# Making a solid Retrieve



## Dusty05 (Aug 21, 2005)

My 8 month brittany is making retrieves fairly good. The only problem is she will drop to ball or whatever she is retrieving 5-6 feet short of my feet. Sometimes it is closer but she will never give it right to me. I want to grab her and make her heel to me before she releases but she drops it before I can get her. How can I teach her to hold it if she won't do it even once? Thanks for the help.


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## Dusty05 (Aug 21, 2005)

I know that there was a post not to long ago, but I can't really check her to come on closer, because it isn't in her mouth. She will come to me on demand without a cord, but she just won't keep it.


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## Burly1 (Sep 20, 2003)

Dusty, I think that bench or yard training will cure the problem. Teach the dog to take, hold and release on command, while sitting in one spot. Once he has that, the rest will follow. Your pup is still a baby. It will come, if you persevere. Burl


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## Greenhead88 (Apr 16, 2005)

my dog did the same thing and what i did was i would put a bird in her mouth(all the time i am saying hold) and make sure that her head dose not go down. if her head starts to droop then i would give here a little tap under the chin just enough to make here head rise back up to were it started. eventually she will just sit there because she is sick you bopping her under the chin and when she dose that than say give/or drop which ever you say, and she sould give you the bird. now as she in coming in from a retrieve continuesly say hold, hold, hold and with practis she sould hold the bird right into heel. Good Luck.
Tyler


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## Dusty05 (Aug 21, 2005)

Thanks for the help. I will give it a try.


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## Springer (Dec 21, 2004)

Be sure that you use different Items for play and training.
My springer will drop balls at my feet but will hold the dummys.
Another thing that you could try is when the dog is coming to you turn around and start walking in the other direction. Usually the pup will hang onto the bumper and follow you. Then when she catches you have her sit and then give the release command. Also when she does hold it don't pull it right out of her mouth, give her a little praise.

This forum isn't bad but most others will just tell you that you need to force fetch. Which probably should be done but if you are like me and have never done it, it can seem a little overwhelming.

I do have a GSP that I think I am going to have to FF this spring but I have some good help with some of the guys in the dog club that we recently started.

If you are around GF get ahold of us and we can help out as we are now having weekly training sessions and there is a couple that also train during the week.

Good Luck


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## Dusty05 (Aug 21, 2005)

I have been working with her but she will not hold anything in her mouth. When I toss a ball she will grab it (sometimes) and then start back to me and drop it well before she gets to me. I was trying to teach her to hold, but she won't hold it until she goes after it.


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## huntcrazy (Mar 4, 2006)

Dusty have you tried running away from her until she is 4 or 5 feet from you and then grab her and place her at heel. every time she drops the bumper place it back in her mouth and say HOLD' HOLD.after four or five times say GIVE and let her spit it out. when you run from her she thinks that you are playing and wants to catch you while forgetting that she has the bumper in her mouth. good luck!


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## Dusty05 (Aug 21, 2005)

I haven't tried that, but I plan on getting out there with her today and see what we can do. She is still not at the point to where she will always go and get it. I'll let you know. Thanks again for the help.


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## Watchm! (Jul 9, 2005)

Force Fetch. Or you can try a formal hold if you don't want to go through the FF process.
Simply curl the dog's upper lip up, which should open her mouth. Place object in and tap under chin with a "Hold it" command.
Plastic water bottles, rolled up leather golves and soda cans work well with startng this. I have my labs hold a 10 lb dumbbell wrapped in socks for 10 minutes at a time. She should be holding things when you air her as well.
Progress to whatever item you would like her to hold.
Always reinforce calmly. Remember you are training your dog. You may have to spend alot of time at this stage of the game but it is well worth it.


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## Dusty05 (Aug 21, 2005)

Well my pup has shown a big improvement today. She has been retrieving tennis balls lately but still not consistent with bringing them all the way back. Today I threw one of those soft baseballs made just for T-ball. She will not leave that thing alone. She will get it every time and she will hold it until I take it from her nearly 100% of the time. She will carry that thing all over the yard if I let her. Maybe she doesn't like the texture of a tennis ball? Well at least I found something that works.


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## Watchm! (Jul 9, 2005)

Well, that is good to hear. If she drops it in front of you never pick it up, you are only teaching the dog that dropping is acceptable.
Instead, kick the ball a few feet and command a "fetch it up." She should go get it. It shouldn't take long for her to learn that delivery to hand isa the only way she is going to get a retrieve.
You can also try this. Sit in a chair and toss your ball. She should come back to the chair. Grab the ball before she has a chance to drop it.
Baby steps.


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## Dusty05 (Aug 21, 2005)

When do you think it is OK to have her go after a real dead bird such as a pigeon or something else. Do you think introducing her to a real bird in her mouth could be harmful at such a young age?


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## Watchm! (Jul 9, 2005)

We intro. birds at around four months. If you have a live, shackled bird by all means get your dog on it. Get your dog real excited before releasing. This should instill the predator/prey drive. Do not try to formal hold with a real bird. 
Hopefully this will be the start of more good things to come.
A dead bird will work but not nearly as good as a live one.
You can get a couple retrieves out of a wing clipped bird without killing it. Then you can re-use the bird the next day.


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