# I would like to teach my golden to give me the dummy without first shaking!!



## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

Great question! I'm trying to figurure out the same thing. 

I'm pretty sure the answer lies in the ability to get the bumper from the dog before he has a chance to shake, so that I can reward the behavior I want. My dog is very clicker savvy, so I think I'll click for it.

Training behaviors that involve fixed motor movements can be especially challenging. Plus, that first wet shake is VERY self rewarding, so it's up to us to make sure that we're making *waiting* to do that first shake even more rewarding than the shake itself.

-Stephanie


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

I'm going through this with Liberty!! She was a mouther (with a dumbell) and a shaker (with a dummy)!! <sigh>

I decided to backward chain the process..
Work on a good solid "Hold" with the dogs sitting in "Front" (Clicking for stillness). Worked up to a 10 second Hold... 
This phase was the hardest for her to grasp and was incrementally slow....

Then added distance (started at 6', worked up to 10') - 

Then I shortened the distance again and started working her from a "Stand" "Hold" (for Liberty the stand position it the positon she needs to be in before she shakes)....This phase was much faster then I thought it would be, but think that all the time spent in the first stage paid off.

The actual 'retrieve' was not a problem, so I started really short (6' or less) fast retrieves - with no time to shake or otherwise mouth....she really loved this part....

I am still adding distance to the retrieve....

The shaking has stopped with dummies, the mouthing is at about a 95% success...will we get dinged in the ring, but I can live with that....  

I look forward to this thread!! 

Happy Training!


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## greg bell (May 24, 2005)

do you mean shaking the dummy in her mouth or like coming out of the water and shaking?.. 
for coming out of the water and shaking...make her sit first..soon as she heels up.. cant shake while sitting..
shaking the dummy in her mouth is a little tougher... but first she needs to know that it is wrong.. then you need a command to hold still... 
normally they want you to throw it again so dont take it while she is shaking.. dont compete for the dummy.. you may need to go through the formal training of hold...


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## ID_Hannah (Jun 8, 2006)

Can anyone explain how to teach a hold? 

Boone knows take, drop, but I've never taught a hold before. He's clicker savvy, I've used it to train some, but I don't really like using the clicker. It just hasn't "clicked" for me!


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

Does your pup "Give" to your hand....?


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

What kind of dummy do you use?


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

<<Work on a good solid "Hold" with the dogs sitting in "Front" (Clicking for stillness). Worked up to a 10 second Hold... 
This phase was the hardest for her to grasp and was incrementally slow....>>

Yes, I''m finding the same thing. I'm re-teaching the "hold" for obedience b/c I now realize I moved to the next steps of the retrieve before he really, really knew the hold (as in, w/o mouthing). Baby, baby, baby steps... Frustrating sometimes b/c it feels like it's taking forty forevers -- especially when he's a dog that (knock on wood) has picked up everytying else really quickly. It will be worth it in the long run!

-Stephanie


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## Brittany (Jul 24, 2006)

ID_Hannah said:


> Can anyone explain how to teach a hold?
> 
> Boone knows take, drop, but I've never taught a hold before. He's clicker savvy, I've used it to train some, but I don't really like using the clicker. It just hasn't "clicked" for me!


To teach my dogs to hold, I give them the dummy, and tap them under the mouth if they start mouthing it while saying "hold". That was grammatically incorrect, but I'm not sure how else to word it.  My dogs figured it out almost instantly, but I might have been lucky


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## greg bell (May 24, 2005)

well, i have taught hold to all my dogs prior to the formal "fetch".... didnt seem difficult... i just put the bumper in her mouth.. and say hold.. when she drops it i say "NO" and pick it up and put it back in her mouth.. no..im not someone that does all positive training... 
it takes a few days but not too bad.. they soon get it... i also press upward on their lower jaw when i say hold.. when they seem to have it i make them follow me around at heel with the bumper in their mouth.. then i take it... saying "drop".. it kinda all goes together pretty soon..hold and drop.. 
only when they have this do i go to the formal command of fetch.. . and when i get to that, fetch then means...pick it up and dont drop it... 
its kinda like teaching them to come when called.. i teach stay first.then "here".. seems to work easier..


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

greg bell said:


> well, i have taught hold to all my dogs prior to the formal "fetch".... didnt seem difficult... i just put the bumper in her mouth.. and say hold.. when she drops it i say "NO" and pick it up and put it back in her mouth.. no..im not someone that does all positive training...
> it takes a few days but not too bad.. they soon get it... i also press upward on their lower jaw when i say hold.. when they seem to have it i make them follow me around at heel with the bumper in their mouth.. then i take it... saying "drop".. it kinda all goes together pretty soon..hold and drop..
> only when they have this do i go to the formal command of fetch.. . and when i get to that, fetch then means...pick it up and dont drop it...
> its kinda like teaching them to come when called.. i teach stay first.then "here".. seems to work easier..



************************
I dont hunt ('cause I cant shoot ) - Is it acceptable to have a dog drop game? Just curious... I really appreciate dogs bred to do what they were intended to do versus just being pretty!  In a perfect world they look great AND work great!!


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## HovawartMom (Aug 10, 2006)

She holds the dummy without any problems unless she is shaking,then she drops it.when she comes out of the water, she drops it,shakes,picks it up ,bring it to me and hold it until I take it.


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