1yo Lab delivery issues

[Stevenbrown88]

My 13month old lab bitch amber is too interested in messing around with a dummy to bring it to me and deliver it properly, which consequently is making progress very slow. If I do get her to sit or get near enough to me she just drops it.
I've tried a numbers of things suggested by my trainer. Training retrieves down a lane/track then walking backwards so she has to come close to me to get past (just drops it if I can't get a hand to it). Allowing her to hold and carry the dummy on walks on the lead, which she does great but if I gesture to take it or sit her down she drops it.
Others have suggested letting her have the dummy while then coax her in, it works maybe 1% of the time! the other 99% she bogs off and tries to start chewing it.

Water retrieves she tries to swim away from where I'm stood to take it before she let's go to shake.

I've tried long line but I can't tell if she's playing With the dummy or the line as well.

Any ideas? I've read the training hold tutorial on here at that seems to be something I could try perhaps?

Ta!

[Rascal]

For some reason she's not happy giving the dummy up to you. I'm not sure that training the hold as in the video won't make matters worse. What you are doing in the track isn't helping either because you are taking the dummy rather than her offering it.

What's her recall like without a dummy in her mouth, does she come straight back and sit in front of you or does she do a "fly by" then?

If she does a "fly by" work on that for a start separately, I might even treat train that so she gets a treat for coming back sitting with her head up looking at you. With you keeping your hands up out of the way and treat her when her head is up and in the delivery position.

I'd be tempted to play give and take with her in the house sit in a chair with no other distractions in the room just you and the dog preferably with the dog sitting in front of you....Give the dog the dummy praise it physically and verbally whilst the dog remains seated in front of you holding the dummy and rub the dogs chest and under the chin as the dog lifts it's chin gently take the dummy on your chosen release command. Rinse and repeat lots of times so the dog associates all the reward by holding and giving the dummy to you...Do this for two or three times a day in five or so minute sessions once the dog is enjoying the game then pop the dummy on the floor in front of you and have the dog pick it up and present it rinse and repeat as above then move on to putting the dummy on the floor in front of you and taking a step or two away from it and have the dog pick it and present it rinse and repeat as above.

Then try in a hallway or narrow passage throwing short retrieves so all the reward for the dog is returning to you holding and giving you the dummy and once the dog is happily doing this then move into the big outdoors but keep the retrieves short, a leads length for a start...

Be patient It may take a few weeks building this up with a dog that has played this "game" for a good wee while...

Rascal

[Fasterthansid]

My cocker was the same. It was more fun for him to keep the retrieve than give it to me. I sorted him out by sitting in front of me whilst I offered the retrieve to his mouth. I let him hold it for about 5 seconds whilst keeping my hands on the side of it to stop him running of with it. After the 5 seconds I asked him for the retrieve and took it from his mouth and then gave loads of praise. It took a couple of weeks to get it right at about 15 minutes each night. It takes a while but once it's drilled in to his head that it's okay to sit in front of me and hand over the retrieve then he gets a big old fuss. Don't get frustrated, keep trying.
Another method I've used on my previous dog is puppy recall which involves giving the dog the retrieve to carry whilst he's on the lead . Then walk about 10 feet with your dog at your side and without notice to the dog start walking backwards quickly giving a few exciting words to the dog. This encourages the dog to run to you. As the dog approaches on the lead stop dead and tell the dog to sit or use your whistle. Then accept the retrieve and loads of praise. These have worked for me before. Good luck.

[Stevenbrown88]

Cheers guys I'll give them a go!

I was reluctant to treat train as I've read and spoken to a few people who have said that can lead to them dropping the retrieve in anticipation of the treat but I guess as long as the dogs knows the treat is for successfully giving up the retrieve to my hands then it shouldn't present a problem.

Rascal: with regards to her recall it is generally excellent, I always have her come right back in to me and she usually sits nicely for me of her own accord even. The odd time when there are distractions she'll not come straight back but I try not to call her in when there are any for that reason.

[Rascal]

Hi Steve,
I only suggested a treat for a recall if she was doing “flyby’s” trained separately not with a dummy. All I suggested with delivery training was physical and verbal praise in a game of give and take.

Rascal

[dogwalker]

Separate the 'present' from the retrieve. Retrieve to be worthwhile is outside in the rain, in the wind, in a hurry, nobody has the patience to stand outside for half an hour while the dog gets it right.

Teach the present while you are sitting in your favourite armchair, while the telly is on the background and you have all the time and the patience necessary, and you have a pot of tiny treats close to hand. Go from her putting her nose up to it- and she soon will work out that Dad is really pleased with that and gives her a treat, through needing to open her mouth, and then putting her mouth around it, and then holding it for one second, and then for two seconds, and then ten seconds, etcetera. If you are into clicker training it's a perfect place for a clicker, because you will start clicking when she touches it, and then delay clicking longer and longer until the dog is holding it in her mouth for a respectable time. Ultimately only clicking after she has given it to you, so if she drops the dummy early to get the treat then this is pointless because it means you haven't clicked which means she doesn't get the treat. Once she knows what she is doing you can introduce the verbal 'hold' and 'give' instructions, and then when she is happy and solid on this you can put it together with a retrieve hold and give and then lots of praise.

[Merlin]

This is great, I've got a similar issue with our youngster, he comes back in with the dummy okay, (needs a little work ), but he turns his head away when ever I go to take the dummy from him...

I'll give the above a try..

Thanks..

[Stevenbrown88]

So I'm struggling with getting her started on this. She's not keen on taking a dummy off me unless it's been thrown but she'll take a tennis ball but I'm finding she's mouthing, messing about or trying to fling it away to chase it constantly. If I try hold her still with the ball/dummy in her gob, she either tries to spilt it out or moves her head away.

I don't feel that restraining her with something in her mouth is going to achieved the desired affect? It could make the problem even worse.

Could it be that she's not happy me touching her head and mouth, therefore should I be trying to have her not moving while I mess around her head before I start with the dummies perhaps?

Also I've tried giving her it to hold while we're walking on the lead, she'll either not take it in the first place, or drop it after a few yards or so, or when I reach to take it or get her sit she just drops it and then won't look at it.

[Rascal]

Assuming she has no mouth/teeth issues which I doubt as she'll take a ball you could try a long sock or rag with a knot tied in the middle of it. Somehow she's feeling worried/pressured by something and its probably her feeling your anxiety about it..

I know you are reluctant to use treats but I would be tempted to clicker train it with a dummy..

Have a read here....

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=5680


Heres a video that will help you too...

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6oFO9Z0oHBA

Rascal