# started teaching retrieving today



## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

Loisiana said:


> I want to spend a few days really making sure he has a good solid hold before I move on to actual retrieving, so I hope I can keep myself from moving forward too soon./QUOTE]
> 
> Quiz is a mouther. Drives me nuts. And I think it's because I rushed it. :doh: W/ my next dog, I'm going to spend a couple *months* proofing the hold before I add all the motion of an actual retrieve into it. For instance:
> 
> ...


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

just curious....why do some dogs mouth and others don't? 
is it the higher energy dogs that tend to mouth? 
Tito has never mouthed anything, be it dumbell, article, or duck. I think he's too lazy to bother. When I watch the dogs that tend to be mouthers, it seems almost like it's just an energy overflow into their mouth.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I heard an interesting theory on it last week. Someone said that for dogs that really like to retrieve, each time they regrip it's like getting to do a miniretrieve.

For Colby, I know it's a matter of "hurry up and get this thing out of my mouth." 

Watching Flip running around with a squeaky toy the other night, I started noticing that the way he kept chomping on the toy was very similar to how a dog would mouth on a retrieve. I'm thinking about taking all the squeakies out of his toys.


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

Lib is missing premolars....I suspect in her case she is readjusting the dumbell...when i switched to a larger diameter bar....the mouthing nearly stopped...
No doubt some of it is habit...

As to watching a new pup learn...it is indeed a thrill


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

How fun!
Yes I am going to start formal retrieve with Slater come January. I am conflicted though on whether to start with obedience dumbell or with a bumper. I have a feeling I'll start with bumper though.

I started go -outs a few sessions ago and he's totally getting it, too cute! Keep up the good work.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

Well, I decided tonight to move on to taking the dumbell out of my hand. It went so well I wish I had recorded it. Just a very small amount of pressure on his ear. In a five minute period he went from turning his head away as I brought the dumbell towards him (I was opening his mouth for him while teaching the hold) to taking it out of my hand whever I held it, to taking it off the table without me touching it. I had long ago taught him to take the dumbell in exchange for a treat, so it wasn't a completely foreign concept to him, but this was the first time that complying on my first command wasn't optional and I had a tool to back that up.

Twice he tested me, and I upped the pressure ever so slightly and held it constant. I'd say within 3 seconds he made the choice to get it in his mouth. Of course we still have a very very long way to go before we have a finished retrieve, but I am so happy with our first steps.

I can honestly say that I have absolutely no qualms about how I'm going about putting a forced fetch on Flip. He was never in a bit of pain (just annoyed a little that the "thing" wouldn't get off his ear) and it is making it so clear to him what I am asking. It's like I could actually see the little light bulb go off in his head with the caption "the way to get that thing off my ear is to put the bar in my mouth."


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I worked some more with Flip tonight with the hold. He's taking it pretty regularly from my hand, so I want to keep working on a solid hold. 

I'm using an idea I picked up from an Adele Yunk seminar. You put a pile of treats on a table near the dog. Have dog hold dumbell. As dog is holding, you slowly reach for one of the treats, and slowly bring it towards the dog. If at any point the dog mouths, the treat is returned to the table. Once his mouth is still again, you can go for the treat again. Dog does not get treat until he can keep from mouthing the whole time from when your hand starts moving toward the treat until it it given to him. Seems to be working well so far.

Now I'm going to pull out all the old info I have filed away about mouthing. You know, the stuff I didn't read at the time since I didn't have that problem. Get to use it now!


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## Cowtown (Sep 23, 2009)

Awesome Jodie..please keep us updated on Flip's progress!


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## Mighty Casey and Samson's Mom (Jul 16, 2008)

Sounds like you are doing very well! I trained Casey with a click and treat method (including Adele Yunk's idea) and it worked very well. My coach has always used the ear pinch, but my guy has so many ear infections/sensitive ears, that I feared that approach, even if taught properly, would be a huge turn off for him. Casey has a very solid retrieve, and is a very happy retriever, which is even more important to me. He did dislike the dumbell at first, however, and we spent lots of time just practising the "hold" before we went onto retieve.


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