- Location
- Herefordshire, UK
But if he did a few other retrieves, could he then be allowed to carry his yellow ball as his reward?
Retrieving
- Thread starter Jennifer
- Start date
- Location
- Malvern Worcestershire
Perhaps you could wait him out, have another article put down and don't say anything and he may think it for himself. He may eventually twig that to get his yellow ball, he has to pick up the other article. They do say that dogs who do their own learning will not forget!@Selina27 I’ve given it a go. Unfortunately no if he knows I’ve got the magic yellow ball he won’t retrieve anything he just sits looking at me waiting to get his yellow ball
Jacqui-S
Moderator
- Location
- Fife, Scotland
I think dogs see blue really well, hmm
For once I have a simple question if only the answer could be simple 
What is the best way to build and keep desire to retrieve a dummy ? I have a new dummy arriving tomorrow. Hunter has plenty of desire to retrieve something new but once the novelty has worn off he gets bored and distracted unless of course it’s the banned balls with which I have found out he can do a fantastic, long distance, out of sight, blind retrieve no training required just won’t drop it when he gets back with it.
What is the best way to build and keep desire to retrieve a dummy ? I have a new dummy arriving tomorrow. Hunter has plenty of desire to retrieve something new but once the novelty has worn off he gets bored and distracted unless of course it’s the banned balls with which I have found out he can do a fantastic, long distance, out of sight, blind retrieve no training required just won’t drop it when he gets back with it.
- Location
- Cornwall , UK
I dont know if this will help but when I was building a passionate retrieve with Reuben and Sam before him , I kept the dummy or ball 100% precious , I dont allow the object in the house , it seems to make it more desirable . For quite some time , I didnt even introduce it in the garden ( I do now ), it seemed to keep them more keen xx
- Location
- Isle of Man
I used Totally Gundogs (from the Other Forum) with Coco, going down the clicker route.
Retrieve Training
Retrieve Training
- Location
- Herefordshire, UK
Oh I remember that, really helpful.
@Jennifer , maybe just keep it to a minimum, just to it 3 times to start with now and again?
I can't do the same thing too often with Cass or she's like " heck we did this yesterday!"
Maybe you need to train his delivery to hand ? I think you will find @edzbird suggestion helpful.
Thank you all for the advice. @kateincornwall I will be keeping the new dummy for retrieving only and I think I’ll start indoors like you suggest. Hunter will usually retrieve to my hand inside. I do think bad habits have been learnt outside. Despite my efforts other people like to play chase with him etc which of course he loves. It doesn’t help with training him to retrieve and drop something of high value though.
I’ve found the article @edzbird thank you. I’ll definitely try it I think it will help. It’s now on www.dogsnet.com
@Selina27 I think you’ve hit one of the nails on the head. I’m guilty of going on too long with retrieving when Hunter is doing well, like with a new ball, and I do think that might be a reason after a few days he’s had enough. I’ve thought before I should stop sooner. I’m also guilty of trying to keep going when he’s obviously not in the mood. I guess I should just stop and do something else or just let him mooch and entertain himself. I forget he’s still only young and a teenager and his attention span is probably pretty short.
It doesn’t help with training him to retrieve and drop something of high value though.I’ve found the article @edzbird thank you. I’ll definitely try it I think it will help. It’s now on www.dogsnet.com
@Selina27 I think you’ve hit one of the nails on the head. I’m guilty of going on too long with retrieving when Hunter is doing well, like with a new ball, and I do think that might be a reason after a few days he’s had enough. I’ve thought before I should stop sooner. I’m also guilty of trying to keep going when he’s obviously not in the mood. I guess I should just stop and do something else or just let him mooch and entertain himself. I forget he’s still only young and a teenager and his attention span is probably pretty short.
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What might also work is if you have a friend with a keen retriever, if you do a bit of training together. Just watching another dog work enthusiastically often sets off an 'aha!!!' moment in a young dog, in my experience.
I know this is getting repetitive but I’m still having issues with Hunter and his retrieving. To be more specific his dropping. Inside it’s practically perfect. He brings me whatever we’re playing with and practically drops it on my knee. Outside he brings the ball to me but won’t drop I have to take it out of his mouth. That’s ok except after a few he starts trying to avoid me getting hold of it, then after a few more won’t release it immediately and then after a few more will sometimes growl when I get hold of it. The longer he has hold of it the more possessive he gets also probably coinciding with him getting more tired. I don’t know whether to stop retrieving outside completely for awhile, although how long
, or just do a few retrieves then stop before he gets over possessive but I’m not sure if that’s teaching him he has to drop it to keep playing or make him more possessive next time he gets the ball or do I keep going as we are and hope the penny drops. It’s very frustrating 
He enjoys retrieving and is really good at our version of a memory retrieve and blind retrieve as well as running in for the ball it’s just the drop.
, or just do a few retrieves then stop before he gets over possessive but I’m not sure if that’s teaching him he has to drop it to keep playing or make him more possessive next time he gets the ball or do I keep going as we are and hope the penny drops. It’s very frustrating He enjoys retrieving and is really good at our version of a memory retrieve and blind retrieve as well as running in for the ball it’s just the drop.
- Location
- Cornwall , UK
I`ve not had this problem with Reuben but I did with Sam . I limited the retrieves , stopping them the minute he began to refuse to drop/leave . If you carry on, you may be setting him up for a fail so stop when you are ahead I say and lots of praise xx
Atemas
UK Tour Guide
- Location
- North Cambridgeshire
Red has always retrieved but never quite got the giving the ball
to me and she’s nearly 8! She has never growled though so I’ve not thought of it as a possessive thing. Generally she just drops it at my feet or nearby for me to pick up 
as I am her slave 
. She can put it in my hand and will occasionally.in the winter months, I play ‘Find the Fish’ with her in the house. She loves this game and will happily put the fish in my hand when she finds them as she knows she’ll get a treat in exchange.
When she was young it bothered me as I thought she should be able to retrieve to hand but as she’s got older I just accept it - it’s not a big deal
- Location
- Malvern Worcestershire
You don't really want Hunter to drop the retrieve but to hold it until you take it. Flicka began but putting it on my knee when in the house. she couldn't understand hold. Today I said 'wait' and she held it! So perhaps you can think of another word? In the house teach Hunter to swap, so he gives you the article and you toss a tennis ball as a reward (at your feet or not too far away.
- Location
- Herefordshire, UK
I taught Cassie Hand Touch, it's easy to teach and in her case I can make it quite quick and high energy thereby keeping her focus. I gradually started throwing a dummy as part of the game ( a ball would be wasted as she doesn't play that game) , I would hold out my hand a say "Touch" when she shoved her nose/mouth into my hand I'd hold the dummy while she still had it and say Thank you" When she released it I threw her treat away for her to find, as areward.
I think I did a few other clicker related things but can't remember enough of what I did, bit of a multi pronged approach really, but now she has a really good hand delivery.
I do remember my gundog trainer telling me to keep my hands behind my back as she approached, instead of reaching out for it. She began then to look for my hand which I presented at the last minute.
Does Hunter work for food?
I think I did a few other clicker related things but can't remember enough of what I did, bit of a multi pronged approach really, but now she has a really good hand delivery.
I do remember my gundog trainer telling me to keep my hands behind my back as she approached, instead of reaching out for it. She began then to look for my hand which I presented at the last minute.
Does Hunter work for food?
- Location
- Isle of Man
I'd try this, definitely. Switch to another really fun game.. maybe a sniffy game - something completely different.
@kateincornwall, @Atemas, @Jelinga, @Selina27 @edzbird Thank you all very much for your help and advice I really appreciate it.
I’ve never had this problem with my other dogs and Hunter has always been very good at dropping something he shouldn’t have so I don’t know why he’s got like this although it might have something to do with other members of the family playing chase with him when he’s got a toy. I blame myself for not stopping them when he was younger but they all have so much fun the humans as well as Hunter If I stop the retrieving as soon as he starts refusing to drop I’m not letting him practise the unwanted behaviour right
Hunter will work for food but so far I haven’t found a treat more rewarding than keeping hold of the ball. Teaching Hunter touch should be quite easy. He already nudges me/my hand when he thinks he deserves a treat and I’m doing something else. It might also help training a different word/action for him letting me have the retrieve. I could maybe combine a touch with a swap then it’s different to drop which he may associate with the item being taken away.
To be honest I’m not bothered at the moment whether he drops it on the floor or in my hand. My other dogs have always dropped on the floor. I like the find the fish idea. I think Hunter would really enjoy that. He’s having lots of fun at the moment trying to find his ball in the leaves and loves searching when I hide something so alternating between a retrieve and maybe find a treat might work.
I’ve never had this problem with my other dogs and Hunter has always been very good at dropping something he shouldn’t have so I don’t know why he’s got like this although it might have something to do with other members of the family playing chase with him when he’s got a toy. I blame myself for not stopping them when he was younger but they all have so much fun the humans as well as Hunter
If I stop the retrieving as soon as he starts refusing to drop I’m not letting him practise the unwanted behaviour rightHunter will work for food but so far I haven’t found a treat more rewarding than keeping hold of the ball. Teaching Hunter touch should be quite easy. He already nudges me/my hand when he thinks he deserves a treat and I’m doing something else. It might also help training a different word/action for him letting me have the retrieve. I could maybe combine a touch with a swap then it’s different to drop which he may associate with the item being taken away.
To be honest I’m not bothered at the moment whether he drops it on the floor or in my hand. My other dogs have always dropped on the floor. I like the find the fish idea. I think Hunter would really enjoy that. He’s having lots of fun at the moment trying to find his ball in the leaves and loves searching when I hide something so alternating between a retrieve and maybe find a treat might work.
- Location
- Herefordshire, UK
This is Cassie also -- in fact I would go so far as to say the searching is what she finds rewarding. It took me years to work that out!
Maybe you could try something other than a ball? Something like the small snipe dummy that buries itself in the leaves ( this was a gamechanger for Cass).
She loves her rabbit skin dummy, these days she gets that as a reward at te end of a retrieving session, she gets to carry it home. Maybe you could use the ball like that?
They are all so different, I guess it's just finding the thing that motivates them and also what we want to get out of them retrieving.
@Selina27 thank you Selina. Yesterday I tried your suggestion of throwing the treat as the reward for letting me have the ball. It worked really well because Hunter got to root around for the treat which, like Cassie, I think he found much more rewarding than just being given it. He’s a bit particular about what he’ll retrieve. Anything new he’ll happily go for but will get board after a few days. I got him a dummy the novelty wore off after about a week. I’ll have a look for the teal one though. At the moment he’s very keen on a rugby shaped tennis ball if that makes sense. It’s bigger than a tennis ball so it sticks out of his mouth which makes it much easier for me to get hold of and the shape helps too. I kept moving round the field, doing different retrieves some running in, some with him waiting while I went and put it somewhere then returning and sending him, he loves those. I was ready to stop as soon as I felt any resistance when I got hold of the ball but he released it gently every time 
Good boy Hunter!