what age

[wild rover 548]

just need a bit of advice as im a bit rusty on this subject.im at present training a saluki/whippet greyhound x collie /greyhound pup.ive got his recall spot on,he sits on command,walks to heel.the only thing im having trouble with is getting him to retreive.the dog is only fourteen weeks old so im not expecting miracles from him yet.he will chase his favourite toy once thrown for him but he runs away from me after picking it up.i have read plummers book about how to get the pup retreiving,gave it a shot but it hasnt worked.the dog seems to think im playing with him,which is a good thing.but he drops his toy away from where i am and just jumps all over me .should i leave this part of the training for a few more weeks and restart again with him or should i keep trying with him.i trained my old collie whippet myself and she took to it like a duck to water but that was thirteen year ago and i cant remember what age she was when i started her.any help would be much appreciated.

cheers in advance

col

 

Hello mate, go back to just retrieving in the passage, keep doing this until perfected, teach the pup to "hold" by placing the dummy in its mouth and hold its mouth shut, saying "hold" reward when done and quiet, not jumping about, it will realise it gets the reward when still.

Do some retrieves and when the pup comes in tell it to "hold" practice until mastered. Dont overdo it.

Then teach, leave, dead or whatever word you want to use to get it to give the dummy up, call it in then let it hold it, then remove it from its mouth using whichever command you choose.

 

Practice and time should tell. Cheers WR.

[skycat 6,173]

I've found that most lurchers with Saluki in their breeding can be very slow to mature: at 14 weeks everything should be a game: anything that smacks of serious training can turn the pup right off you so gently does it.

 

What I do is always praise the dog when it is carrying something, even if it doesn't then bring it to me. If the pup is carrying something it shouldn't have in its mouth, like a shoe or a piece of sheep shit, don't tell it off: ever! You want it to associate carrying with praise: whatever it is.

 

If you throw an article, get down on the ground first: squat or kneel. Then play with the item yourself: drag it around your feet, (I've found a small coke bottle is good fun: they love the feel and crunch of plastic!) talk to yourself as though you're having a great game with the bottle, make little fast movements with it to interest the pup.

 

When you've got his attention and he's trying to grab it, throw it, just a few yards in an enclosed space lke a hallway or back yard. Chances are he'll go after it and grab it: now call him, and if you have done the game correctly he will think that he has your toy, as you were playing with it first.

 

He should come to you. If he doesn't want to let go, then don't force him, just hold the bottle at the same time as he has hold of the other end and praise and stroke him. This is a subtle battle of wills! Most Saluki types are extremely possessive, but you must do what another dog would do at this stage> just keep hold of the bottle! Eventually he will realise that you have the stronger will and he will let go: I see this all the time with my dogs when they are playing: 2 pups of similar age, say 8 months, will both have hold of something, and they just stand there, though sometimes one will growl a bit, quietly (you don't want to do that though!).

 

Mostly one dog just lets go eventually and the stronger character keeps hold of the item. You need to do this, no words, just keep hold. When he does let go eventually then praise like mad, and do the game all over again: but only once more. Then put the toy away where he has seen that you've put it but cant' get at it. It is your toy, not his.

 

If, and this is very unlikely, the pup starts growling at you when you have hold of the bottle, tell him "No!" in a sharp voice, and this will make him let go, but if you are already boss of him he won't growl and that is only likely to happen if he thinks you are a play mate on a similar level to him: if he thinks that then you need to change your attitude towards him pronto, even at this age.

 

Only do a retrieve once a day at this age.

[col g 0]

I've found that most lurchers with Saluki in their breeding can be very slow to mature: at 14 weeks everything should be a game: anything that smacks of serious training can turn the pup right off you so gently does it.

 

What I do is always praise the dog when it is carrying something, even if it doesn't then bring it to me. If the pup is carrying something it shouldn't have in its mouth, like a shoe or a piece of sheep shit, don't tell it off: ever! You want it to associate carrying with praise: whatever it is.

 

If you throw an article, get down on the ground first: squat or kneel. Then play with the item yourself: drag it around your feet, (I've found a small coke bottle is good fun: they love the feel and crunch of plastic!) talk to yourself as though you're having a great game with the bottle, make little fast movements with it to interest the pup.

 

When you've got his attention and he's trying to grab it, throw it, just a few yards in an enclosed space lke a hallway or back yard. Chances are he'll go after it and grab it: now call him, and if you have done the game correctly he will think that he has your toy, as you were playing with it first.

 

He should come to you. If he doesn't want to let go, then don't force him, just hold the bottle at the same time as he has hold of the other end and praise and stroke him. This is a subtle battle of wills! Most Saluki types are extremely possessive, but you must do what another dog would do at this stage> just keep hold of the bottle! Eventually he will realise that you have the stronger will and he will let go: I see this all the time with my dogs when they are playing: 2 pups of similar age, say 8 months, will both have hold of something, and they just stand there, though sometimes one will growl a bit, quietly (you don't want to do that though!).

 

Mostly one dog just lets go eventually and the stronger character keeps hold of the item. You need to do this, no words, just keep hold. When he does let go eventually then praise like mad, and do the game all over again: but only once more. Then put the toy away where he has seen that you've put it but cant' get at it. It is your toy, not his.

 

If, and this is very unlikely, the pup starts growling at you when you have hold of the bottle, tell him "No!" in a sharp voice, and this will make him let go, but if you are already boss of him he won't growl and that is only likely to happen if he thinks you are a play mate on a similar level to him: if he thinks that then you need to change your attitude towards him pronto, even at this age.

 

Only do a retrieve once a day at this age.

cheers for the advice mate .ive been on with him this morning and he has eventually brought the ball back to me with the aid of treats.he was just mucking about at first with the ball until he realised there was a reward at the end of it for him.i threw the ball for him half a dozen times,and every time it was brought back it was placed in my hand.the dog was given loads of praise and his treat.i gave him a treat three out of six retreives .but its progress.i will keep on with this method and hopefully it will get him right..thanks to everybody for their advice,its been much appreciated cheers,col