Was wondering if any of the people whose dogs do a wonderful retrieve can help me.  My dog tends to drop an object half way back from a retrieve and therefore end up coming back to me without it.  Anyone got any advice on how to train a dog to 'hold' an object until you ask for them to release it ?

My lurcher always used to drop the thing he was meant fetch half way back and I found that this sorted itself out after he learnt to 'play find the toy'. After we started (and got good) at playing this game if he dropped what he was retrieving when we were out and came back empty mouthed I would say to him 'find the toy' and he would go back and get it, after about a million repetitions of him dropping it half way then me sending him back to get it he eventually cracked on and now he nearly always brings whatever back in one go. I don't know if that helps at all, I'm sure someone with a proper retrieving dog will have some proper advice soon!

What distance are your send outs?  once she picks up, the game is over.. so extra stimulus is required for a complete return..

Try reducing the distance.. even going right back to the start, with just over an arms length between you and the retrieve.. If she (assuming your dog is female since you have not stated ) shows any signs of dropping, you can reach out and take it from her mouth, with loads of praise..  she should begin to  associate the praise with the return.

Once she has mastered this at close range, begin sending out at 1mtr intervals.. loads of praise and treats for a good return, ignore the drops, and if she continues to drop... bring the distance back in again..

Do not try to overdo any training, just a few minutes each day..
and good luck :-)

Not my strong point, but I seem to remember teaching the sit and give first, then praising etc, then starting to step away and calling into the sit and give, but it was a long time ago :-)

Hi I used to do competion obedience and I taught my dog the HOLD first. Do not throw the article at all untill the hold is solid. Begin by presenting the article to you dog while she is sitting in front of you ask her to hold it (give the article with two hands) then pull it slightly from one side telling her to hold it repeat the pull from both sides. Always take the article with both hands. When she has that right you progress to her taking the article from your hands at arms length,then from the floor then short distances.Do not throw it untill you know the hold is solid. from there you can throw the article short distances  using the hold command and you should then have a solid retreive. You can practice the hold anywhere,you dont have to be outside and you dont need your dog to be excited.

I agree - all good advice here.  If the dog is just a youngster another thing you can try is turn around and run away when he is on his way back to you.  It ups the fun of the game, and you can have a little tug of war with the object.  The discipline of the retrieve can be brought back in gradually, but if he's not sure if you might just not have a game instead of asking for a present it should make him more enthusiastic about the whole thing.  Don't get led into chasing him, though - that way leads to disaster!  You need to know your dog - will winding him up improve his performance or make it deteriorate?

My Berner is the same. Coming back with it isn't fun, even though it will get thrown again..
Though he did actually do it a couple of times in front of other Berner owners and they were shocked by him retrieving. Never done it since though.

His favourite game is chase the ball, pick it and take it somewhere to be chewed to pieces.

Ah well, to tbh i don't know many Berner's who are good at this. Maybe speak to some who do obedience at one of the fun shows, they may have a better idea with our breed.

Good Luck though and i'll be interested in how you get on.

I teach Hold as a seperate game very early on before I even start retrieving with a pup.HOLD and DEAD is a great game with a youngster

Diane