Retrieve Breakthrough!

[becks]

Just sharing a bingo event that happened tonight.

I have a mini schnauzer called Blue who can be a sensitive dog when being trained and easily shut down if she isn't sure about things. She isn't a toy motivated dog either. For the last year i have been trying to teach her a retrieve. A forced retrieve was suggested, placing the bell in her mouth and praising but she wasn't happy with this at all.

I left it awhile and decided to start with other things, maybe she'd pick up a tube with treats in? No

What about a sock with treats in? No

Finally came to a circular bandage with a dish stick inside, just poking out a little? Yes, she would engage a little in this!

Last week at club, with a lot of movement, I finally got her to pick it up

I have also recently started to teach my young giant schnauzer to retrieve, so tonight I got out the big dumbell for her and sat in my chair with it - Blue decided to push in, so I held the big bell out and without hesitation she gently took hold of it :thumbsup: much praise and a few more goes, just to check it wasn't a fluke and I think she has started to get the idea of it!

Sharing as it just goes to show that a few rethinks and you can finally get there!

[Tassie]

Good for you.

Shirley Chong retrieve This is my favourite method of teaching retrieve. Different dogs work through the progression at different paces - so from what yousay, your Giant is already through the first stages.

Personally I don't like the idea of a forced retrieve, because for most dogs the retrieve is a happy exercise - so they get rewards in the ring. :D

ET put in the word' forced' that I forgot - changes things a bit. I love retrieves LOL - just not a fan of forced.... :laugh: Shouldn't do this at work

Edited February 13, 2013 by Tassie

[becks]

Yes, we tried that way with the mini and she just didn't like that method (and this is a dog used to clicker training for other things but with this she just closed down on me and didn;t try anything, she has always been a dog with 0 interest in toys and this seemed to fall into that category for her) but it has been working fine with the young giant.

[Tassie]

:laugh: Gotta love those Mini S girls. Friend thought it wouldn't work with her naughty/stubborn little MS girl - what we found was that she had to use very, very high value food, and work in tiny, tiny increments, and with lots of partying for even tiny steps - then put it away and start again in a little while. She now has a super enthusiastic DB retrieve - but then we had to start all over again with the metal SD article. Persistence is paying off with that, although we id 'cheat" and use a knurled article, which is legal here anyway,

Have you looked at Susan Garrett's aarticle about trying to get a food only dog interested in toys (specifically tuggy)> motivating toy? Again it takes persistence - and I find using a food stuffable toy really useful - stuffed with highest value treats in the first instance.

It's fun experimenting. :laugh:

ETF typos

Edited February 13, 2013 by Tassie

[Lisey]

Yay! Good work

[The Spotted Devil]

Nice work Jo!

I spent months backchaining a retrieve with Zig. He, too, would shut down so I changed the "rules" a bit. Every time he gave me the same behaviour I would give him one treat. Every time he upped the ante he would get a jackpot (handful or multiple single treats). It worked incredibly well for him - kept his interest and seemed to take away some pressure/frustration.

[Tassie]

Clever thinking TSD.

becks - was thinking of you the other evening at training when my friend's mini S who she had originally said had no interest in toys, etc. etc. ... was tugging like a maniac on a bunny tug - she and her rather serious owner were having a ball. :laugh: Wish I'd had a video with me. :D