Dutch Shepherd Forum

I've finally found something that actually confuses Odin. I'm pretty sure it's handler error, so any tips on getting the dumbbell retrieve down would be appreciated. I'm working with a clicker for this. He can go get the dumbbell, but either drops it at my feet or puts it in the toy bin in his xpen when we practice indoors. I'm trying to get him to just hold on to it until I ask for it. He seems very hesitant to carry it around and if there's any directions other than to and from, he gets confused and throws the dumbbell and pushes it around with his feet.

We don't seem to have a problem with the kong or ball, although sometimes he won't out with a ball if he thinks he can destroy it, but that's the opposite of the dumbbell problem. I can get him to do the routines with a training dummy he has for dock diving, but it won't transfer over to the plastic dumbbell completely.

I'm having trouble with Letty on the hold too. I've tried a few different things but this is what I am working on teaching her now with the chin touch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEWTs-CE9XY

This would be the next steps then
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXa8LF60mQE

There are so many ways. If you aren't drawn to this one then there are many others.

Thanks for the videos! I was really hoping someone could make sense of what I was writing and give good videos. Those helped a ton. I think I'm giving Odin too much freedom with the dumbbell and not controlling his movement until he gets it down. I didn't do nearly as much holding work since he moved on to grabbing it so quickly, but I think I need to go back to the beginning to make sure that the hold is there before adding the movement.

Working on the hold will put value on holding it and value on the area in front of you too so that will carry over to the retrieve as he'll want to bring it back to that area.

Is he good about bringing toys back to you for tugging if you throw the toy or let him win the toy? That would be a way to work on the bringing back part of the retrieve without having the formality of a full dumbbell retrieve. I'll backup and my dogs will jump up and push the toy into me or I'll pat my side and they'll jump up on me and push to toy at me.

Sounds like you need to build lots more value for just holding the dumbbell, don't worry about the actual retrieve quite yet. Work on taking and holding the dumbbell, especially duration (hold for a long time), then gradually begin to motion (holding while taking a step, a couple steps, eventually walking and carrying)

I would also work on pick up technique and hold before adding motion.
Once you have a good duration of hold, get him to pick up the dumbell from
your hands
the floor
the floor while the dumbbell is perpendicular to him but still only a foot or so away
...while the dumbbell is parallel to him.. etc

That teaches him the proper head turns he can utilize later to pick up while running and you can ensure that he always targets the centre and holds properly.


Another thing I would be looking for before moving on to retrieves is that he is crazy about the dumbbell and wants to have it and hold it so bad you have to beat him off with a stick I wouldn't start retrieving until you have that.

k9katet wrote: Is he good about bringing toys back to you for tugging if you throw the toy or let him win the toy?

He'll bring it back if I throw it, especially for his tug, kong, and ball. He has a very high ball drive, but I had to build it up with the tug for dock diving competitions. The dumbbell isn't 100%, like the other toys in just a fetch scenario. We have a chuckit for balls, so he's been taught to drop them at my feet. Would this be why he doesn't want to hold the dumbbell when he gets close to me? Because he's expected to drop his ball.

It seems I need to work on the duration of hold. I thought we had it down, and he had the pickups down pretty well from a nearby place (hand, floor, nearby box), but that's when he starts throwing the dumbbell.

I'll go back to just practicing the hold for now. We have plenty of time to work on it still and I'm in need of lots of indoor session things to practice since it's so cold out.

k9katet wrote:I'm having trouble with Letty on the hold too. I've tried a few different things but this is what I am working on teaching her now with the chin touch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEWTs-CE9XY

This would be the next steps then
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXa8LF60mQE

There are so many ways. If you aren't drawn to this one then there are many others.

Very nice videos!
P.S.: I would kill to have such a nice fenced in training area