Competitive Obedience Training for the Small Dog

by Barbara Cecil

  “All during competition you should place a premium on thinking the right thoughts. Fix attention on the task at hand, not on its potential consequences.”

  Robert Brody

  Chapter 11

  THE RETRIEVE

  Question: Why do many people drop out of obedience after their dogs earn Companion Dog titles?

  Answer: Their reluctance, inability, or failure to teach the retrieve.

  Almost every dog is physically and mentally capable of picking up a thrown dumbbell and carrying it in his mouth back to his handler. This simple act is a retrieve. Yet many novice trainers are reluctant to teach it because in their minds “retrieving on command” means a force retrieve, and that means dealing in pain: pinching, twisting, or squeezing.

  This is where people say, “I’ll quit first.” And many of them do, because no one told them that they don’t have to hurt their dogs. Pain is not synonymous with retrieve. Even in the Koehler (father of the force retrieve) method, pain is not automatically employed.

  If you are willing to invest the time and effort, you can teach your dog to be an enthusiastic, confident, reliable retriever. With a reliable retrieve, your dog can earn a UD. Without it, his career will end with a CD.

  There are two approaches to teaching the retrieve. There is the motivational method, based on the techniques of the late tracking guru Glen Johnson, which relies on food. Food training is considered undependable by proponents of the second approach, the force retrieve. The truth is, dogs trained by either food or force can be fast, animated retrievers; it depends more on the dog’s temperament, energy level and chase instinct than on the method used.

  Start with the motivational method and work all the way through the progression. At the end, if you are not satisfied with the results, start over and work through the force retrieve. You can integrate food treats into the force retrieve if you wish. Both the motivational and force methods are described in this chapter with instructions tailored to the diminutive dog.

  Selection of a dumbbell was covered in Chapter 4. When you bring dog and dumbbell together, relax. You are going to teach your dog to “Take It,” “Hold,” and give up the dumbbell with a “Thank You.” No unjustified feelings of guilt or apprehension allowed!

  THE MOTIVATIONAL RETRIEVE

  Using the dog’s desire for food, you are going to teach the dog first to take, then to hold, and finally to retrieve the dumbbell. You will have to be an enthusiastic teacher; all the dog has to be is hungry. Really hungry! If he is hungry, he will be attentive and anxious to do whatever he has to do to get the treat. The treat itself must be capable of really turning the dog on, little bits of something soft, smelly and wonderful, something he gets at no other time.

  The entire progression is taught in a familiar area that is free of distractions. Distractions are not introduced until the dog is doing full distance retrieves.

  Teaching The “Take It”

  Put the leash on the dog and kneel on the leash so both of your hands are free. Smear some of the treat on the dowel of the dumbbell, not enough for the dog to lick off but enough to give it an enticing flavor. Control the dog by putting a finger of your left hand lightly under his collar. Don’t tell the dog to sit or stay; you want his full attention on the retrieve. Hold the dumbbell by the right bell and put it directly in front of the dog’s mouth with the command “Take It.” Keep the tone of your voice cheery and upbeat. Don’t threaten or plead.

  If the dog does not take the dumbbell promptly, move your left hand from the collar and gently open the dog’s mouth. Place the dumbbell just behind his canine teeth. Praise, whether the dog has taken the dumbbell or you have placed it in his mouth. Immediately remove the dumbbell with the command “Thank You,” and give the dog a treat. Praise must be enthusiastic, sincere and lavish, and the treat must instantly follow the removal of the dumbbell.

  Be sure you remove the dumbbell before the dog has a chance to spit it out. You are teaching only the take, not the hold.

  Repeat the “Take It”/praise/”Thank You”/treat sequence at least five times per session, twice a day, until the dog consistently and voluntarily opens his mouth for the dumbbell.

  Use your thumb and index finger on the dog’s upper jaw

  to open his mouth.

  Teaching The “Hold” And “Thank You”

  While teaching the command “Hold,” temporarily stop working on “Take It.” These are two separate commands, and the dog needs to learn them independently of each other.

  Begin by placing the dumbbell in the dog’s mouth and then commanding “Hold.” Scratch him under the chin to keep his head up while you praise. Command “Thank You” (or “Give” or “Out” or whatever you please), remove the dumbbell and reward. When the dog understands and responds to the command “Hold,” begin increasing the time the dog is required to hold the dumbbell by two second increments, until the dog is steady at 20 seconds. (Don’t try to teach or practice “Hold” when the dog is distracted or is so hot he is panting.)

  Do trainers in the South really say “Thank You” when they take the dumbbell from the dog? I’ve never heard that before. What’s wrong with “Give” or “Out”?

  Gerianne

  Y’all can say any little old thang y’all want. Ah do believe it is important to always be polite, ‘specially to one’s dawg.

  Barbara

  If the dog thinks he is “holding” the dumbbell when it is just lying in his mouth, you might have to help him understand just what “Hold” really involves. Put your fingers on top of the dog’s muzzle, your thumb underneath, and gently press his muzzle shut on the dowel. Praise with the command word, “Good Hold” when the dog bites down. The same process is used if the dog starts mouthing the dumbbell.

  If it looks like the dog is about to drop the dumbbell when you are practicing the hold, intercept the drop with a verbal “Ahh!” (don’t overreact, you are still teaching), and use your fingers to close the dog’s muzzle firmly on the dowel. Repeat “Hold.” Move your hand from the dog’s muzzle so he can successfully hold the dumbbell on his own for a few seconds, then “Thank You” and reward. If you weren’t watching the dog closely enough and he dropped the dumbbell before you were able to stop him, don’t reprimand. Just withhold praise and the treat, and start over again.

  When the dog can sit and hold the dumbbell for 20 seconds, releasing it only on command, it’s time to teach the dog to come to you while carrying the dumbbell. Even if your dog thinks he cannot possibly move and hold the dumbbell at the same time, don’t use the leash to pull or jerk him toward you. Avoid any semblance of a correction. Instead, coax the dog, your fingers under his chin to encourage him to keep his head up as you back away. If you are only able to increase the distance the dog is moving toward you a few steps at each practice session, that’s fine. Build on success.

  As the distance is increased and the dog gains confidence, begin to remove your right hand from under his chin and start emphasizing speed. When the dog can do a fast 30 foot off leash recall while carrying the dumbbell, he is ready to learn the retrieve.

  Teaching The Retrieve

  The goal now is to have the dog reach for the dumbbell. Control the dog by your left side with your left hand on the snap of the leash; if the dog is wearing a choke collar, the leash is attached to the dead ring. The dog does not need to be placed into a sit. In fact, he might move forward more readily from a standing position.

  Flash the dumbbell just an inch in front of the dog’s nose and command “Take It.” Praise enthusiastically as the dog reaches for the dumbbell. As soon as his mouth closes on the dowel, command “Hold.” Praise, give an almost immediate “Thank You,” take the dumbbell and reward the dog.

  What if he doesn’t reach that critical inch for the dumbbell? If you know he knows what “Take It” means, and he is choosing not to do it, a verbal “Ahh!” and a quick movement of the dog via the collar toward the dumbbell is justified. This is not an emotional issue. The dog
has not rejected you. He has made a decision to reject the dumbbell. It might help your objectivity if you imagined another command. What if you had said “Sit” and the dog had answered, I know what it means, but I’m not going to do it. You would correct the dog by making him sit. Why should failure to “Take It” be handled any differently? Don’t plead, don’t argue, don’t quit – just make the dog do it by using the collar to move his head to the dumbbell. Even if you have to do all of the work, immediately reward success with praise.

  Gradually increase the distance the dog is required to reach for the dumbbell, and begin to incorporate movement. (That’s the dog moving toward the dumbbell, not the dumbbell toward the dog!) Holding the dumbbell in your right hand and the dog by the leash in your left, turn clockwise. Encourage the dog’s prey and chase instincts to “catch” the dumbbell by moving it away from him at his eye level. Be sure to reward the dog for every correct response. When the dog can catch the moving dumbbell held a full arm’s length away, begin lowering the dumbbell an inch or two toward the floor after each successful “Take It.” When the dog will take the dumbbell held just off the floor, work through the progression of:

  -Holding the dumbbell with one bell touching the ground,

  -Dumbbell on the ground with your fingers touching a bell,

  -Dumbbell on the ground with your hand near it,

  -A short toss (Hurrah!)

  If necessary, after a toss you can step forward with the dog and touch the dumbbell as you command “Take It.” This can be reduced to stepping forward and pointing to the dumbbell, then just stepping forward after the throw. In the final scenario, the dog is retrieving the tossed dumbbell on his own.

  When you start increasing the distance of the toss, the command to “Take It” is given as soon as the dumbbell is thrown, and the “Thank You” given as soon as the dog returns. The sit and wait for the command to retrieve and the sit in front holding the dumbbell are not added until the dog is enthusiastically retrieving the dumbbell from 20 feet away.

  THE FORCE RETRIEVE

  Unfortunately, for some dogs the motivational retrieve just isn’t motivational enough. There are dogs that would sooner die than carry something in their mouths. Some are not turned on by food or toys. Some have no chase instinct whatsoever. For these dogs, there is the force retrieve.

  Teaching The “Take It”

  The first objective in the force retrieve is the dog’s acceptance of the dumbbell on your command. Put the dog by your left side and kneel on the leash. (You can also introduce “Take It” with the dog on a table or in your lap.) Place your left hand over the dog’s muzzle with your thumb on one side and your index finger on the other. With your right hand, bring the dumbbell against the dog’s mouth and command “Take It.” Immediately press the thumb and finger of your left hand against the dog’s lips to gently open his mouth, placing the dumbbell behind his canine teeth. Remove your left hand, and with the thumb and fingers of your right hand, hold the dog’s mouth shut for a few seconds. Praise quietly, command “Thank You” and take the dumbbell out of the dog’s mouth.

  Holding the dog’s mouth closed on the dumbbell

  Repeat this sequence of placing the dumbbell in the dog’s mouth at least five times per session, twice a day, for 10 days. With this schedule, the dog will have had the dumbbell placed in his mouth with the command “Take It” and taken out of his mouth with the command “Thank You” 100 times before he is expected to open his mouth on his own.

  For the next level of learning, pull the collar up high and tight on the dog’s neck behind his ears. If he is wearing a choke collar, put the leash on the live ring. Hold the collar in position; don’t let it slide down the dog’s neck or it will put pressure on his trachea. You are not going to choke the dog, you are just going to control the collar – and the dog’s head – with your left hand.

  Holding the dumbbell by the bell with your right hand, command “Take It” and press the dowel against the dog’s lips until he opens his mouth. Hold the dumbbell in his mouth for a couple of seconds by closing his muzzle with your right hand. Praise, tell him “Thank You,” take the dumbbell and release.

  Controlling the dog’s head with the collar

  If the dog locks his jaws and refuses to open his mouth, continue to press the dowel against his teeth and repeat an unemotional “Take It.” The dog knows the meaning of the command; he has heard it 100 times, and each of those 100 times you opened his mouth for him. He now has to do it himself. Don’t feel guilty about being insistent! You can win any test of wills because you have control over the dog’s head with the collar. Practice this step five times per session, twice a day, until the dog willingly opens his mouth on command so the dumbbell can be placed in it.

  The next objective is to have the dog reach for the dumbbell. A collar twist or ear pinch will be used if necessary. Pull the dog’s collar up firmly and high on the neck. For the collar twist, slip your index finger beneath the collar and grasp it. Keep your palm up. The twist is accomplished by rolling your hand forward so that the palm faces down.

  If you are going to use the ear pinch, slip your middle finger through the collar and hold the middle of the dog’s right ear between the thumb and index finger of your left hand.

  Place the dumbbell lightly – don’t press it – against the dog’s mouth and command “Take It.” If he takes the dumbbell, praise. Gently hold his mouth shut with your right hand for a few seconds, then tell him “Thank You” and remove the dumbbell.

  If the dog does not immediately respond to the command to “Take It,” twist the collar forward or pinch the dog’s ear with your index finger against your thumb. Use just enough pressure to make the dog open his mouth from surprise and discomfort. Don’t increase the pressure slowly, just quickly twist or pinch. The instant his mouth opens, use your grip on the collar or ear to move the dog’s head forward so that his jaws encompass the dowel. The force is over the instant the dumbbell is in his mouth. Praise enthusiastically, command “Thank You,” take the dumbbell and release. Remember:

  • Do not move the dumbbell into the dog’s mouth. The dog is to move his mouth over the dumbbell.

  • Be ready to apply force. Don’t fumble for the collar or ear after the dog has refused to retrieve.

  • Do not apply force automatically, only if the dog fails to “Take It” on command.

  • Stop the twist or pinch the instant the dumbbell is in the dog’s mouth.

  Work for several days until the dog can consistently perform five contention-free retrieves when the dumbbell is held against his lips. Progress to holding the dumbbell about one inch from his lips; if the dog fails to respond on command, use the twist or pinch to move his head forward. Train for consistency on the one-inch, then 6-inch, then 12-inch retrieve.

  Teaching The “Hold”

  The “Hold” is introduced when the dog is consistently taking the dumbbell from one foot away. While the dog is learning “Hold,” stop working on “Take It.” These are two separate commands; you don’t want the praise for one to be negated by a correction for the other.

  Begin by placing the dumbbell in the dog’s mouth without a command, then holding his jaws shut as you command “Hold.” Keep the dumbbell in his mouth for a few seconds before you start to praise. Command “Thank You,” take the dumbbell and release.

  After several days of successful repetitions, place the dumbbell in the dog’s mouth, command “Hold” and remove your hand from his muzzle. If the dog starts to let the dumbbell fall from his mouth, instantly tap him under the chin with a finger and repeat the “Hold” command. If the dumbbell falls all the way out of his mouth (you weren’t watching closely enough), just put it back in and start over. Increase the time at each practice until the dog is consistently successful at holding the dumbbell for a full 20 seconds, then progress to the recalls as described in the motivational method.

  Teaching The Retrieve

  When the dog is steady on holding the dumb
bell, combine “Take It” and “Hold.” Slowly increase the distance of the retrieve from 12 inches to an arm’s length at the dog’s eye level. Continue to keep your fingers ready on the dog’s collar or ear, moving his head the entire distance to the dumbbell if necessary. Practice the arm’s length retrieve twice a day, five consecutive successful retrieves each practice, for a week. Then begin to lower the dumbbell an inch or two toward the floor after each successful retrieve until the dog is taking it when it is being held an arm’s length away just off the floor.

  A critical point in teaching the retrieve occurs when the umbilical cord is cut, and the dog has to pick up the dumbbell off the floor rather than taking it from your hand. Follow the same sequence here that was used in the motivational retrieve:

  • Hold the dumbbell with one bell touching the floor. Give the “Take It” command; continue to support the dumbbell until the dog has his mouth on the dowel.

  • Place the dumbbell on the floor the same distance away. Keep your fingers on a bell and give the “Take It” command.

  • Place the dumbbell on the floor and keep your hand near it when you give the command.

  • Toss the dumbbell a short distance for the retrieve.

  The final objective in on-leash retrieving is to have the dog go four, five, and then six feet to retrieve a tossed dumbbell. Handling is important. Have the collar up and your force ready (no pressure unless necessary) when you say “Take It.” If the dog moves toward the dumbbell, immediately release the collar or ear and allow the dog to run to the end of the leash to retrieve. As the dog picks up the dumbbell, command “Come.” Remind him to “Hold” as he returns. If the dog does not move out on the command to retrieve, be ready to instantly make a correction. Don’t wait to see if the dog is going to retrieve, then fumble around trying to arrange the collar or ear when he doesn’t move.