Teach your dog to carry while she is young. Holding, carrying, and retrieving do not have to be associated entirely with a dog’s adult life, or with Obedience Trials. Even a young puppy can be taught to hold and carry if you place something in her mouth and encourage her with “Take it to so-and-so!” Carrying from one person to another thus becomes a game, and with it, comes a chance to show off.

These early attempts at carrying will teach your dog, with a minimum of effort, the basic steps of the RETRIEVE exercise, one of the most difficult in advanced training.

If your dog is a natural retriever, take advantage! Make a game of retrieving objects, both in the house and out-of-doors. Concentrate on getting your dog excited so she will chase things, then just before she reaches the object, give the retrieve command ONCE. While she is picking up the object, say “Good Girl!” and say it as though you meant it. Praise will encourage a dog to take things from the floor or the ground when she might otherwise refuse.

If your dog starts for an object and comes back without it, or if she doesn’t start at all, run to the object, pick it up, scuff it between her paws in a teasing manner, drag it along the floor, or kick it around; then place it in her mouth (unless she reaches for it herself), and turn and run. If she follows, clap your hands, squeal with delight, but DON’T REACH FOR WHAT SHE IS HOLDING. Let her strut around proudly, then, after a few moments, call her, quietly take the object away, and throw it again. If she won’t give you the article when you say “Out!” gently loosen it from her mouth and after she lets go, tell her “Good Girl!” and pat her.

Make your dog understand that after every retrieve she must bring the article back to you. For best results, kneel when you call her and give praise in a happy, high-pitched tone. If she starts running around with the article, change to a demanding “Come!” (coax her to come close by tapping the floor or the ground). When she comes, pat her before you take the article so she will learn to expect a pleasant reward for delivering things.

Train your dog to retrieve playfully while on leash. This will prepare her for leash corrections, which later may be necessary. While you hold the handle of the leash, make a game of throwing objects, letting the dog run after them. When she picks them up, don’t forget the praise! If she sniffs the object, then walks away, kick it around like you would a football. Kick it first away from her, then toward her paws. Talk to her at the same time in a cajoling tone of voice to give encouragement. If she still won’t pick it up, hand it to her, then try again.

RETRIEVE IN PLAY lessons should be short so your dog won’t get tired of the game. You fail in your objective if the dog gets bored and refuses to pick up thrown articles in play. Another thing—don’t always make your dog sit after she picks up the article. The steadying-down process required for Obedience Trials can be applied AFTER the dog has learned to retrieve on command. For the play training, keep things exciting.

When practicing RETRIEVE IN PLAY, use an assortment of articles for your games, and among them include the dumbbell. The retrieve exercise should not be associated with any one object. It is also important that you give the retrieve command just before your dog reaches for the article and that you praise enthusiastically while she is picking it up. Afterward, quietly but firmly insist that she bring the article to you.

Things To Remember When Teaching The RETRIEVE IN PLAY:

1. Play games every chance you have.

2. Use an assortment of articles, and include the dumbbell.

3. Practice RETRIEVE IN PLAY, both on and off leash.

4. Keep the retrieve command a happy one.

5. Give the command ONCE.

6. Give praise while your dog is taking the article from the floor or the ground.

7. Allow your dog to chase articles without waiting for them to stop rolling.

8. Don’t insist that the dog sit every time she returns. When you take the object from your dog, never pull on it.

9. As the dog progresses, delay the praise until she is on her way back WITH the article.

10. Train often, but keep the lessons short.

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Before teaching the RETRIEVE OVER HURDLE exercise, train your dog in the jumping part without the dumbbell. Never correct for such things as not jumping, or for poor sits and finishes, while your dog is learning the retrieve part of the exercise.

Take your position in front of a low Solid Hurdle with your dog at your left side. Hold the leash in both hands, as when teaching the heeling exercises. As you step toward the jump, command “Robin, Hup!” and snap the leash over the hurdle ahead of the dog. Slacken the leash while the dog is jumping, so you won’t throw her off balance when she lands. Command “Come!” and jerk the leash toward you, with praise, to make her jump back. Run backward at the same time, gathering up the leash, so the dog will have room to sit squarely in front. If she isn’t sitting straight, correct her, then stand erect.

Wait a moment, then lean over and pat her. Patting your dog at this point accustoms her to the body movement she will experience when you lean over to take the dumbbell, which you will do in the regular RETRIEVE OVER HURDLE exercise. Stand up a second time, then command the “finish.”
When your dog will jump the hurdle both going and coming, and will sit squarely in front on the return, without corrections, do the exercise while the dog holds the dumbbell. Remember to straighten all crooked sits; and after you take the dumbbell, give it back once or twice to keep the dog from anticipating the finish.

Next comes the period of chasing the dumbbell over the hurdle in play—that is, if your dog can be baited with play. Keep the dog on leash. Get her excited. In a teasing way, toss the dumbbell over a low hurdle and see if she will go for it. Give one command, and, while she is picking up the dumbbell, give lots of praise. Encourage her to jump back, and use the command “Sit! Stay!” to help her keep the dumbbell in her mouth. After she is sitting straight, pat her, take the dumbbell, and complete the exercise.

After your dog plays this game for awhile, tell her “Stay!” and throw the dumbbell. Wait this time for it to stop rolling, then see if she will start when you give the command. Play combined with obedience in this exercise gets excellent results when you have a dog with a frisky nature. Unfortunately, too many dogs have never learned how to play. For them it is straight obedience.

The next step in teaching RETRIEVE OVER HURDLE is to see that the dog not only waits for you to tell her to get the dumbbell, but also that she starts on the first command. Keep the jump low, and have the dog on leash. Assume your position close to the hurdle so you won’t have to move your feet when you make a correction. Tell your dog “Stay!” and place the dumbbell on the opposite side of the jump, close enough that you can reach it by leaning over the hurdle. Hold the leash in both hands, and, without moving your arms, say a quiet “Take it!” “Good Girl!” If she starts, fine! That is what you want. If she remains sitting, correct as you did in the retrieve on flat exercise. Jerk the leash ONCE toward the jump while you are saying “Good Girl!” and after the dog jumps, lean over the hurdle, point to the dumbbell, and encourage her to pick it up.

Dogs frequently leap the hurdle when given the retrieve command, but will start back without the dumbbell. In this case, block the dog so she can’t return.

When your dog will retrieve successfully over a low hurdle on leash, try it without. If she jumps and picks up the dumbbell, rush forward, pat the top board of the hurdle to encourage her to jump back, then back up quickly, giving her room to land. Straighten all crooked sits, take the dumbbell, wait to see if she anticipates the finish, then let her go to heel position on command.

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