy/tug as her reward (she does what I want, I drop the ball or play tug with her for a second), so would it be best to continue using a seperate toy as the "reward", or to reward by giving her back the dumbell? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gooeydog Posted January 18, 2003 Author Share Posted January 18, 2003 Annie [i]is[/i] very high prey drive, and I used the ignoring thing when I first trained her to bring me the toy, but it hasn't seemed to work for her actually bringing it to me and "giving" it to me. I my not have been making it easy enough though. I'll try to work that into our regular catch playing, and see if it makes a difference. She thinks "the game" should go on all day :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black GSD Posted January 18, 2003 Share Posted January 18, 2003 Gooey, I would NEVER let her play with the dumbell. It is for "work" only. If you use a toy as a reward, just use her usual reward toy. The dumbell is NOT for "playing and chomping on". You do NOT want her to learn to "mouth/chew on/chomp on , the dumbell. She should hold it with NO mouth movement. I would have her in a "sit". Afterall she will HAVE to be in a sit before you take it, if you do decide to show her. If she won't take if from you while sitting in front of you, I would put it in her mouth. Even if you have to pry her mouth open. (I mean the old pinch the lips against the teeth until she opens her mouth. Just open her mouth with one hand and say fetch while you put it in her mouth. HOPEFULLY she will just take it from yu. You dont' want her to decide this is no longer fun. I have had 1 dog that had to be "forced" to retrieve. She had ZERO desire to fetch. BUT< she ended up the BEST retrieving dog I have EVER seen. She would fetch ANYTHING and EVERYTHING I told her too. She even used to fetch the kitchen garbage can. (You know the the regular ones that are about 2 feet tall.) Of coarse she was a German Shepherd so she was big enough). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black GSD Posted January 18, 2003 Share Posted January 18, 2003 Gooey, Have you tried sitting on the ground when you are playing fetch with her? It may be easier to get her to start putting it in your hand since she is so short. It is much easier for my dogs since they are a fair amount taller. When they walk up to me their mouth is AT hand height. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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