Before sending your dog out to fetch the paper or retrieve a tissue, you need
to teach him exactly how to retrieve things. Believe it or not, dogs aren’t born
knowing how to do this — no matter how clever they are!
Retrieving has three tricks built into it — following and grabbing the object,
returning with it, and last but not least — giving it up. Teaching each step
separately ensures success and fun every step of the way!
Avoid overdoing it! If you toss objects all day, saying “Bring, Bring, Bring,”
your dog may avoid you, saying “No, No, No!” Each “Bring” lesson should be
no more than three to five minutes. And no more than four lessons a day! I
tell my clients less is more. If your lessons are upbeat, the dog will retain the
behavior much better than if they’re long and frustrating.
Mastering the basic fetching sequence
Though a well-trained retriever looks like he was born with a tennis ball in
his mouth, fetching is a little more complicated than it appears. The toughest
trick is teaching your dog to release the object happily: the human equivalent
of sharing. The best approach in my opinion? Break this one into three, easyto-
master parts before stringing them all together in the final stage.
Stage 1: “Go get it!”
Here’s where you can instill a love of fetching in your dog. Simple to master,
all your dog must do to earn praise, rewards, and your attention is to chase
after toys. That’s it!
1. Toss a favorite toy.
If your dog doesn’t chase it, go after it yourself: dogs, like kids, learn by
example.
2. The moment your dog starts chasing the toy, cheer him on:
“Good boy!”
If your praise distracts him, wait until he’s reached his toy.
3. As he plays with his toy, approach him with a treat and reward, and
praise him.
4. As your dog catches on, command “Go get it!” as he chases after the
thrown object.
All your dog has to do is to follow and grasp his toy: nothing else.
Stage 2: “Bring”
Anything a dog puts in his mouth is special, at least to him. So the first step
in teaching your dog to retrieve is to get him psyched to show you his “treasure.”
All your dog must do for this step is come back with his prize.
The focus here is on the “Bring,” not the “Give.”
Here’s what to do:
1. Pocket some treats or another favorite toy.
If your dog is too treat-focused and won’t leave your side if there’s a
treat on the scene, leave food rewards and clickers out of the picture. In
this case, your overwhelming enthusiasm will be your dog’s just reward.
2. Gently toss a toy a few feet away from you, saying “Go get it!”
3. Each time your dog brings the toy back, shower him with praise,
but don’t take the toy away. Click and/or reward him with food if it
doesn’t overshadow the toy; or bring out another toy to excite him to
drop the one he brought back.
If your dog ignores you when he gets the toy, try running away from him
after he has picked it up, with a different toy in hand. If he still won’t
bring it back, pretend to eat some of his treat.
If your dog is a comedian and prefers playing “Keep Away,” go into a
small room, like a bathroom, so his freedom to run off is restricted and
you can teach him the fun of the new retrieving game. Toss the toy. The
second your dog picks it up, start praising/treating. Continue this game
until your dog’s perspective shifts.
4. As your dog catches on and trots back to you happily, say “Bring.”
5. Toss a different toy and repeat Steps 3 and 4.
After your dog is bringing his toy to you on the “Bring” command, you’re
ready for the “Give” command.
Stage 3: “Give”
Parting is such sweet sorrow. Relinquishing an object is the trickiest part
of the retrieve, especially if you’ve chased your dog for things in the past.
Remember, when you chase a dog for an object, you’re communicating “prize
envy” — that whatever the dog has must have value because you want it
back. Be patient. Follow the steps and be smart enough not to lose your
temper if your dog tries to outsmart you. A graceful retreat is not a failure.
Start young! Fill and place cups of treats around your home (see Chapter 2).
When your pup/dog is chewing or playing with his toys, shake the cup and say
“Give” as he spits it out. Treat him, pet him on the head, and leave — without
touching his toy. By connecting the command “Give” to the act of releasing,
you get two helpful results: Your dog relaxes when people approach him, and
he has a more comfortable association with the “Give” command.
Never chase your dog to get him to give up an object. Instead, teach the “Give”
command and be patient! Follow these steps:
1. Pull up a chair and line up some treats plus your dog’s favorite toy.
2. Call your dog over, show him the toy, and praise him when he
takes it.
3. Wave the treat in front of your dog and say “Give” as he spits out the
toy. (The treat should induce him to drop the toy.)
4. Praise and reward your dog the second he releases the toy.
5. Now go to a hallway or an enclosed space. Toss the toy a short distance,
saying “Go get it.”
6. Praise your dog the moment he picks it up, and then kneel down and
say “Give” as you reward the release.
To signal “Give,” hold your open palm in front of your dog’s mouth.
Some dogs are so food-obsessed that they can’t think of anything else. If
you’re having a rough time getting your dog’s attention with treats around,
you need to teach him without treats. Simply replace Step 3 with an extra
helping of praise, or use two toys and exchange one for the other.
You may notice that your dog releases the ball as you approach or tosses it
on the ground near you. Although this is acceptable when starting out, you
eventually need to be more selective with your rewards.
Deliveries are to be made mouth-to-hand. Here’s how to shape this behavior:
1. Go back to your chair. Hold your dog on-leash if he moves away.
2. Now give your dog the toy, praise him for having it, and then say
“Give” as you extend your hand under your dog’s mouth.
If your dog drops it on the ground, ignore him, pick up the toy, and
prompt him again, this time angling your hand and bracing his body
with the leash. Enthusiastically praise and reward the instant the toy
drops into your hand.
3. Click/reward the moment the toy drops into your hand.
Do you have a clencher — a dog who just won’t relax those jaws? For this guy,
carry treats in your pockets and reward him every time he chooses to release
a bone or toy. Also use treat cups to approach the dog while he plays, and lay
the treats in front of him whether he has released the object or not. In all likelihood,
he feels threatened by your approach — treating him will help shape a
more cheerful association.
If your dog becomes aggressive, stop immediately and call a professional —
you’ve got a spatial aggression problem.
Stage 4: All together now
After your dog learns that when you say “Bring,” you want the object you
point to and when you say “Give,” you’re looking for a hand delivery, then
you’re ready to help him connect the two talents.
1. Go to a hallway or small room, like the bathroom.
2. Give the toy a short toss and instruct “Go get it!”
3. Say “Bring” and cheer your dog back to you when he grabs the toy.
4. Extend your hand to retrieve the object, and say “Give.”
5. When he releases the toy, reward him with praise and/or treats for a
job well done!
6. Repeat Steps 2 through 5 twice, and then stop.
If your dog gets so excited that he can’t hold onto the toy, you might be rushing
it. Try teaching the last step first: praising your dog for releasing the toy.
This should help him feel clever and calm down. Encourage him to “Hold it”
by picking up the toy and playing “Keep Away”: when he grabs it, he’ll be more
eager to “Hold it.” Last but not least, you can work on “Go get it.”
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