I was wondering about Roxys retrieving skills. They're a bit rubbish. It seemed to take her forever to get it, but now she has, she only runs after the ball 2-3 times. On  the last time, she'll just run straight past the ball/baton/toy. We've tried the following

a) Keeping her on the long line so she can't do a runner, and to back up her coming back to us
b) Going mental with praise when she comes back
c) Roast chicken (higest value treat) on her return

Have run out of ideas as to make this more exciting for her, and since she's really happy to carry around socks/balls round the entire house, she does like picking things up. DO some retrivers just no like doing it?

How old is Roxy ?

Roxy sounds just like Harley - he too is a non-retrieving retriever :D

He will chase a ball, pick it up, run a couple of paces with it, drop it and then saunter back to you minus the ball.

It's not as though he can't do it with gusto :D- if you throw a pine cone for him in the woods he will search high and low for it through brambles, leaves etc until he finally finds it. Very enthusiastic until it comes to bringing it back to you and then it's back to his normal fetch, drop and saunter routine :)

I am starting right back from basics with him again - just hold and give  clicker training - and see if we can get somewhere this time :)

I was starting to think that Kez was the only Golden Retriever not to retrieve Wow I feel better now

In the garden he does it 3 to 4 times then looks at me as though I should fetch it for him and when we are out and about I have no chance with him, he likes to sniff and scent mark. In the house it is a different matter would bring it back to me time and time again (loves socks the most!)

People at my dog club thought it was so funny I had a retriever who never once collected him item in class

In the house it is a different matter would bring it back to me time and time again (loves socks the most!)

People at my dog club thought it was so funny I had a retriever who never once collected him item in class 


Perhaps your dog and mine are related :D When everyone else at training is using a dumbell for their dog to retrieve (and none of their dogs are retrievers :) ) I use a pair of socks tied together as these seem to generate the most interest indoors but haven't actually ever had them retrieved yet :) Harley too looks at me as if to say "You threw them - you get them".

Perhaps we just have very intelligent dogs who can't see the point of bringing something back if we are just going to throw it away from us again :D :D

>Perhaps we just have very intelligent dogs who can't see the point of bringing something back if we are just going to throw it away from us again

That's my opinion too! :D

My golden dog finds retrieving items on dry land boring. He loves swimming for toys and will retrieve very well in the water (I think he fancies himself the golden saviour as 'mommy' can't swim. Heaven forbid I jump in and outswim him some day he'll never retrieve again!) As you say he has a natural tendency to retrieve but he doesn't like doing it again and again. Just looks at you the third time around in disgust like "if you didn't want the thing why do you keep asking for it!"

They don't all seem to be fanatics about it.  My Lab girl is easily out retrieved and out swum (swam?) by her BC cousin.  My girl is so submissive, if there is another dog around it's like she says, ok, it's yours, you can have it, go get it.  But maybe the competitive factor would work in your case?  Another retreiving pooch around might spur your dog on?

Hi
Don't know what breed you have or what age..........am assuming you are wanting to train a 'play' retrieve as opposed to a more formal/controlled gundog/obedience retrieve. Either way, I think that with a reluctant retriever (and not all dogs are naturals by any stretch of the imagination) you need to make retrieving both fun and worthwhile for the dog.  Sooo.....does Roxy play and interact with you?  If so, get a tuggy toy and get her revved up playing Tuggy.  Then throw the tuggy toy (short distance and indoors at first).  When she brings it back reward her with another game of tuggy.  You always want to finish with her wanting more, so don't overdo it.  If three times are her limit for now accept it and work with that.  You need to get the retrieve established in the house and in the garden before taking it into much more exciting places where there will be a lot more distractions and excuses for her to blink the retrieve article.

Another option would be for you to clicker train the retrieve....there's a lot on here about it, so use the search function.  Basically, this works from the present of the article backwards and is very good for dogs who are happy to run out and chase (as most are!) but aren't so hot on the other elements.

Good luck.

Also as you say that your dog loves sock, put one of your or of course partners :d worn socks with some odour on it over the retrieve article and get it to retrieve it that way, eventually you should be able to take the sock off.

It seemed to take her forever to get it, but now she has, she only runs after the ball 2-3 times. On  the last time, she'll just run straight past the ball/baton/toy.

Then don't do it so many times. :) Do it once, LOADSA praise, then stop. My Goldens LIVE for retrieving, but for them a retrieve is THE most special treat ever, and not something they do all the time. In fact I'd go as far as to say it's a reward. It sounds to me you're overdoing it and therefore boring her. Just like a toy can be kept special by only being offered at certain times and not being available all the time, so can retrieves.

My dog started with a play retrieve, just charging after toys and bringing them back with lots of encouragement for me to chuck 'em again :P

I've also trained using the  clicker - now, this is a great way to train dogs who are not necessarily retrievers. Whippets and lurchers can learn to retrieve with the clicker.

There is a photo sequence of how to do this in the book Clicker Training for Dogs by Karen Pryor, often seen in pet shops :)

I was also shown how to do a retrieve to hand for articles from the search square that I use, Anne Bussey showed me this on a course. Roughly speaking, you clicker train target the hand, (so dog's muzzle touches the hand when hand is presented with palm open) and you also clicker train the dog for picking up the dumbbell (or toy). (With clicker training the dog is allowed to drop the dumbbell when the owner clicks, sounds odd but works beautifully).

If the dog is then understanding the concept of being clicked and treated for picking up the dumbbell, you can then, very quickly before he/she drops it, put your open palm right in front of the muzzle as the dog is lifting the head from picking it up, and the dog should automatically target the hand with the dumbbell or toy   so the dog is actually pushing it into your hand

I hope my description makes sense!

Lindsay
x

Hi all - thanks for all the replies!

Just for info - she's 21 months old, and a  Golden.

We do clicker training - distance/obeidience stuff though - on most walks, and have the best results with it so will examine the clicker methods described here and have a whirl tonight. (I'll have to have a better look at my Clicker book too.)

Thinking about it, we do retrieves and 'find its' round the house with a ragger sometimes - her reward when bought back (almost 100%) is a V. quick game of tuggy which she sometimes wins, which she loves so I think I'll take that out tonight to see if we get anything better too.

Re the doing it too much/boring her  - I threw it for her once this morning, had a very enthusiastic chase, pick up (all very promising) and then spat it out and found a sniff. She seems interested. Then looses all interest

Try running away from her so she chases you with it. :)

As for the clicker, the retrieve will be split into several parts. Running after it, picking it up, bringing it back, sitting in front, giving it up, and finishing. Each bit practiced separately until it all can be put together. The good thing with clicker training retrieves is you can wait the dog out. Retrieve article thrown, nothing happens, so you just wait, do nothing, everything becomes boring, and eventually the dog (if used to the clicker concept and wanting the reward!) will work out you want it picked up, and each tiny part can be rewarded so that you  eventually click for speedy retrieves only.

I had two non-retrieving Goldens in the same class I was taking.    We got them through their Gundog Club Grade 1 this way:-

Teach clicker hold - the same way that the others have said.

Then fill a nice touchy-feelly pencil case with treats.   It must be one they can't open themselves.     Then use this as an object to hold, and open it to get the treat.

Then use the hold and recall over a short distance (2 yards maybe), click and open case to treat.

Then extend the distance with the recall, and lastly, thrown out the pencil case for dog to retrieve.   You can then use a 'proper' retrieve article attached to your pencil case with rubber band or some such.

Above all, don't keep repeating an exercise to bore the dog.

A slow method, but it did work.

Jo