# Formal Retrieve--Dumbbell



## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

Where do you guys have your dog hold the dumbbell? I get the occasional private lesson and was told to have it sit right behind the canines--but Scout does not want to hold it there and will roll it to the back of her mouth. I just can't help but think if she held the dumbbell in the back of her mouth we'd have less mouthiness to deal with--is there merit in where you train the dog to hold the dumbbell?

Also, how much is the fit of a dumbbell going to affect the retrieve? Right now we just have a cheap big dumbbell for teaching. I don't know how fitting works, but I wondered if the bit size etc would affect how she holds it. 

I think she is probably too young to get fitted for one though. What age do you guys think is safe to get a dumbbell fitted? I heard her head may fill out until she's two, but I really am hoping I can spring for a fitted dumbbell and articles this fall for training (she'll be 18 months come October).


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I'm pretty big on letting dogs do things the way they prefer as long as it's not scorable. So if she's not mouthing or dropping the dumbbell I would let her hold it however she wanted.


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

I agree with Jodie...I am just happy when they decide to hold it...I am not picky about where in the mouth it should be. The size of the dumbbell may influence the amount of mouthing they do. Some dogs prefer larger bells, some it doesn't matter. I spend a lot of time just on the holding of the dumbbell. Lots of clicking and treating and making it a real party when we have it and hold it. (I don't do ear pinches!) With Casey just picking it up and holding it took forever to train. Once he had that part, the retrieves on flat and over the jump were a breeze! We are lucky that goldens love to retrieve, so that part of the exercise is easy. It is dealing with the shape of a dumbbell that seems to be the issue (most retrieve balls etc. no problem!!) Good luck. Keep it positive. Don't believe it when people tell you you have to pinch their ears to make this happen...be patient. 
Liz


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Ok, I'm going to weigh in on the other side....
The size of the dumbell is VERY important. If it doesn't fit the mouth correctly, you'll see all sorts of behaviors that you might not realize have to do with the size of the dumbell.
If it fits right, they will probably hold it right behind their canines anyway. If they roll it back in their mouth, they are much more likely to mouth it. If the "bit" is too big for their mouth, they can't carry it comfortably and a lot of times you'll see them rolling it around in their mouths. If the "bit" is too long, it tends to slide back and forth in their mouth and encourages them to mouth it. 
If the ends aren't big enough (I had this problem), they smack their nose on the floor when they go to pick it up, which results in either a slow pick up and/or them grabbing the end instead of the bar. 
She's old enough now to fit the dumbell. Females don't grow that much more after they're a year old, not like the males do. Have someone who knows what they are doing help you to measure her for the dumbell. I had Tito measured for his at about 14 months old, and he uses the same one; it still fits fine.
With it right behind her canines, it should just barely touch the sides of her muzzle. Also she should be able to pick it up off the floor so that it will rest behind her canines without touching the tip of her nose to the floor.
Give her every advantage! Get her a tool that fits and feels comfortable so that you can expect her to work with it correctly.


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

I am in complete agreement with Hotel4Dogs - if the dumbbell fits correctly, the dogs seem to naturally carry it behind their canines and can snatch it up quickly and run back with little to no mouthing or rolling ... it is like they can't help but fumble and learn bad habits with an iill fitted dumbbell.



hotel4dogs said:


> Ok, I'm going to weigh in on the other side....
> The size of the dumbell is VERY important. If it doesn't fit the mouth correctly, you'll see all sorts of behaviors that you might not realize have to do with the size of the dumbell.
> If it fits right, they will probably hold it right behind their canines anyway. If they roll it back in their mouth, they are much more likely to mouth it. If the "bit" is too big for their mouth, they can't carry it comfortably and a lot of times you'll see them rolling it around in their mouths. If the "bit" is too long, it tends to slide back and forth in their mouth and encourages them to mouth it.
> If the ends aren't big enough (I had this problem), they smack their nose on the floor when they go to pick it up, which results in either a slow pick up and/or them grabbing the end instead of the bar.
> ...


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

Thank you! I have not had a lesson in awhile (been focusing on field stuff) but I will set one up and see about sizing her now. I didn't think I could size her until 18 months.

The retrieve is pretty much intact. Scout was born loving to retrieve just about anything so no worries there. She brings me my shoes in the morning, her leash when she wants to walk and sometimes random things (like a brick or rock from outside). She just has that tendency to roll the dumbbell to the back of her mouth and I have to be careful about not getting her too excited or she starts shaking her head. She thinks life is a party and she's the birthday girl


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