delivery issues

[kerrithsoden]

Hi all,

Im having a bit of an issue with my 7 month old ESS bitch. she will retrieve beautifully, can do left and right retrieves, blind and memory retrieves also spot on.

The issue is when she brings the dummy or ball back she'll drop it at my feet, I cant seem to get her to keep it in her mouth. As soon as she thinks i want it she'll drop it and let me pick it up.

The only way i can actually take it from her mouth is if i semi-catch it before she drops it but it means being crouched as she brings it back.

Any tips or ideas greatly appreciated.

regards

[Bogtrotter]

Teach the "hold" (and "dead" or "give" or whatever your release word is) as a separate exercise ... you can do this from the comfort of your armchair! Then back chain (join) it to the retrieve.

[munstyman]

The issue is when she brings the dummy or ball back she'll drop it at my feet, I cant seem to get her to keep it in her mouth. As soon as she thinks i want it she'll drop it and let me pick it up.


Any tips or ideas greatly appreciated.

regards

Don't pick it up If you have been doing this repeatedly, then as far as she is concerned that is what you want her to do without teaching her what you really want her to do The same thing goes for `catching', its the dog that should be making the effort to put the retrieve in your hand, not you making the effort to catch it.
You can do what bogtrotter suggests and back train it, preferable, if its been going on for a while, or teach the palm touch, or do the walk away and take the dummy on the move, there are several options available to you, but above all stop doing her job for her and show her what her job is
My other thought is, from my own experience with my pup, looking at what your achieving with a 7mth pup. Are you rewarding all those exercises and achievements on the variety rather than the whole process i.e. `clever girl finding the blind' and accepting the poor presentation but accidentally praising her for it because she did the blind? Mine will get very excited when she accomplishes something new and will often forget or fluff up the presentation to hand. Hard as it may seem, she doesn't get rewarded till the dummy is in my hand, and the level of reward is reduced relative to the time taken ...if it takes too long, I will repeat the exercise as a `whole process' till I can reward appropriately

[Judy]

Had this with my last pup, I did a variation on palm touch; every time I fed her I gave her some of her food from my right hand so, effectively, I stood in the position I normally stand in to accept a retrieve - bending down, right hand out. As soon as she saw me "assume the position" she would come straight in to my hand and eat whatever was in there or occasionally take a toy instead. After a week or so of her routinely heading to my hand I simply held my hand out when she was returning with the retrieve, worked for me.

[AlandJake]

I also did a variation of Judy's palm touch.
The added bonus turned out that if I wanted a sitting delivery from my dog (not often I do), then I simply didn't put my hand out. Result? Pup sat at my feet with dummy in her chops waiting for me to put my hand out for her to stuff the dummy in.
So no pressure of a "hold" command, or pressure to sit for a delivery and no me snatching, grabbing or catching dummy either.

[westcountry]

Had the same with one of my pups,mad keen to bring it but then dropped it at my feet. Did a training day with the top spaniel trainer (wont drop names)
He showed me how to cure it. It worked without any stress or upset.

[Naj]

Had the same with one of my pups,mad keen to bring it but then dropped it at my feet. Did a training day with the top spaniel trainer (wont drop names)
He showed me how to cure it. It worked without any stress or upset.

So did he swear you to secrecy?

[chrokeva]

Had the same with one of my pups,mad keen to bring it but then dropped it at my feet. Did a training day with the top spaniel trainer (wont drop names)
He showed me how to cure it. It worked without any stress or upset.

So did he swear you to secrecy?

Wondering the same thing.

[westcountry]

No but I watched another A panel judge show another novice handler how to solve the problem and I am glad my little girl learnt the other way.

[Judy]

So? C'mon enlighten us!