bighit1985 Posted October 7, 2014 Report Share Posted October 7, 2014 Hi all. Got a 16 month old golden lad a few months ago now as a rehoming for a friend of a friend. Not from a working background and no real basic obiedent training done before. So been working on the basics. Walking to heel, recall, sit/stay which is coming on well the heeling is a little hit and miss out and about. In the garden he's fine, step perfect almost every time. So any ideas as to what I can do to help when I'm out or is it just practise practise!! Also been trying him with a dummy. Both a puppy dummy and a full size one. (He's a very big lab) and he is interested in it in the garden and in the field. But now I'm trying to get him to delivery properly to hand and he's getting about 1-2 feet from me and then dropping it and sitting rather than sitting and letting me take it from him when I'm ready. Any ideas??? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted October 7, 2014 Report Share Posted October 7, 2014 is he left with any "toys"............... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loriusgarrulus Posted October 7, 2014 Report Share Posted October 7, 2014 When he drops it have you tried stepping back from him and giving him the command to retrieve again and try to get him to bring it to you. If he brings it to you don't take it straight away. Make a big fuss off him while it is in his mouth so he knows, so he is being rewarded by holding it. Then take it from his mouth with the command to give or dead. The other possible way is in a limited space give him the dummy while he is sitting in front of you let him hold it, make a big fuss of him then get him to give you the dummy. When he is doing this consistently try the retrieve again, but only throw the dummy a very short distance so he doesn't get over excited running far to fetch it. Then gradually build up the distance. Don,t over do any one exercise as they will get bored. When he has done it correctly finish that exercise at that point so you finish on a positive. Try not to throw the dummy for him again straight away if he spits it out at you as this is rewarding him for dropping it by you throwing it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted October 7, 2014 Report Share Posted October 7, 2014 also try turning your back on the dog and walking away........................ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pboro shot Posted October 7, 2014 Report Share Posted October 7, 2014 Can over do retrieving go back to basics treat retrieves as a treat not a chore I dont teach retrieves fom one day to the next labs are so natural at it dont need to force it if there not interested make it fun they soon love it then you can go back and teach steadyness perfect delivery etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loriusgarrulus Posted October 7, 2014 Report Share Posted October 7, 2014 The problem between working well in the house/garden and it all going to pot when you go out is probably due to the garden being familiar and when you go out there are lots of new sights and scents which he finds far more exciting than you. Also if he has not had any proper training before that will take some getting over. Don,t despair we took a 2.5 year old springer ex pet on and he has just done his first warm retrieve thanks to the help from Cheshire Gundogs group training classes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted October 7, 2014 Report Share Posted October 7, 2014 Have you been giving food rewards for the dog bringing the dummy to you ? That can lead to them dropping the dummy in anticipation of a food reward . You can try turning your back on the dog a walk quickly in the opposite direction while giving a recall , also when the dog does get to you with the dummy do not be in too much of a rush to take it from him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandalf Posted October 7, 2014 Report Share Posted October 7, 2014 Try laying down flat on your back when he is retrieving towards you. Get below his level. When he gallops up to you don't be in any hurry to take the dummy away from him. Make it a big game. Rough and tussle for a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazooka Joe Posted October 7, 2014 Report Share Posted October 7, 2014 also try turning your back on the dog and walking away........................ Add...then reward.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilo17 Posted October 7, 2014 Report Share Posted October 7, 2014 My Sprocker used to do this i figured out that kneeling down brought her straight back with dummy in mouth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bighit1985 Posted October 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2014 Thanks for the replies. Just to answer a few of the points. I've never been any hurry for him to give me the dummy. And I he doesn't go for any rewards, I've tried bits of chicken/ dog treats etc. but he just doesn't take them. So it's not related to that. I've tried going down on 1 knee, as I said he's very big lab. So that's down to he's level. I haven't tried turning my back or laying down. So might give that ago. I have tried to step away and give the command again. Which he then picks up and still doesn't deliver to hand. Thanks for the suggestions I'll give them ago and see if any of helps. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGD Posted October 9, 2014 Report Share Posted October 9, 2014 Sort the delivery whilst he is sitting in front of you, or at the side. Give him a dummy, praise him, take it off him again. Get him very comfortable with being next to you, relaxed with the dummy in his mouth. Also work, as a completely separate exercise, on getting a very enthusiastic recall. Do this for a couple of weeks, then try him with a retrieve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted October 9, 2014 Report Share Posted October 9, 2014 He just don't understand what you want, hold an release drills should work great with this one (from your description as given) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian g Posted October 10, 2014 Report Share Posted October 10, 2014 mine use to drop it every time it did i kicked the dummy away and sent the dog again also walked backwards as the dog was comming in it worked for me the dog retrives are perfect now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fal Posted October 10, 2014 Report Share Posted October 10, 2014 mine use to drop it every time it did i kicked the dummy away and sent the dog again also walked backwards as the dog was comming in it worked for me the dog retrives are perfect now Same here, as he was coming in I take a few steps backwards when you see him picking up the pace to get to you, stop and intercept, take the dummy LOTS of praise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ant1 Posted October 10, 2014 Report Share Posted October 10, 2014 I have had a few dogs over the last thirty years that have spat the dummy out before they delivered to hand. the method I use that worked very well was to put the dummy gently back into there mouth and holding my fingers under the bottom jaw give the command of hold then I would give the command of dead to release the dummy when I take my fingers away from the jaw and plenty of praise when they let go on the dead command , I would repeat this for about 5 -10 minutes of just sitting and putting the dummy back in the mouth gently and telling them to hold and dead for release i would then throw the dummy and on return would give the command of hold it when they are about 10 feet away repeating the word hold until they got to my feet and release on the dead command. there are other methods but this has worked well for me. atb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted October 11, 2014 Report Share Posted October 11, 2014 I have had a few dogs over the last thirty years that have spat the dummy out before they delivered to hand. the method I use that worked very well was to put the dummy gently back into there mouth and holding my fingers under the bottom jaw give the command of hold then I would give the command of dead to release the dummy when I take my fingers away from the jaw and plenty of praise when they let go on the dead command , I would repeat this for about 5 -10 minutes of just sitting and putting the dummy back in the mouth gently and telling them to hold and dead for release i would then throw the dummy and on return would give the command of hold it when they are about 10 feet away repeating the word hold until they got to my feet and release on the dead command. there are other methods but this has worked well for me. atb Hold and release drill like this, I have sat with a dog doing similar to this and most think its a rather neat game in its own right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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