Hi everybody, I need help.
My Beardie does a lovely retrieve, then spits his toy out! How do I make him hold it? He loves treats but is easily frustrated and over excited. I don't feel that I am letting him know what I want. How do I do that? He is so desperate to please, I feel that I am letting him down. Suggestions please.
Carrie.

start off by making him a "toy" of a sock stuffed with treats, he will be happier to keep hold of it. refuse to reward him until he has brought it back. it may be useful to forget the actual "fetch" bit, break down the exercise by sitting in a chair , the dog holding then giving the sock.

Hello Carrie,

As a fellow beardie owner (we have 7), this is quite normal for beardies. How old is he, beardies are very slow to mature and often won't compete well until the age of 2, sometimes even 3 years old.

Definately don't get cross or upset, beardies are known for getting hangups about things and then he won't hold it.

I would suggest the following:-

1. Ignore the retrieve completely for about a month and then try again

2. Stop using a dumbell and use a toy to get him to learn hand delivery.

3. When he comes towards you with the dumbell, walk slowly backwards and when he least expects it, reach forward and take the dumbell (with him walking towards you) and praise like mad. This can then be given a command, which can be changed or dropped later, depending on how high up the classes you are intending to work.

4. Change the dumbell for a different size/shape/colour......you will be surprised what beardies will do with a change. :)

5. Start teaching the retrieve again from scratch and encourage him to come right up to you with you kneeling/sitting on the floor and praise like mad when he gives it to you.

6. Teach him to play tug and use a ragger for retrieve for a while and play with him everytime he comes back to you.

Don't worry about it, one of my dogs (now 12.5 years old) has been working obedience and working tests/pentathons etc from the age of 18 months and only ever been unplaced twice :D ......bit of a brag I know :) , but she completely went off retrieve when she was about 9 months old. I ignored it totally for at least a month and then went back and trained it again from scratch and perfect....no problem at all :) ......as I said before, beardies are strange beings!!!

Good luck

manda
X

Thanks for the advice. I now feel that after a break, I will feel more confident about tackling the problem again. We don't do competitions, I haven't the right temperament!!! Too nervy, I would let my boy down, but we go to classes and have fun and I like to teach him new things to keep him interested and to give us different things to work on together.
7 Beardies. Wow!!!!! I am a total Beardie devotee and have been for very many years (it would depress me to work it out), but I have to admire you.

I have been trying to teach my Afghan to retrieve with not much success. He would go out for the dumb bell then stand and look at me as if to say "what you expect me to pick that up". I found out quite by accident that by having tripe sticks taped to the centre of the dumb bell he will now hold it , and that was through a friend doing the same for her rottie and i borrowed hers to see what my boy would do and it has certainly done the trick.

It's certainly worth looking at things from a slightly different angle sometimes, and I agree that having a bit of a break can work wonders ;)

My dog retrieved beautifully to hand when a small pup, only for me to spoil it by teaching her to "Drop"!!! Needless to say i had to have a bit of a rethink and now she understands "Hold" - in fact that is my dumbbell retrieve command now.

I had a related problem last Autumn in doing a search square for working trials, she had just lost enthusiasm. She went in for one article, then lost interest.

So i didnt' do a formal search square for several months, but DID take her toy or toys out into grassy areas and just chucked them in and asked her "Where is it?" She loved this game and now has transferred this to the search square and is getting very keen. I also play tuggy if it is possible with the articles she brings back to add more fun into it.

I feel that if a dog associates the exercise with enjoyment, whether tripe sticks (yum!) or play, then most breeds will do most things :)