Training Molly

[FayRose]

I'm hoping someone can help with something that's started to happen.

As mentioned, our homework includes starting picking up a dummy and bringing it to hand. We've been following our instructions and I thought it was going ok. Once Molly brings back the dummy reliably, we are to introduce a cue word to use just as she goes to pick it up. I've just started that but we now have a problem.

Molly will pick up and bring the dummy to hand perhaps 3 or 4 times, then she seems to get bored with that, chucks it about a bit, then trots off, lies down and attempts to tear it to bits.

How do I stop this? I've been lengthening the distance between me and the dummy gradually and done everything else as per our training session but never thought to ask how to deal with a situation where Molly just doesn't seem to want to continue. Any ideas or suggestions gratefully received.

 

[Heidrun]

I do very few seen retrieves where I (or someone else) throw out the dummy and then send the dog from my side. They are deadly boring to a dog and don’t really teach the dog anything especially on short grass hence the dog getting bored and starting to mess around with the dummy. Instead I would start to do memory retrieves where you throw the dummy and then walk away with your dog at heel for some distance and then send her. As soon as the dog has got the hang of it I will make things more interesting by throwing the dummy into cover or over a small obstacle like a ditch or a log and I also gradually increase the distance. There are endless variations you can incorporate into a memory retrieve which will keep the dog interested and keen to do more.

 

[Cath]

Have you tried different dummies. Say 2 times with a Canvas and before she start chucking it about, a fur dummy. but only say 2 times. Then

stop. I don't know if this would work because I have never had this, but it may be worth a try. @Heidrun has given you some good ideas.

 

[Joy]

If you've been asked to work just on delivery to hand (as opposed to dropping the dummy at your feet) you could try rewarding with something that Molly finds exciting as soon as she hands you the dummy, such as a game of tug (with another toy) or a throw of a ball that she is allowed to chase.

 

[FayRose]

Thanks @Cath and @Joy Yes, I do have more than 1 dummy, as advised by our trainer, so I'll try switching them as you suggest.

Part of the process includes treats. When she brings the dummy to hand, I click and treat, then throw a treat so she has to move away before I place the dummy again and repeat.

 

[MellowYellow]

She's just getting bored with the retrieving @FayRose as @Heidrun says. Make the retrieves more interesting, or else just do 2 or 3 repetitions. Any more than that is too much. You want to stop when she is still keen!

 

[FayRose]

Yes, I guess that's it @MellowYellow I think I've missed something as you're also referring to something @Heidrun has said. I'll go and look for that.

 

[Selina27]

chucks it about a bit, then trots off, lies down and attempts to tear it to bits.

This is what Cassie was doing 18 months or so ago, running off with great glee throwing it about by the toggle. She found that very rewarding!

I think you have great advice from @Heidrun , this what I did with Cassie, and it really helped us turn the corner. @Jelinga had good advice along these lines too, for me.

Our home work is about better hand delivery too, because I mucked her about really, with my lack of understanding in early days.

And I agree with @MellowYellow , 2 or 3 repetitons increased Cassie's interest no end.

 

[FayRose]

Can someone point me at @Heidrun 's advice please? I've tried but can't find anything .. or am I being thick again?

 

[snowbunny]

Can someone point me at @Heidrun 's advice please? I've tried but can't find anything .. or am I being thick again?

Is it possible you've ignored Heidrun by mistake? Go to this page and see if she's listed - if so, click the "unignore" button. Her message is above in the thread, so you should see it unless you've ignored her

https://mylabradorfriends.com/account/ignored

 

[snowbunny]

Then her post is here: Training Molly

 

[MellowYellow]

I do very few seen retrieves where I (or someone else) throw out the dummy and then send the dog from my side. They are deadly boring to a dog and don’t really teach the dog anything especially on short grass hence the dog getting bored and starting to mess around with the dummy. Instead I would start to do memory retrieves where you throw the dummy and then walk away with your dog at heel for some distance and then send her. As soon as the dog has got the hang of it I will make things more interesting by throwing the dummy into cover or over a small obstacle like a ditch or a log and I also gradually increase the distance. There are endless variations you can incorporate into a memory retrieve which will keep the dog interested and keen to do more.

@FayRose this was Heidrun's post.

 

[FayRose]

Thanks, I've no idea how that happened, I certainly haven't chosen to ignore anything or anyone deliberately.

Yes, clearly what I've been doing is boring Molly but I was following what my trainer has taught us. Perhaps I'll give up on this for now and talk to her (trainer) at our next session.

Thanks everyone for your help and advice.

 

[snowbunny]

Thanks, I've no idea how that happened, I certainly haven't chosen to ignore anything or anyone deliberately.

It's pretty easy to hit the ignore button by mistake - it pops up when you hover over the user's avatar if you're on a computer, and probably just as easy to do it on a phone (though I don't have one to hand right now to look).

 

[Beanwood]

Bramble has been a very "interesting" dog to train. She started out with zilch interest in dummies. It took ages to nurture any drive, it's just what she's like- very high prey drive though which complicates things! Enviroment trumped any attempt to work in cover/woodland with a dummy. We worked on huge reinforcement for bringing a dummy back, in the early days I wasn't so bothered about her bringing to hand, just being motivated to bring something back was enough. We made the retreives complex quite early on, combining high reward (animated party worked for her...) and praise when she brought a dummy back, again if the delivery wasn't perfect, it didn't matter. Behind the scenes we worked on confidence, as Bramble struggled a bit from 8 months to about 18 months old.

Part of her ambivialant manner in training in the early days I put down to the fact that she was "worried", we used to see a lot of displacement behaviours, so having a relaxed approach, makng things fun and easy worked really well. If it didn't work out on a training session, we switched to something else, keeping my body language and demeanor upbeat. Confidence helps with resilience which in term helps a dog to perservere through the exercises, but they have to want to do it in the first place and this is where it helps to spend time on motivation.

 

[Selina27]

@FayRose , @Beanwood 's post above mirrors my experience with Cassie. Keep at it and you will get there!!