When the dog is ready to retrieve without your fingers on his ear or your hand on his collar, start phasing out the “ready position.” Progress to longer retrieves with the dog on a Flexi and the choke collar on the dead ring. The dog should be trained past all point of contention by the time he is required to retrieve in the formal pattern of the retrieve exercises.
To proof, work the dog around distractions. If he stops in mid-retrieve, choosing the distraction over the dumbbell, calmly and deliberately go down the leash, arrange the collar or ear, and apply pressure that doesn’t stop until he has picked up the dumbbell.
THE THROW
You can help your dog tremendously in the Open retrieves if you can throw the dumbbell the same distance and have it land in approximately the same place each time. A dog shouldn’t have to search for his dumbbell before he retrieves it!
Holding the dumbbell
Practice the throw without the dog until you have it perfected. Hold the dumbbell with your thumb on top and your other fingers beneath one bell. Handle the dumbbell just like a miniature bowling ball; keep your palm up during your swing, release and follow-through. The dumbbell should be pushed rather than thrown. Don’t flip the dumbbell in your release, and don’t twist your wrist or your arm in your delivery.
The dumbbell should be thrown with very little rotation so that if it bounces when it lands it will keep moving straight ahead, and the dog can track its movement. The throw should also have a low arc so that the dumbbell is almost immediately within the short dog’s sight, rather than suddenly appearing from the heavens 20 feet away.
I throw the dumbbell with a backward rotation and, unlike Barbara, I throw it fairly high so it “floats” through the air. It is sometimes hard to throw a tiny dumbbell to exactly the right spot, but by throwing it this way it usually lands where I want it.
Once when I was showing Zipper in an Open B ring with an unusual setup (broad jump in the middle, high jump on the side), my Retrieve on the Flat toss ended up with the dumbbell on the other side of the broad jump where it was completely hidden from the dog. A similar situation occurred once with Zack when his dumbbell disappeared behind a ring stanchion. In both cases when the judge said “Send your dog” I stared in disbelief, but am pleased to report both dogs did successful blind retrieves. A small dog must be taught not only to retrieve, but to continue searching until he finds his dumbbell.
Gerianne
Developing a good toss might take some practice, but it’s important to the success of your team that you perform your part well. The dog must do the rest.
PROBLEMS AND POLISH
If your dog begins to anticipate the retrieve, put him on a short leash (collar on the dead ring), and stand on the leash with your left foot. Command “Wait” and throw the dumbbell. If the dog does not anticipate, tell him “Take It,” and lift your foot just enough to release the leash. If the dog does anticipate, say nothing. Let the leash stop him, then remind him that this was a “Wait.” Put him back in heel position, stand on the leash and try again.
Fronting while carrying a dumbbell (or scent article, or glove) is much more difficult for a dog than fronting without something in his mouth. You might find you have to retrain fronts for the retrieve exercises.
When you take the dumbbell from your dog, take it straight out on the level of the dog’s mouth before lifting it up. If you pull a dumbbell straight up out of the mouth of a short dog, you will hit the back of his canine teeth with the dowel. This painful “Thank You” could be the cause of a multitude of retrieving problems!
To keep up the dog’s enthusiasm, you should do at least as many informal play retrieves as you do formal retrieves. The only thing that really matters in a play retrieve is the dog’s speed; never sacrifice speed for accuracy. Accuracy (also known as the front and finish) is practiced separately.
“Put your heart, mind and soul into even your smallest acts. That is the secret of success.”
Sivananoa
Chapter 12
HIGH JUMP AND BAR JUMP
Good jumpers are both born and made. Watch a good jumping dog in the ring and you will see a dog that is physically and mentally uninhibited. He doesn’t stutter step, jump reluctantly, or land heavily. He is confident, and his jumping is free and easy.
It’s a given that some breeds are better designed for jumping than others. (Compare the Poodle to the Pug.) Generally speaking, the better the dog’s conformation, the better he can jump. Regardless of breed or build, however, or how natural a jumper you believe your dog to be, before you begin teaching the jumping exercises you need your veterinarian’s assurance that your dog is physically capable of withstanding the demands that jumping will put on his body.
Patella luxation, the kneecap out of its normal groove, or subluxation, a “loose” kneecap or partial dislocation, has been estimated to affect as many as 50% of all small dogs. By the time your dog is six months old, a veterinarian can tell by a simple manual exam if your dog is patella sound. If your dog does not have good knees, you will need to discuss options with a veterinary orthopedic specialist. Surgery may be an eventual necessity. A dog with unsound patellas cannot and should not jump.
In addition to the patellas, there are other concerns on which you will want your vet’s opinion. Does the dog have a condition or problem that would affect his vision, hearing or balance? Is there any degree of hip dysplasia? Hydrocephaly? Does the dog’s weight, coat or energy level suggest a thyroid problem? Are his teeth clean and in good condition? Does the dog need to lose weight and/or build muscle? Jumping is an athletic endeavor; your dog won’t jump if he can’t.
When you know your dog is physically capable, you can begin teaching him all three jumps – high, bar and broad – at the same time. Regardless of the exercise, “Over!” means “Find something to jump, and jump it!” Practicing on any one jump helps reinforce the others.
Begin with each jump at the lowest possible increment. This would be the two-inch board in the high jump, the bar resting on the ground between the bar jump uprights, and the lowest board of the broad jump. You can then put one-half inch and one-inch spacers between the high jump boards, and rest the bar on “C” clamps attached to the uprights of the bar jump. This will allow for small incremental adjustments in height. Full height and distance should be postponed for the young dog until he is physically mature and his bone growth is complete.
Spacers
“C” clamps
Your jumps can be the three-foot or four-foot wide size for portability, but be sure to occasionally use regulation five-foot jumps in practice, too. The added expanse of that extra foot can look massive and intimidating to the proportionately smaller dog.
Because the dog needs to develop his own timing and learn to arc rather than flat-foot his jump over the obstacle, use of a jumpstick is not recommended. For the same reasons, teaching the dog to jump without having to use a leash would be ideal. However, if you train in an unconfined area, a Flexi or long line is often necessary for safety reasons. The dog should wear a buckle collar, and the leash should be kept loose. The dog is never forcefully propelled over a jump. Instructions for teaching the jumps will include the use of a leash, but as soon as you can safely eliminate it, do so.
To lessen the chance of the dog slipping or sliding when he jumps, keep his nails short and the hair between his pads trimmed. A liquid rosin product such as “Show Foot” can also be helpful if you are working on a less than ideal surface. To apply an aerosol rosin to a small dog’s pads without getting it up his nose or into his eyes, spray the liquid into something else, such as a jar lid, and then rub each of the dog’s paws in the lid. Hold the dog aloft for the few seconds it takes the liquid to dry. Jelled and dry rosin products are available but are not as effective as the liquids. In an emergency, you can even dab Classic Coke on the pads. Let the pads air-dry before setting the dog back on the ground.
HIGH JUMP
To teach the high jump, begin with a literal
“introduction.” Let your dog sniff the jump, look at it from all sides, and decide on his own that it is nothing to fear.
Put the dog on leash; you are going to jump the high jump together. Keep your feet under control when you are running and jumping; don’t kick them up or out to the side. Your approach should start at least eight feet in front of the jump, which is the minimum distance allowed in the ring; a small dog should be able to take three or four full strides before jumping. Remember that the high jump is set at its minimum height, using only the two-inch board. You don’t have to be a hurdler to teach your dog this exercise! Tell the dog “Let’s Go” as you start to run. Command “Over!” and jump with the dog; run on another 10 to 12 feet. With a second “Let’s Go” and “Over,” repeat the sequence in the opposite direction.
Timing of praise is important. Praise is given when the dog commits to the jump and while he is jumping. These are the actions that you want to reinforce.
The leash and collar must be loose the entire time. Again, at no point is the dog ever forced, pulled, or hurled over the jump. If the dog is hesitant to jump (even the two-inch board can be a “barrier”), continue on over the jump yourself, then quickly turn to the dog and call him “Over!” as if this were a simple recall exercise.
Once the dog is confident in jumping with you, progress to on leash and then off leash recalls over the jump, gradually adding height and occasionally a sit in front. Because dogs have such poor depth perception, don’t stand too close to the jump when you are on the side opposite the dog. If you have to draw attention to the jump, tap the top board and then run backwards fast. The dog won’t jump at all if he thinks he is going to crash into you in midair.
The retrieve portion of the exercise is not introduced until the dog can confidently perform a full height recall over the jump (one-half full height for the young dog) and a contention-free Retrieve on the Flat. Because jumping is more difficult for the dog when he is carrying a dumbbell, bring the jump heights down and then slowly work them back up as the dog gains experience. The commands for this exercise are “Over” after you’ve thrown the dumbbell and while the dog is still at your side, “Take It” as the dog nears the dumbbell, and then another “Over” just as the dog picks it up. The second “Over” is phased out first and then the “Take It.” (“Take It” is the command for the Retrieve on the Flat.) The initial “Over” then becomes your only command for the Retrieve over the High Jump.
The instant the dog’s mouth closes over the dumbbell, I say “Come” rather than “Over.” The “Come” command will be used again in teaching the glove and scent article retrieves.
Gerianne
Rather than “Come,” I like “Over” to refocus the dog’s attention on the jump after he has made the retrieve. Because the dog knows what “Over” means, I can reinforce the command if he misses or avoids the jump.
Barbara
To develop confidence and timing, the dog must have plenty of opportunities to practice jumping. Five times over the high jump (set at one-half full height for the youngster) four or five times a week should be enough to keep the dog in good jumping condition. If every jump is preceded by a command of “Over” and most of the jumps involve motivational retrieves, the dog should have little problem with the formal Retrieve over the High Jump.
Even so, at some point in training it will happen: the dog will come around the jump rather than over it. Perhaps he wasn’t concentrating; perhaps he just wanted to see what the consequences would be. Whatever the reason, your response should be the same: intercept the dog, if possible, the instant the error is made. There is no physical or verbal correction involved. Just set the dog up for success on his next jump by simplifying the exercise in height and distance. Ask for one correct response, and then quit for the day. At your next practice, start back at the level at which you know the dog can be successful.
When the dog is confident with the Retrieve over the High Jump sequence, you can proof with increasingly wild throws of the dumbbell to the right and left over the jump. Send the dog to retrieve with “Over.” As the dog nears the dumbbell, run to the jump, tap the top board, give another “Over” command, and backpedal fast. Your dog has good peripheral vision – he can see both you and the jump out of the corner of his eye – but because of poor depth perception, he might misjudge distance when approaching the jump at an angle. It’s something on which he will need practice.
Be sure you are always centered behind the jump, especially when you know you are going to have to help the dog out. Reinforce the idea to the dog that if he goes over the jump to retrieve, he has to come back over, no matter where the dumbbell may have landed.
According to the AKC OBEDIENCE REGULATIONS, the dumbbell has to land at least eight feet on the other side of the jump. You can, of course, throw it farther. Your throw contributes greatly to your dog’s success in this exercise. Practice until you can confidently toss the dumbbell to the same spot every time. It will also help to focus your dog’s attention on the jump if you throw the dumbbell with a low arc, just over the top board and through the space framed by the two uprights.
Practice fronts separately from the retrieve. Set up your guides for straight fronts – boards or dowels or whatever your dog might need – on one side of the jump. Sit the dog holding the dumbbell on the other side; call the dog over the jump and direct him into a straight front as soon as he lands. Use your “Head Up!” command to keep your dog’s attention focused on your face as you take the dumbbell.
Most small dogs spend their lives jumping – in and out of the car, onto the sofa, the bed, and into your lap. Because of this, the Retrieve over the High Jump, one of the toughest exercises for a big or heavy-boned dog, is really one of the easiest for the little guys.
BAR JUMP
In the first stages, the bar jump is taught just like the high jump. But because the dog will never be sent out over a bar (he will be taking the bar only in returning to you), jump with the dog or call him over the bar in only one direction each practice session. As soon as possible, discard the leash in teaching this exercise; you will need both hands free – one moving, one still – for the signal.
Use “C” clamps to slowly increase the height of the bar. While the height is being increased, keep a barrier on the ground beneath the bar. This barrier serves the same purpose as the ground pole used in teaching a horse to jump; it helps the animal visually anchor the bar, which seems to be floating in space. You can use the two-inch, replaced by the four-inch, and then the eight-inch high jump boards; just lean the board against the bar jump uprights. As the dog gains confidence in jumping the bar, replace the eight-inch board with the four-inch, and then the two-inch. Eventually, when the two-inch board has been removed, the dog will be jumping the bar at full height with a better understanding of “Over” and that cavernous space between the bar and the ground.
When the dog can comfortably jump the bar straight on at full height (one-half full height for the young dog), reduce the height to teach the format of the Directed Jumping exercise. Sit the dog about eight feet behind and just off center of the jump. Tell him to “Wait,” step over the bar and immediately turn to face him. Give your signal for direction as you command “Over.” When the dog starts to move toward the jump, backpedal straight back. Praise the dog when he commits to the jump. Reward him with a treat when he gets to you, then walk him back around the jump to the starting point and repeat. Continue to set up the dog and yourself increasingly off center and farther apart from each other, left and right of one jump, as training progresses.
Emphasize direction. Begin by taking side steps toward, then leaning, and then just looking at the correct jump as you give the signal. Don’t keep looking at the dog – look at where you want the dog to be! As the dog learns, your extra movements are phased out.
For a good Directed Jumping command and signal that a short dog can decipher:
• Turn the palm of your signal hand from your leg to your dog, t
hen immediately (but slowly and deliberately) raise the whole arm to shoulder height, keeping the arm straight.
• Command “Over” as your extended arm is reaching shoulder height. Don’t precede “Over” with the dog’s name – it just gives him time to pick his own jump!
• With one continuous movement, lower your arm back to your side.
Don’t hold the signal, but don’t rush it, either. The whole movement, if done smoothly, should take about two seconds. Keep your non-signaling arm against your body.
Using one jump to teach Directed Jumping
Initially, you need only one jump to practice directed (as in “Go in the direction I indicate, find the jump and jump it”) jumping. When the dog understands that a jump can be offset, introduce the concept of two jumps. You and the dog are always centered between them, but the jumps, which start out 6 feet apart, are successively moved farther apart to a maximum of 20 feet. To prevent the dog from going “between” rather than “over,” keep a baby gate stretched between the two jumps as long as necessary. You and the dog each start about eight feet back from the jumps and, as the jumps are moved apart, work your way with each success farther and farther away from each other until there is a maximum of 50 feet between you.
If your dog seems to prefer one jump over the other, practice with two bar jumps or two high jumps and stress direction. Don’t try cross jumping (sitting the dog in front of one jump, then directing him over the other) until the dog has a great deal of confidence in his ability to perform the exercise correctly.
At an outdoor show Reina was jumping into the sun. She took the direction for the bar, but didn’t see the jump until it was right in front of her. When she tried to jump she landed on the bar, balanced there for a couple of seconds, then jumped off (the bar didn’t fall) and came on in for the front. The judge said, “I’m not even going to bother looking, I know this isn’t in the book!” Let’s see a big dog save a qualifying score like that!
Competitive Obedience Training for the Small Dog Page 12