Training Exercises



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RETRIEVE

Teaching a dog to retrieve can bring enormous benefits. It's a great way to exercise him if you're not feeling too energetic. He can fetch your slippers or the T.V. remote control. The dog that has been taught to retrieve will willingly bring to you and give you back anything that he would previously have grabbed and run off with. For many dogs a game with a ball is more rewarding than food treats so it is a great motivator and much more productive than chasing joggers or cyclists. And if he retrieves a toy you haven't got a recall problem!

Start by teasing your dog with a favourite toy and tossing it away a short distance encouraging him to go and pick it up. Running away from him once he has picked it up will encourage him to come back to you with it. If he runs past you with the toy simply change direction and he probably will too. If he drops it away from you and loses interest pick it up yourself and try to get him to come closer with it next time, or encourage him to go and get it. Don't be in a rush to take the toy or you may make him reluctant to bring it back. You need him to want to give it to you so that you will throw it again for him.

Dog's that show no inclination to retrieve can usually be encouraged to by teasing them with something really delicious tied up inside a knotted sock or by bouncing a ball repeatedly off a wall.

Notes

Never punish your dog for picking up something that you don't want him to have or you may teach him to not to pick up things when you are watching, certainly not to bring them back to you and definitely not to give them to you.

Always praise your dog for anything that they pick up so that they will bring it to you.

It is usually better if you encourage him to retrieve to hand. In other words for him to let you take it from his mouth. You could still have a command for drop just in case he brings you something that you don't particularly want in your hand!