[Dave Van Wick-Wickler]

By percentage.

Been working with 11 week old pup. I figured out how to get pup to deliver dummy to me. By throwing from her favorite spots (cherry tree - sprouts taste great) and Pine tree (bark tastes wonderful).

But she is not delivering to me exactly. She's delivering to the place she likes to go. I think I'm trying to add "me" to the picture.

I've used the hallway and only I and lovely wife throw the bumper so as to control the outcome.

Pup just likes to keep the "prize".

Just trying to figure out how I'm going to stretch her marks (gradually of course) if she wants to run away.

Or,

Maybe with the 6 foot lead ( I finally got her to stop trying to carry it around in her mouth - very gentle "off" and walks come to a stop until she lets go) I can catch her in the field. Maybe the field being too big as compared to the backyard will encourage her to return to me.

This "bring it to me" thing seems so easy in writing, but in reality it takes some creativity I am learning.

Damn you LEE!! :shock: !!! You told me she'd be a phsyco! Right into the next town If I don't intercept her!!! :lol:

- David

 

[Randy Bohn]

pups

Throw nothing until they do come back! Ever play post office with your pup? Guaranteed your puppy will come back after a few weeks of that. Since we changed our methods(live and learn) we're batting 100% on returns to us with a bird or a bumper. Retrieving will come!

 

[Gerard Rozas]

I find that sooner or later - the really good ones stop delivering to hand.

They WANT that bumper or bird so bad that they want to keep it. No big deal at this age. This want or need for the thrown object is what DESIRE is based on.

If you really desire something - so much that you would run through fire to get it, would you readily give it up. We will teach them to give it. For now work on the desire.

PS lot more could be said here about what to do if your pup does not want to return - lots of little tricks - checkchords, running away, hallways, up to and including stopping marks.

 

[Lisa Van Loo]

Once again, Randy is correct (note to self, stop posting; let Randy do all the work).

I stopped throwing for my pup and for a solid week, worked on "here". Puppy stuff, but still important. Now he gets the retrieve and the "here" command. Failure to obey "here" results in immediately ending retrieves and another session on "here".

Also what works is to stop hand-throwing dummies. Hand-throwing dummies makes it too much like a game. Have your wife throw for you on all retrieves. It's more formal, your pup learns she has to come to you even with distractions, and she'll learn to look out for the mark, rather than look up at you.

Lisa

 

[Latisha]

Re: pups

Throw nothing until they do come back! Ever play post office with your pup? Guaranteed your puppy will come back after a few weeks of that. Since we changed our methods(live and learn) we're batting 100% on returns to us with a bird or a bumper. Retrieving will come!

Post Office?

Latisha

 

[cut'em jack]

i think about it from the dogs point of view. why do they come to you whether they have anything in their mouth or not? because they enjoy it, because they were made to or a combo?

when i teach a dog to come it is always pleasureable to him even if i have to make him at first. when i add a bumper it does not change , it is still pleasurable to come to me.

when a dog is in prey drive it is not natural for him to come to you at all. it is his prey and he doesn't feel like sharing. i get the dog to come to me for the pleasure he has been shown previously but he is still in prey drive when he gets there and is not interested in sharing his prey. i don't ask him to.

i just keep on the with praise until the drive changes. he will gradually slip out of prey while he is getting the praise and when i feel him relax i hold my hand under the bumper and whisper out, drop , or whatever word you want.

very shortly with this method he goes from not releasing to releasing with little pressure to actully spitting the bumper out on command. if he grips tighter you have not taken him out of drive yet. don't be in such a hurry.

as soon as it is out of his mouth you hold the bumper high and tease him. he will instantly go back into prey. game repeats.

he will quiclky learn the the bumper is not the game. YOU and the bumper are the game.

after several throws,build them as you would normally, stop on a high note. you can even let him keep the bumper or toy as long as it cannot be destroyed. you will soon learn he may run off with it, drop down and chew a couple of times but will quickly leave it to return to you.
it's no fun having it with out you.

this is just a different method you may want to try.

 

[Gerard Rozas]

I am very leary about giving advice on training pups, other than primeing the pump so to speak.

Anytime we start taking about "enforcing standards" such as returning and delivering to hand, it takes a experienced trainer to know how to do this without envolving pressure.

To many people, esp novices:
enforcement = pressure
And that is very deterimental to a young puppy making his first field retrieves

 

[fnsret]

Pup

Dave,

I, like Gerard am leary of giving puppy advice but since I am the breeder let me try. I had this problem with "T" the dog I have down south when I bred to "The Boss" . I used little pieces of cheese or hotdogs. then watered it down to every other time then every third time etc when she brought the bumper back. After about two weeks the problem was fixed. The only negative would be the dog wanting the cheese and not retrieving. In this case these pups have drive and then some so I don't think it will matter. I actually like to see a little independence in a dog. When the weather gets warmer you can use water because the pup has to come back to you.

Lee

 

[Lisa Van Loo]

I agree with Gerard. Tread lightly, these are just babies.

"Here" games to play with pups. Hot dog in hand (I use hot dog slics bcause they are soft and easy to swallow without chewing, which can slow down and change focus), with pup walking alongside (I don't heel pups at this age, or even do this stuff on lead), back up and repeat "here". Let pup nibble on hot dog piece as you continue walking backward, repeating "goood here, goooood here"

Round-robin recalls (maybe what Randy is calling "post office"?) With two or more people, one person holds pup across chest, the next person calls the pup. Give pup big treat as soon as pup arrives. Quickly turn pup around and aim for the next person who calls pup, and so forth. I try to do this rapidly, so the pup really gets into the game. "Who will call me next?" When they are into it, they won't even wait for the hot dog, they are ready to take off for the next "here" command.

On walks outdoors, I practice random recalls. Call the pup to me periodically, treat, and release again to ramble. That way, pups don't start associating "here" with "Now the fun is over and we have to go home."

There are all kinds of ways to get a pup to bring back a dummy without bringing "here" into the picture. "here" should be used after the pup responds solidly to that command. Otherwise, there is running away from the pup, two-bumper tricks, and ye olde check cord. I don't get my knickers in a wad over delivery to hand. That comes with FF, months down the road.

Lisa - whose puppies have never delivered to hand

 

[Gerard Rozas]

One thing that I like to do at this age is that instead of using a command that will be used later on - HERE for example - I introduce bird boy help ques.

Get down on my hands and knees and yell "Hup Hup Hup!" or "Hey Hey Hey!".

 

[Dave Van Wick-Wickler]

GREAT STUFF

Thanks Lee, this question is to expand on our conversation last night, which was very helpful. I thank you for the time that we all find little of at night!

"Come to me" is a really tough concept and is a foundation. I don't and won't pressure her too much I asked because this is tough compared to "sit" stay", "heel" because "here" is dynamic and relies on a very young relationship between dog and man.

HEY! I'm excited to have a beautiful pup, a breeder who takes my calls at any time and you guys and gals to help us guys and gals without the experience.

I wish you could all be here when my pup takes the Stainless Steel water bowl in the kitchen and carried most of it into the living room. Now the bowl only has 1/4" of water at a time, since the floors are so clean now!!!

- David

 

[hxman]

I think it's important to keep it very simple and fun for the pup. Get the pup out and introduced to all sorts of stuff, people, dogs, cars, water, etc.

At this stage you want to get the pup so "tuned-up" to retrieve that you can't hold him back, if you know what I am trying to say.... lol

Good luck and have fun. I know pups can be a pain, but a good foundation will pay off down the road.

 

[Polock]

Lisa - whose puppies have never delivered to hand

Except the Polock's Hootch..........they are the masters of technicque....... :lol:

David........on the floor with ya.........down on the dawgs level

make it fun.........enjoy those growin' years

 

[Julie R.]

This has been fun to read, since my pup is 11 weeks. She's the first one I've had that naturally wants to deliver to hand, so I have to be really careful not to overdo it! It's almost like she knows, she has to give it back to me to get another retrieve. Once or twice she has dropped it in front of me, I just ran backwards and she picked it up and followed me. I started this in the center aisle of my stable but she also does it outside. I make sure when she comes back with her bumper I hold her with it and praise heck out of her, I rub her neck and chest til she puts it in my hand. This seems to have really helped her willingness to return to me, since she knows she's not going to get her prize snatched away immediately.

 

[Angie B]

Your right Randy, Post office is a fun, fast retrieving game, that I haven't done in a while. Good for big dogs too for their honoring and thereapy marks.

I have bird boy help puppy get back to the line. Jackie Mertens tape, Sound beginnings , demonstrates this. It's pretty funny to watch my husband or clients run in with pup after pup picks-up paint roller. You'd think the puppy just won the lottery with all the fuss.

Angie

 

[Aussie]

You'd think the puppy just won the lottery with all the fuss.

Angie

I agree. That is all that matters at that age.

I sit down, never stand. I also never throw something - too big. They are only small for such a short time.

Disclaimer though:I wish I had steadied for a certain labrador of mine a lot younger with all this fun puppy stuff.

 

[Latisha]

Your right Randy, Post office is a fun, fast retrieving game, that I haven't done in a while. Good for big dogs too for their honoring and thereapy marks.

Can someone explain Post Office?

Latisha