Teaching pup to retrieve still object

[emm0r]

So my gorgeous puppy is now 6 months old and is coming on nicely I have started tracking and we can do all sorts of tricks. She loves to play fetch but I just can't get her to pick a still object up if I throw something she will pick it up but that's as far as we have got. I am hoping someone has some ideas to help!! (oh and here are a few pics just because she is cute!!)

 

[Dry Rot]

Some dogs are not interested in an object unless it moves. Tie a piece of string to it and give it a tweak? Pretty much any book on gundog training should give you some clues. Don't pull the string once he's got the object in his mouth or you could end up with a tug o' war!

 

[CorvusCorax]

As Dry Rot (for once )

Also, you need to break it down for dogs sometimes, so teach a hold command, close up, (you can use clicker training but don't do what I did and teach the dog to spit the object out in exchange for food, doh!) then teach the retrieve separately and then the present separately. So learn to hold it first, then learn to go out for it, learn to hold it where you find it, learn to bring it back, then back to hold and present.

I also use a two-ball recall/retrieve, the second ball is never thrown before the first one is deposited at my feet - trained basically, when the dog was a pup, we just swapped balls constantly, let go of ball 1, you get ball 2, from my hand, then lengthen the distances.

It's a bit complex to explain via forum but if you search on YouTube you might find some helpful videos.

Some dogs have genetic drive to pick up/hold objects (mine is a bottle collector ) some need to have it built up and you have to make the object exciting.

We were discussing this today, some people might see us and think we are playing ball, but we are actually teaching a lot more things, but using a ball, if that makes any sense!

Are you at a class? If you are teaching her tracking?

 

[Dry Rot]

As Dry Rot (for once )

So, it's pistols at dawn, is it?

Also, you need to break it down for dogs sometimes, so teach a hold command, close up, (you can use clicker training but don't do what I did and teach the dog to spit the object out in exchange for food, doh!) then teach the retrieve separately and then the present separately. So learn to hold it first, then learn to go out for it, learn to hold it where you find it, learn to bring it back, then back to hold and present.

If you watch your dog carrying something it obviously values, take it gently (by squeezing the sides of the jaw if you have to). Then throw it, wait until it picks it up, then immediately run away. The dog will usually retrieve and run after you with the object in it's mouth as it doesn't want to lose a toy. Without turning or stopping, try to reach behind you and put a hand under the dog's jaw, then (with the object still in it's mouth), scratch it's ears quite vigorously with lots of encouragement, repeating "Fetch! Fetch!". The dog will likely continue to hold as it needs to drop it's jaw to spit the object out. Then take the object and stop scratching immediately. Why repeat "Fetch" when the dog has already returned to you with the object? Because you want to establish the connection "Fetch" + object in mouth + close to you = pleasure. It is not a command but a trigger. Retrieving is a privilege, not a duty. You get more out of animals if you seek their cooperation than when you try to force them. OK, so it's a con!

I also use a two-ball recall/retrieve, the second ball is never thrown before the first one is deposited at my feet - trained basically, when the dog was a pup, we just swapped balls constantly, let go of ball 1, you get ball 2, from my hand, then lengthen the distances.

As I've said, a trained dog should to retrieve to hand. If you do this (above), the dog will spit the first object out in anticipation of the second retrieve.

It's a bit complex to explain via forum but if you search on YouTube you might find some helpful videos.

Better from a book, so far as I'm concerned, where you can read the same instructions again and again until you fully understand them. Konrad Most's "Training Dogs" is an old one but still good. My copy is beside the loo and I still browse it occasionally. There's nothing much new in training.

The GSP in the picture (below) was in for training and I trained it to retrieve for a bit of fun (the owner did not request it). That is a 10 inch Stilson spanner I think. My current GSD will search an area and retrieve anything that has my recent scent on it, down to the size of a 10p coin, and drop it into my hand. I haven't tried the spanner yet as it is not something I would normally lose.

 

[CorvusCorax]

As with a lot of things, it depends on the dog and what I am saying is all foundation stuff - the OP never mentioned perfect presenting and re your own dog, I'd expect nothing less from most GSDs, with regard to searching for objects, ideally, like I say, something like that should be genetic, as with the carrying my fella was trying to lift heavy wooden agility obstacles yesterday *sigh*

Re the coins/spanners lot of people I know start the hold/bring exercises using metal objects.

 

[emm0r]

She will pick anything that is thrown up and present it to me until I ask her to let go.... My problem is just getting her to pick the item up when it hasn't been thrown and CaveCanem- I am tracking with a friend not a class as such but she knows what she is doing..... Problem is she is so busy it's hard to meet up with her. Do you know anyone in the bucks/northants area that does classes or could help ? (also I will check out YouTube and buy a book!!!)

 

[CorvusCorax]

I think the kennel club has a list of working trials clubs on its' website.
It's probably a matter of going back a few steps and doing close up work and marrying the two commands of 'hold' and 'bring' as mentioned

 

[Dry Rot]

She will pick anything that is thrown up and present it to me until I ask her to let go.... My problem is just getting her to pick the item up when it hasn't been thrown and CaveCanem- I am tracking with a friend not a class as such but she knows what she is doing..... Problem is she is so busy it's hard to meet up with her. Do you know anyone in the bucks/northants area that does classes or could help ? (also I will check out YouTube and buy a book!!!)

If you get the "Fetch" association firmly engrained, then maybe pick the object up from the ground yourself (when she has refused to) and toss it a foot or two, she will get the idea. Then "Fetch" means pick up an object that is in close proximity.

But I can tell you the ear scratch, when she has the object in her mouth, with correct timing, is a very powerful tool indeed. Just don't try to use any force or compulsion, rather tease her with it and reward her with the scratch and verbally when she takes hold.

Yes, retrieving can be taught by compulsion but that is for the experts.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Chin tickles are good too

 

[satinbaze]

If you are thinking of doing working trials then you wil need a good retrieve, no mouthing as WT articles can be quite small and mouthing will be marked. I do a taught retrieve (not taught not forced) using a clicker. Check out the "Working Trials World" website for lists of trainers, courses and clubs. You will need guidence to teach the jumps as the 6ft scale is a killer as is the 9ft long jump.
good luck

 

[emm0r]

Thank you all very much !! I am going to go back a few steps and see if I can get the hang of it