good delivery

[darren m]

Jacks back on track now ( i think) , i,m keeping him on lead training for the next 3 weeks , but putting him in lots of different situations , where he can make mistakes and be corrected for it straight away , hopefully this will make him more steady towards other dogs and people .

BUT -- in the mean time i want to try something at home , Jack will retrieve ok mostly , but his delivery needs some work , i usely manage to catch the dummy before he drops it , by croutching down and putting my hands under his chin , but what i really would like him to do is to sit and hold the dummy for a second , then drop it on my command.

question ------ whats the best way to get him to come-in straight to me and sit and hold the dummy until released.

 

ps. he tends to drop the dummy first then sit.

THANKS

Darren .

[new to the flock]

Darren:

 

For a reliable delivery to hand you must first have a reliable retrieve. Check the following thread I think it is what you are looking for.

 

http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/ind...?showtopic=1715

 

Let me know if this is what you are thinking about, and how Jack is doing.

[darren m]

Hi NTTF -- i've just read the post , i'm not sure if thats what i ment or not ( bit confused), its another long un , can it be compacted a little.

whats happening is this ....

Jack retrieves his dummy/bumper and brings it straight into me most of the time, but drops it at my feet or 12" in front of me about 50% of the time , the other 50% he brings it to my hands , while still standing he drops it real quick and i need to have my hands under his chin to accept it. i,ve taught him the drop word which he seems to know quite well ( probably too well, this may be why he thinks its ok to drop), but what i think i should of taught him is the hold .

what i'd like him to do is for him to sit ( or even stand) and hold the dummy, until i tell him drop.

he as no probs picking things up and carrying them ie. favourite toys etc.

and will carry things that i put into his mouth like a soft toy around the house.

i try not to play tug with him , as i was told it hardens the mouth ( is that true).

but also when retrieving he will sometimes try and get me to take it from him , while he still holds on trying to get me to play the tug game .

so all i want him to do his hold the dummy long enough to let me get my hands under his chin and give him the drop command preferbly while he's sitting.

:yp: confused , after re-reading this i am , but that the best way i can explain it.

Thanks in advance .

Darren .

[new to the flock]

Darren:

 

That post is a break down on how to teach your dog to pick items up, and hold them till you tell him to release it.

 

IF jack will readily accept a bumper from your hand when you tell him to fetch you can try to just teach the hold command. To teach this hold a bumper 3 inches from his mouth and tell him to fetch. Once the bumper is in his mouth tell him to hold. VERY IMPORTANT once you tell him to hold do not let him drop it. Keep a hand ready under his chin, so that you can push his lower jaw up if he trys to drop the bumper. To start have him hold the bumper till you count to 20 slowly, then give your release command. Push the bumper to the back of the mouth so he opens his mouth completely then remove the bumper and tell him good boy. Pushing the bumper to the back of the mouth teaches a clean release so he will not try to grab birds that you are taking from him. Repeat this process 8 to 12 times per session.

 

To prevent him from dropping the bumper when he comes to you, AFTER you have taught the hold, have him sit beside you and allow him to hold the bumper for a count of 10 to 20. Then reach down and tale the bumper. During the count pet him calmy on the back of the head and praise him. If he drops the bumper at the end of a retrieve put it back in his mouth and tell him hold, then do your 20 count.

 

JUST a quick note on this problem:

Most times dogs will start to drop bumpers at the end of retrieves because as puppys their handlers did not let them hold onto it when they brought it to them. As puppys let your dog hold the bumper, this is his reward. Calmly pet him and count to twenty before reaching for the dummy.

 

Playing tug with a tug rope is fine aslong as you put a command to it. You must also have a command to stop the game. When done in this manner I have never had a dog that was hard mouthed or that tried to transfer it to birds or bumpers.

 

Hope this helps, remember to keep it FUN

[darren m]

Thanks again NTTF -- thats exactly the info i need.

one question though -- if i do play the tug game with my dog useing rope dog toy , will he associate that to dummies and the real thing , and therefore can it create a problem with him giving up dummies etc when working ( ie still thinks its playtime) .

Darren .

[new to the flock]

one question though -- if i do play the tug game with my dog useing rope dog toy , will he associate that to dummies and the real thing , and therefore can it create a problem with him giving up dummies etc when working ( ie still thinks its playtime) .

Darren .

Not if you put commands to it, it should not. All dogs are differant, but I have never had a problem once it had commands associated.