OB345 Rocking the Obedience Retrieves
My picture of a perfect retrieve starts with a dog that is alert, engaged and ready to take off. The dog is looking at me until I drop my hand and then they mark the Dumbbell. They have good impulse control while waiting for my cue. But as soon as I release them, they take off with laser focus, and grab the dumbbell while already turning. As they are turning, the dog looks for their focal point and races back. Shortly before they get to the handler, they start collecting so they can hit front. With the high jump we add a clean jump out and back, even when the dumbbell is thrown off center. The dogs can do this with distractions and judge pressure. Whether you are in the process of teaching a retrieve, or you want to improve your dog’s retrieve, this class is for you!! We will break the exercises down into pieces and teach each piece as a fun trick. We will use lots of games and motivation to keep the exercises fresh and fun. As a prerequisite for gold working spots, your dog must have a solid, fully-trained dumbbell “hold”.
Course Details
Teaching Approach
This class will have written and spoken video lectures each week. There will be video examples demonstrating all exercises. Because everyone has their own learning style, I encourage students to move at their own pace. For the first few weeks, students can work in a smaller space. Later in the class, students will need access to a space large enough where they can perform a full obedience exercise. Students will need to leave their dogs repeatedly in a number of training sessions. I will work with you to modify the exercises to your abilities. A few of the games will require quick physical movement from the trainer for short periods and distances.
Syllabus
Week One
- End Picture
- Breaking it down
- Establishing Mark
- I LOVE My Dumbbell
- Handling:
- Setup, Precue, Wait
- DB Throw
- Pickup Challenges
- Spinback with food
- Fronts Lateral and Rotation
- Fronts props
Week Two
- Pickup Challenges with Speed
- Spinback Get It Game
- Fronts Add Distance
- Introduce Low Jump - Food
- Introduce Low Jump - DB
- Mark with DB
Week Three
- Spinback with DB
- Determine Set Distance for Jump
- Restrained sends with Quick Release Flat
- Food
- Toy
- Second DB
- Run Away
- Full distance pickup challenges
- Angled jumps
- Fronts High Jump Return
Week Four
- Retrieve Games
- Runaway and hide
- Throw and move
- Race to the DB
- Target behind legs
- Second Dumbbell
- Release to Tug
- Cookie Between Legs
- High vs. Flat discrimination
- Restrained sends with Quick Release High
Week Five
- Judge pressure on Fronts
- Judge pressure at pickup
- Motion distraction
- Environmental distractions
- Eye contact on return
Week Six
- Putting it all together
Prerequisites & Supplies
Sample Lecture
Establishing Mark. Having a strong mark is essential for the retrieve exercise. We want our dogs to look at the dumbbell when we throw it, keep their eyes on it while waiting for the send, and keep their eyes on it until they pick it up. If they look around at any point, they lose focus and concentration. This will almost always result in an error. We are going to introduce the mark with food. Make sure you use a piece of visible food that your dog really loves. Start really close. Make sure your dog sees you place the food. Gently hold the collar with one hand, and give the “mark” cue with your other hand. When your dog is locked on you can let them know that’s correct “good mark good”. Then send with your retrieve word(s). Mine is “get it”. The second your dog gets the food you want them to spin around and come back. Establishing that motor pattern now will carry over nicely into your retrieve later. So have a second piece of food ready, put it under their nose as they are getting the first piece, and call them back to you. I actually bring them back to their focal point (my face) and feed them there.
VIDEO
I LOVE My Dumbbell!! If your DB is in your hand, your dog should be grabbing it. If I take my DB out of my bag and my dog is loose, he will try to take it out of my hand. Why? Because they know that holding it will get them a treat! And they love their DB! The know that taking the DB and presenting it to me makes me very happy. I always want the dog to present the DB to my face (or if I had a smaller dog, to their focal point which would be a set point between your legs). Because ultimately, when my dog returns with the DB and fronts, I want them looking at their focal point. So let’s establish that habit now. It’s SUPER important that you do NOT put any pressure on this. Think of it as a fun trick. We are relaxed when we teach tricks, we laugh and we are happy when they do it right. There is no pressure. Adding pressure of any sort often creates mouthing. Pressure can come in the form of expectation, tone of voice, grabbing at the DB, leaning forward, etc. Be very mindful of this. Video is an excellent tool that will show you things you may be doing that you are not aware of.
Instructor
Petra Ford
Faculty
I have been training and competing for several decades in a variety of sports including Hunt Tests, Field Trials, Nosework, Agility and Rally. My first love has always been competition obedience. I have been fortunate to win the AKC National Obedience Championship four times with three different dogs. (Click here for full bio and to view Petra's upcoming courses)...