Sending dog out with back command

[Antler]

I've been doing memory retrieves with no problems for a while now with my 13 month old lab he will run straight out pick up and back at any distance no problems.

I've been sending him out on blind retreives and he's not doing to well I tell him back and keep saying back but he will only go about 20 yards stop and sit and look at me I say back and he does the same again, why won't he go out any further and keep going ?

 

Any tips Paul.

 

[kent]

Could it be it knows you can throw 20yds on average? could it be those memories have been very anticipated and just about any word will send him as such he has little if any comprehention of what you wished- is he on a hair trigger for them?

 

Two golden bits of advice, never mis use the command (there must always be a rerieve in it for him) and if he dont go back, call him into heel- dont allow the command to be done in steps.

 

If he goes 20 yds have the dummy at 25yds, then 30 etc. The retrieves must then be mixed once you get results and start to get him out into the country a blind at 20 yds one day an 90 the next. I also like staight lines to do each in turn. I dont trial so i have no issue with a little verbal encouragement a "good lad goo-on" works with my own 13mnth when i want to get him well out there a few hundred yards, only because he associates it with a long run out though when issued early- he dont understand words you understand!

[Andy135]

Try stopping him before he stops himself, then send him back again. He's not confident in your back command enough yet and isn't confident enough to keep hunting on his own, so the easiest thing for him to do when he's uncertain is to stop & look to you for instruction. This isn't necessarily a bad thing as at least he's not running off hunting for himself. In fact, it sounds like he's nice & steady. As you continue to anticipate him stopping and stop him first each time, he will learn that you know best and over time you'll be able to let him run out farther before stopping him. Eventually he will be confident to run on until he hears your next command.

[UKPoacher]

I agree with Kent. Obviously without seeing the previous training it is difficult to for an opinion that will be 100% right, but i tend to think there is some gap in the association of the task with the command. Go back to basics and reinforce the command on blind retrieves. It is important to be totally consistent with the command.

[zeroin]

Make sure the dog cant fail. Plenty dummies at short range command and success. Increase the distances;small steps each time every few days. Your dog needs to know the picture and exactly what you are asking it to do though first. If it were mine i would be discouraging any stop on the way if possible to start with dont peep it to a standstill, build it's confidence by letting it think it's succeeding on it's own each time.

Edited November 9, 2012 by zeroin

[kent]

thing is all dogs have thier own strengths and weaknesses like us handlers. just do what works and dont do what don't- be prepared to inovate if you struggle

[zeroin]

thing is all dogs have thier own strengths and weaknesses like us handlers. just do what works and dont do what don't- be prepared to inovate if you struggle

 

Right enough . Both work better when full of confidence though.

[Antler]

I've never stopped him when he's been running out for a retreive as yet, he has been lacking in eagerness to go out fast but is ok now.

 

Been out with him tonight and took him to where I do memory retrieves but instead of letting him see me throw dummy and walk away with him I put it down when he was not looking and played with him while we walked away none the wiser got out to about 100yrds sat him down and sent him back, he was not sure 100% what he was doing but did not stop and look at me, I was saying back all the time till he got there found it and came back to me so will keep on doing this a while see how it goes then move to a new place and try again.

 

[UKPoacher]

I've never stopped him when he's been running out for a retreive as yet, he has been lacking in eagerness to go out fast but is ok now.

 

Been out with him tonight and took him to where I do memory retrieves but instead of letting him see me throw dummy and walk away with him I put it down when he was not looking and played with him while we walked away none the wiser got out to about 100yrds sat him down and sent him back, he was not sure 100% what he was doing but did not stop and look at me, I was saying back all the time till he got there found it and came back to me so will keep on doing this a while see how it goes then move to a new place and try again.

 

I wasn't aware that you were throwing the dummy. The way I do it is to let the dog see me place the dummy on the ground and then walk the dog away from it before sending it back. In your case, what was probably confusing the dog was the lack of arm action. If you had 'thrown' an invisible dummy, i.e pretended, whilst giving the command to 'go back' then you would have given the dog the confidence to go and seek out the dummy. You would also have been half way to getting the dog to recognise a similar hand signal to throwing as a visual 'go back' signal.

 

Try it. Initially do the pretend throw and while the dog is looking for whatever you have thrown give it the command. If this is successful then decrease the time lapse between throwing and sending and gradually alter your 'throw' into a hand signal that the dog will eventually associate with going back.

[zeroin]

The second poster mentioned stopping the dog before it stops itself. That was my concern.

 

Do you not think 100 yards is a bit too big an ask for a dog that is finding difficulty doing blinds at short distance? .

 

He's lacking the confidence after failing on them so many times by the sounds of it. He's not had enough success after hearing your command to fetch blinds.

 

Spread 4 dummies in a 15 yard area at approximately 20 yards out or a shorter distance if you think he will still turn and look before 20 yards.

 

Send him and he will get success. Do this until he is happy going out and picking without looking back. Once he is doing this just increase the distances and the level of the test by reducing the number of dummies to one, until he has more confidence in his own ability.

 

Make it impossible for him to fail on the task until he is full of confidence.

[subsonicnat]

When doing my dogs, I find that he wants the CONFIDENCE that there IS Something there, something to fetch in other words:

its confidence, he will get better with out being forced into it, Patience young man, Rome was not built in a day::

Short distances are obvious, but a Blind retrieve, which he didn`t see drop, is believeing there is something there.

He Will get it in the end, Good running with a more confident dog, will bring him (Her) on Quicker::

[scotslad]

All very good advice above the only thing i'd add is do it in very short grass/vegetation (or even tarmac) so the dog has the possibility of seeing the dummy esp if the dummy is just that 4 or 5m past his mental range

[B725]

Make sure the dog is working into the wind it may just help pick up some scent.

[subsonicnat]

Now we are getting there: :good: