Some dogs are natural retrievers and others will never pick anything up from the ground unless they can eat it. Retrieval of a ball or toy can be especially handy in places of unlimited exercise. An enthusiastic ball chaser can easily become stimulated and exercised in his garden if played with for only a few minutes. Ideal for instances when more exercise is not available.
A clicker is a terrific way to brace and develop retrieve behaviour. The following stages should help you to urge your dog to pick something up and bring it back to you.
Tune your dog into the clicker, do it by making the association in his mind that click means treat. There are many online dog training articles and videos that show in detail the simplest way to tune your dog to a clicker.
A clicker is a terrific way to brace and develop retrieve behaviour. The following stages should help you to urge your dog to pick something up and bring it back to you.
Tune your dog into the clicker, do it by making the association in his mind that click means treat. There are many online dog training articles and videos that show in detail the simplest way to tune your dog to a clicker.
Show the dog a ball and if he pays the ball any attention then pinpoint this attention with a click and treat. This is reinforcing the behavior that you would like.
Each time the dog investigates the ball click and treat till he knows precisely the ball means reward.
Next withhold the click when the dog looks at his ball and only offer the click and treat if he touches the ball. This should not be tough as he already knows his ball means treat so will try a bit harder if the click is not forthcoming. Any touch with the nose should be fortified and rewarded till the action is established.
When touch is established you want to reinforce a pick up behaviour. Increasingly annoyed by lack of reward for touching his ball your dog should automatically try harder and either poke the ball or put his mouth around it.
As quickly as this picking up behavior is displayed withhold your click a fragment longer every time till the dog is holding the ball in his mouth. Proof this by absolutely strengthening the act. Then begin to inspire the dog to bring you his ball.
You can encourage retrieval by withholding the click and treat continuously until the dog goes to his ball, picks it up and brings it to you. A very short distance to start with, one pace is sufficient, can be progressed to greater distances when the dog has learned the routine.
These stages should be taken at your dog's pace. Be advised that if your dog is finding training intense or does not understand then he may display displacement behavior. Scratching himself, excessive sniffing and yawning are all signs of a stressed or confus
Each time the dog investigates the ball click and treat till he knows precisely the ball means reward.
Next withhold the click when the dog looks at his ball and only offer the click and treat if he touches the ball. This should not be tough as he already knows his ball means treat so will try a bit harder if the click is not forthcoming. Any touch with the nose should be fortified and rewarded till the action is established.
When touch is established you want to reinforce a pick up behaviour. Increasingly annoyed by lack of reward for touching his ball your dog should automatically try harder and either poke the ball or put his mouth around it.
As quickly as this picking up behavior is displayed withhold your click a fragment longer every time till the dog is holding the ball in his mouth. Proof this by absolutely strengthening the act. Then begin to inspire the dog to bring you his ball.
You can encourage retrieval by withholding the click and treat continuously until the dog goes to his ball, picks it up and brings it to you. A very short distance to start with, one pace is sufficient, can be progressed to greater distances when the dog has learned the routine.
These stages should be taken at your dog's pace. Be advised that if your dog is finding training intense or does not understand then he may display displacement behavior. Scratching himself, excessive sniffing and yawning are all signs of a stressed or confus
When touch is established you want to reinforce a pick up behaviour. Increasingly annoyed by lack of reward for touching his ball your dog should automatically try harder and either poke the ball or put his mouth around it.
As quickly as this picking up behavior is displayed withhold your click a fragment longer every time till the dog is holding the ball in his mouth. Proof this by absolutely strengthening the act. Then begin to inspire the dog to bring you his ball.
You can encourage retrieval by withholding the click and treat continuously until the dog goes to his ball, picks it up and brings it to you. A very short distance to start with, one pace is sufficient, can be progressed to greater distances when the dog has learned the routine.
These stages should be taken at your dog's pace. Be advised that if your dog is finding training intense or does not understand then he may display displacement behavior. Scratching himself, excessive sniffing and yawning are all signs of a stressed or confused dog. If this happens go back a stage to build his confidence and make certain he learned the prior lesson.
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As quickly as this picking up behavior is displayed withhold your click a fragment longer every time till the dog is holding the ball in his mouth. Proof this by absolutely strengthening the act. Then begin to inspire the dog to bring you his ball.
You can encourage retrieval by withholding the click and treat continuously until the dog goes to his ball, picks it up and brings it to you. A very short distance to start with, one pace is sufficient, can be progressed to greater distances when the dog has learned the routine.
These stages should be taken at your dog's pace. Be advised that if your dog is finding training intense or does not understand then he may display displacement behavior. Scratching himself, excessive sniffing and yawning are all signs of a stressed or confused dog. If this happens go back a stage to build his confidence and make certain he learned the prior lesson.
About the Author:
Positive dog training is the most rewarding experience for both you and your dog. Visit the Dog Trick Academy to find out lots more about reward based and online dog training.