How does this sound to stop running in?

[hanandhen]

Have just invented a new game, what do you think?

Basically, we are playing in the living room at the moment. Henry sits, and I sit on the floor in front of him with his favourite dummy (one with a trip of rabbit fur on it).

I tell him to 'wait' then throw the dummy up so it lands fairly close to him. He has to sit still while I pick the dummy up, then he gets a big cuddle Every so often (like every 15 or 20 times) I send him to fetch the dummy.

If he moves to get the dummy without being asked, he gets a scary AHHHH and I'm close enough to stop him physically too.

This evening I was able to land the dummy right by his nose and he still didn't grab for it. And I could move a little further back from him and he was still steady

I was thinking we could start from here and build up. I have also been doing the more orthodox method of sitting him down and throwing out all the dummies, but I think he also needs something a bit remedial! Also, this makes it more of a game as he has to focus on me as to whether he can go or not.

What do you think? I tend to make up quite a bit of this as I go along

[Sarah1985]

Sounds good. Any sort of control game will help and this one sounds ideal as you can practice with limited distractions. You sound like your making it easy for him to suceed before uping the anti which is always a good idea

For a slight variation leave the toy on the floor and reward with the dummy still lying on the floor. Sometimes the reward makes the dog think the trick is over which it isnt till you give the release/send away cue.

[hanandhen]

Ah yes, good thinking! Will be sure to incorporate that when we next play. Thank you!

[Nicola]

That sounds good to me too, the more control you have the better and this way you can make sure that he doesn't get the chance to fail and run in. Has he got used to being allowed to retrieve everything that he sees thrown? I don't know if he's been introduced to 'gone away' but when you pick the dummy I would also say 'gone away' because if a dog is going to go shooting it is vital that they realise that not all retrieves are theirs and the 'gone away' lets them know that this one's not for them. When you introduce another dummy you can carry this on by throwing and picking both saying 'gone away' and on occasion send him for a specific one and you 'gone away' the other one. There are then loads of variations on this that you can move on to once he's got the hang of it.

[hanandhen]

Hello!

No he's not been allowed to retrieve everything for ages - at first when he was a reluctant retriever I did let him get the lot to build up his enthusiasm but it's been many months since that stage now. He was quite good at waiting, but lately I think he's got a bit cocky and decided that he knows best He always brings his run-ins straight back, so I just take them from him with no praise or other reaction and then make him sit and do it again properly - is that the right thing to do?

I will start to introduce 'gone away', thank you That sounds like a very useful concept!

I think he just gets carried away with his enthusiasm sometimes and he finds retrieving so much fun these days (think I did too good a job on him!) so I guess the challenge now is to make sitting still as interesting as retrieving - quite a large challenge I suspect

ETA we are working with two dummies at a time, and he is actually a bit better with this exercise because he has to wait for me to tell him which one to get - although I have to be on my toes because if I send him in the same direction too often he starts anticipating

[Nicola]

Sounds like it is just overenthusiasm/Cocker cheekiness then! If he does run in but brings the dummy back properly I'd still give him a 'good boy' when he hands it over as it's the running in that's the problem rather than the retrieving/presenting iyswim, it's always worth praising a good present. The sitting him back down and making him do it properly is obviously right though. I'd keep doing as you're doing and try to anticipate if he's going to move so you can reinforce the 'hup!' and/or be onto him as soon as his bum leaves the floor so he doesn't get the chance to go.

When you move on from this do you have someone you can rope in as a training assistant for a while? If you can beg or bribe someone (which is generally what I have to do ) you can get them to stand out facing you and throw the dummy so that it lands near them. If Henry runs in THEY grab the dummy first so there's nothing there for him to get - no reward for running in - and you can get him and bring him back to where he was. Obviously if he doesn't run in he can either be redirected or sent for the dummy as appropriate. This is a good method for the dogs who will sit steady if they know that you can beat them to the dummy but who will merrily run in if they realise that you're out of range and they can beat you there.

They are smart little cookies, I have to be constantly on my toes with Caoimhe

[MUDDYBOOTS]

Hi,as you know I am not an expert but when I was training Cloe my show cocker to stop running in I started by sitting her then walking about 10 mtrs away to give myself a start IYSWIM,then turned and faced her and threw the dummy.If she looked like she was going to run in I would tell her to stay or leave it and if she did run in then I could beat her to it and pick it up before she was rewarded for running in by getting the dummy.If she ran in I would take her back and do it again till she stayed steady, then I would reward her with the retrieve.When she got the hang of this I would throw a couple of dummy's and pick one let her retrieve one.Then I moved closer to her until I could throw the dummy's and be confident she would not run in.

[hanandhen]

I really could do with a training buddy, but I jut don't know who I could get to help!  Might ask my trainer next time we go, maybe one of her other clients will be in a similar position?

Have started teaching him 'gone away' today, he seems to have the idea, but then he'd get the idea of anything if there was a bit of chicken skin in it for him The only one he ran in on was one that I accidentally landed right on his head Poor dog - but he deserved it after today, gave him his first go on a scurry for a laugh and Oh. My. God....!

[Nicola]

Have started teaching him 'gone away' today, he seems to have the idea, but then he'd get the idea of anything if there was a bit of chicken skin in it for him The only one he ran in on was one that I accidentally landed right on his head Poor dog - but he deserved it after today, gave him his first go on a scurry for a laugh and Oh. My. God....!

I smacked Rodaidh on the head with a dummy once when he was about 9 or 10 months old and I swear he's never forgotten it It sounds like Henry's getting on really well   What happened at the scurry though? I wouldn't worry about it too much, I (stupidly) put Caoimhe in a scurry when she was right in her pre-season hormonal phase a couple of months ago and it was not her finest moment to say the least

[hanandhen]

It's the second time I have smacked him in the head with a dummy, the poor beastie - I was never in the netball team you know

The scurry was quite an experience, it was blogworthy in fact http://diaryofatoerag.blogspot.com/ Wicked and recalcitrant beast! At least he made all the others look good though

[Nicola]

   Well at least he made an impression! He does look quite contrite in the photo with the certificate   The blog is great, I did a travel one a couple of years ago and was intending to start one for Caoimhe's training but I never got round to it