Some dogs are natural retrievers, but if your dog isn’t and you would like to train a great retrieve for a competition or service dog, there are several ways of training this. I like to start by targeting an object. (See Clicker Lesson #3: Hand Touch). The following is a 6 week plan to start teaching your formal retrieve.
Week 1. Shape a nose target on the object on the floor. Don’t use any cue word.
Week 2. When he is very secure in touching the object, withhold the click until he opens his mouth on the object. He doesn’t have to pick it up yet, but he might, or he might pick it up and toss it. Click anything that resembles an open mouth on the target. No cue word yet but you can use words of encouragement.
Week 3. Withhold the click until he picks up the object. Click and have your hand under his chin to catch it. He’ll start getting used to having your hand under his chin (which you’ll need for next week). By the end of the week or the following week, pause a second before you click and see if you can build a little duration of the hold.
Week 4. Now, hold the object and and let him take it from your hand. You might have to start by just nose touching it then it should go quickly to a grab from your hand. If not, go back to week 3, 2, or 1 and start over.
Week 5. When he is happily taking the object from your hand, you can use the cue, “take it”. (You are still putting your hand under his chin and clicking before he releases the object.) Hopefully your dog knows a “wait” and touch his chin when the object is in his mouth, then c/t.
Week 6: Now put the object on the floor and cue, “take it”. (If he doesn’t, go back to Step 5). Then, drop the object a few feet from you and cue to take it or you can switch to “fetch”. He is reading your body language and he knows the game, so it is safe to switch the cue at this point. Your on your way to a successful retrieve!
If you do not c/t for more than 20 seconds when starting this exercise (you want a high reward rate) or if you feel somethings not right at any point, you should either; go back to square one , increase your rate of reinforcement, lower your criteria, use better treats, try another object or take a break. Things to look out for are:
- Dog looks like he is not having fun.
- Dog turning his head away from the object or you.
- Dog’s ears are tilted back.
- Dog looks confused.
- Dog loses interest.
- You are getting frustrated
Debi