Retrieve Command

[Tammy & Gracie]

I spent this past weekend at a AKC dogshow watching obedience trials and rally competition. I'm pumped! Gracie and I are in advanced agility right now but I am leaning toward going for rally obedience next, especially since I've been told the AKC will be allowing non purebreeds to be registered for obedience later this year. However, I have a serious problem with her retreival instincts. She will chase and get anything thrown but she will never bring it back to you. I would like to work on this. How?

[Adina P]

The formal retrieve has nothing to do with instincts and everything to do with training. Just like walking in heel or leading a blind person. Even Beagles and other non-retrievers can learn to retrieve. In the formal retrieve, it's more than just a fun game...the dog has to take the responsibility as a job.

If you're serious, I would buy a book on teaching a dog to retrieve...browse several at the library or bookstore or online...without a live teacher, the retrieve is hard work and I would suggest having really good guidance.

I started it last year or so with Rosco, but abandoned the project within a few weeks--I just didn't have the desire/motivation to continue without a trainer I trusted locally. There were too many details I didn't want to mess up as I was using an 'older' method (though very effective) that had pitfalls if not done correctly. Others have taught the retrieve with positive only type training, but I'm not as familiar with the method of teaching the retrieve that way and teaching it to a high level of reliability. If I had to choose a method different from the one I started using (old school), I'd go with clicker training. There is a good book out there for clicker training for competition obedience...can't recall the title exactly.

However, regarding AKC 'allowing mixed breeds' it's not quite as simple as it sounds. I looked into it with our local kennel club. They way they will allow mixed breeds is in separate events. So, for example, our doodles can NOT just sign up for obedience competition at the next big show... you'll have to find a local club that decides it's worth their time and effort to put on a show JUST for mixed breeds. I live in a fairly small town and although it still has an annual AKC show each year...there is very little chance we'll gather up enough mixed breed owners with passion for competition to put together a mixed breed AKC show...sadly :-(

[Adina P]

Oh and to get away from thinking it's a natural thing... start to think of the retrieve in parts:
Chase, Pick up, Hold, Keep holding as she returns, sit in front of you, give the object to you.

If you can teach these parts separately...then you can string them together. I'd even use completely NEW command words (from what she already knows) so you can start fresh.

[Tammy & Gracie]

No wonder I don't know how to do it, it takes a whole book! Anyway, Thanks for bursting my non-purebred bubble. LOL Anyway, we can still go the obedience route with one of the other groups. I do live in a pretty big metropolitan area, that may help.

[Leslie and Halas]

If you go the rally obedience route, you won't have to worry about retrieving. At least not for awhile. Halas and I have been taking a class, and there's no retrieving in at least the first couple of levels. There may not be any retrieving at all in rally, but I don't know much about the more advanced levels. I really like the class, and we'll probably try a UKC trial in November in our area. If you're doing agility, rally would be pretty easy for you, so go for it. We also watched a utility obedience demo on Monday, and that was really cool, but also very advanced.

[Tammy & Gracie]

I know there is no retreive in rally but I suspect if we become successful that I will become hooked and want to move onto obedience. But in the real world, our games could continue for alot longer if she would just bring that ball back to me so I could throw it again!!! We've got a long way to go before we attempt anything in public! LOL

[Gwen A]

Hi, I haven't started Gabby retrieving yet but I did teach my shepherd. He loved to chase the ball and frisby (I think that was his key to learning this). So I never picked up or went after these toys myself. He had to put them in my hand (Give) if he wanted me to throw again (I don't bend over to pick up his toys!). Next he figured out that putting on of shoes often meant Going Someplace Fun. So in the morning I would have my shoes where he could get them and when it came time for that morning walk I made a big deal about getting shoes on and leaving. Then the first time he joyously ran to get them, I told him to Pick Up the Shoes and then Give. It was almost too easy...he knew what the reward was. From shoes we moved on to other things he liked to pick up. Then I would drop things (my glasses, TV remote). He knows lots of objects now. And sometimes I just have to point at an object and say Pick it up. He will pick up all of his toys when it's time go for a ride. Of course it took a long time, but it was always a game and often he got wonderful treats for quick gives. I don't know if this is a Formal Retreive but I like the end result and can't wait until Gabby is ready for more advanced training (she's not too ball crazy so I don't know what will trigger her yet).

I've never clicker trained and I don't think I've ever used anything but positive methods (except a really mean NO). I believe it's more effective because it's always fun for the dog.

[Carol Brand]

Since I'm lurking in this group anyway.....

Any dog can be taught to retrieve. There are a number of ways to do it from clicker training to a forced retrieve. It needs to be taught methodically though, in a step by step process that usually starts with teaching a dog to correctly hold a dumbbell. My advice is to find an experienced Obedience instructor who has show at Open or above and have her help you teach the retrieve.

Oh and I don't think that there has to be a completely different show for mixed breeds, just a separate classes. The problem is that at big All-Breed shows the day is already long for the judges and adding classes might be impractical.