TRAINING TO RETRIEVE
Teaching the recall
If you have your dog to a standard where it will sit, heel and stay
then you can move on to teach it to "come", initially without a
retrieving dummy and then with one.
You should have taken your young dog to at least basic obedience level
at the local obedience club or through the GRCV, in which case it should
already be coming to you on recall. Just in case you haven't, here are
some basics; make your dog 'stay' or 'wait', (depending on your command
routine), and move in front of it several steps. Turn to face the dog. If
it moves off the 'stay', gently but firmly take him back to the same spot
and reinforce the 'stay' command. Crouch down and open your arms in an
inviting way and call 'come' in a light easy voice. As the dog runs to
you, calmly gather it in, so it sits in front of you. Don't be too strict
or formal with a young dog - the formal structure of recalls can fall in
to place later. Give it lots of pats and praise as you calm it down.
You use the same routine teaching your dog to 'come' with a retrieving
dummy. You should already have played games with dummies quite separately
- in front of the TV, on the patio etc - the game of, 'take', 'hold',
'give'. Put your dog in a 'stay' with the dummy in its mouth with the
'take' command and make the recall command with voice or whistle. The dog
should come straight in to you.
Sometimes a dog (particularly Goldens) will not run to you as keenly or
strongly with a dummy, as they do for a normal recall. It is important
that they learn to do this from the start and they may need extra
encouragement. In Retrieving Trials style is important.
Some tips; raise the pitch of voice and level of excitement, run
backwards until the dogs breaks in to a run. Also, only occasionally take
the dummy from the dog straight after the recall. Let it hold it for 10-20
seconds and it will usually just give it up, without it even being aware,
as it is lavished with praise for doing a good recall. Sometimes, step
back and repeat the exercise without taking the dummy. Sometimes after the
recall, play the game of give, hold, and take, Don't make it go to the
heel position. This can come later. Mix up the routine as much as
possible. Apart from making it fun for the dog, if you are too predictable
the dog may develop bad habits such as dropping the dummy when it gets to
you because it expects that you want it, or not running to you because you
will take the dummy. If the dog does drop the dummy don't scold it. It may
interpret that the reprimand is for doing the retrieve. Pick up the dummy,
place it in the dog’s mouth with the 'hold' instruction and
encourage it to you.
Sometimes dogs do not want to come with the dummy. They may be confused
about what is required, so reduce the distance. Some dogs think it’s a
game of keepings off and will try to make you chase them. Try to avoid
this at all costs, although with an older or dominant dog it may be
necessary to chase and scold it. Alternatively, tie some light cord around
its neck and as you call it in reel in the cord so that the dog comes to
you. If you have problems, which are not solved by the above techniques,
it is recommended that you seek advice from a member of the working dog
subcommittee.
Once your dog is doing the 'come' with the dummy, the next move is to
have the dog at heel and either you or someone else throws the dummy. Wait
until the dummy comes to a complete stop before you tell the dog to
'fetch'. As the dog comes to you with the dummy, remember to use all the
techniques you used with the 'come' exercise. If the dog goes before it is
sent (breaks), don't scold it. Once again, it may think you don't want it
to retrieve and will become confused, slow or disinterested. If this
occurs kneel down and gently hold the dog around the shoulders and have
someone else throw the dummy. The dog may struggle for a few seconds. The
instant you feel it relax, let it go with the 'fetch' command. It
generally won't take long to correct this fault. Also, try to vary the
time period before you send the dog so it doesn't anticipate your
instruction. Don't worry too much about this fault with a young dog -
enthusiasm is a wonderful attribute, which should not be discouraged.
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