I have just been reading your answer to q.dated 19/2/05. I too have a flat coated retriever aged 10months. She is making progress I feel in that when we walk in the field off lead she is really interested in me as she knows I have her throw stick. However she is like a coiled spring. As soon as I bring it out of my jacket she starts jumping up and easily jumps as high as my head. Obviously I don't want to encourage this. Also when I come to throw the stick she starts running for it before it is thrown. I know I should get her to sit and wait/stay whilst I throw it but I would have to put her back on the lead. I know i probably have to go back to basics but I am not sure in what order I need to concentrate on things. We go to obedience training once a week and also ringcraft once a week. I am also in the process of joining a local gundog club as this is what she would prefer I am sure. We have attended one session when we just observed and I know we would have to make some more progress before we could join in a session without causing too much disruption. Any suggestions would be most appreciated.

Hi guest. Glad you found the posts interesting. :)

You are at the stage where the thrill of the chase has taken over. My suggestion to you would be to change just about everything! For a start, sticks can be so dangerous, dogs running on to one end and the other getting wedged into the ground had resulted in more than one dog getting impaled on it! Forget the stick and buy a gundog dummy or two. This has the other advantage in that because it is something new it gives you the chance to train exactly what you want. Dummies are available on line from amongst other places,

http://www.turnerrichards.co.uk/pages/page1.html

Then to training. I would start in the garden. This helps to eliminate a little of the excitement. Use the lead as a restraint. I prefer not to actually put the lead on the dog. What I do is to hold both ends and put the resultant loop around the dog's neck. This means that I can cast the dog off just by releasing one end rather than having to take the dog's eye off of the dummy by having to mess around taking the lead off. Aim at having the dog sitting steady for say, 10 seconds before sending her on a command. Always use a command, never EVER release her after a dummy without giving the command, that would in effect be allowing her to choose how long to wait.

At other times sit her in the garden, on lead if needed, and get a friend to toss a dummy around whilst insisting she remains quietly seated. Steadiness is so important! On occasions when you are doing retrieves with her, make her stay whilst you pick up the dummy. Train her that not everything which falls from the sky is hers! Even with my old Anna, now fast approaching 7 years old I still occasionally sit her up and toss dummies around her. Over the course of time we collect up more and more dummies for more advanced work, putting out blind retrieves and the like and I usually have at least six dummies in my bag, which gives me plenty to toss around for steadiness work!

Always remember to work to the dog which YOU have. By that I mean, if your dog is lethargic, or maybe not so keen at retrieving I would not hold it quite so long before releasing it after a dummy. On the other hand, for the keener, possibly more excitable dog I would keep in sitting just that little bit longer. Remember, the moving target is always going to be more interesting than the stationary one.

Best wishes, John

Thanks, John, that's very helpful. I know I need to train Luke a bit more formally now. We have got a dummy, so I can see that it would be useful to use that for formal training. However, in the park he loves to chase his ball on a rope, and in the garden he chases after squeaky balls with his mum. Should I be making him sit and wait every time I throw anything for him, if you see what I mean?

In the early stages I do just that. And everything is retrieved to hand, no dropping or throwing the toy to me! Later, as the dog learns, it's quite possible to relax with some articles. Anna knows all her toys and loves to throw one to me, and catch it when I toss it back, but imagine the confusion that would cause in the early training. Consistant actions will always bring quicker results. It does not have to be restrictive though, doing it the right way can be just as much fun for a dog because of the praise he gets. Treat it as a new game your teaching!

Regards, John