I didn't do blind retrieves as such - I walked him on a lead, placed the dummy down with him wanting it - then walked him back to my bag and sat him then told him to go get it..I only did it a couple of times. I suppose I just want to get to the good fun stuff. Me and you are very alike it seems. Although Louie has taught me patience.. But I have your mistakes to learn from..which i suppose is a good thing.. Thank you Leanne and everyone else.
Thats a memory retrieve ;-) Patience doesnt come naturally to me (a bit like smiling) but I tried training without patience and it got me where I deserved i.e not very far! I suppose it's a bit like teaching a puppy to do a simple sit when you've achieved the title of obedience champion with another dog! In other words, it's very tempting to try a quick route to teach the simple stuff in order to move onto the exciting stuff when your dog can really show you what it's made of. But you wouldnt build a house straight onto sand. Lol, check me out with my philosophising and metaphors! Must have been that pizza I just ate.
I guess it's 'cos I view Sadie as perfect (even though I know she isn't) and I just want him to be better than her. But when I think about it both him and Sadie are better than Benjie - he's a wet fart when it comes to training. Ah well patience is a virtue and all that... I just have to keep remembering he is a puppy not an adult - he is going to try it on with me and drive me to insanity but we'll get there..I am determined!
If you want to get into this gundog training properly then your best bet by far is to enlist the help of a proper trainer. I'll help you by all means but i'm only starting out myself and can only show you how not to repeat the mistakes I made, i'm certainly not knowledgable enough to help you get the most out of Louie. When i've complained about the difficulties trying to find somebody to help me train Flynn I had people tell me to do it myself, read books etc. Thats all well and good but it's just not the same as having an experienced person right next to you saying you've done X, Y and Z wrong so try A, B and C instead.
I don't want to compete him, just have something for me and him to do really. But maybe after you and I have got him doing the basics then I'll have a look into professional trainers. I understand what you're saying and your help is much appreciated.
it's just not the same as having an experienced person right next to you saying you've done X, Y and Z wrong so try A, B and C instead. SLB RECEIVED that information on this thread and decided she knew better............................! It is all very well for people to complain about not having access to expertise, however when that expertise is offered freely and the novice argues the toss, I am afraid this is one of the reasons that many of us do not bother and, as I said in another thread, why good trainers will remain inaccessible to some! And I am afraid the BASICS are the MOST IMPORTANT PART of dog training!
Thanks SB-yes I was tempted! This is the same "trainer" who told me to shake Cherry by the scruff of the neck when she got reactive near other dogs She (understandably) got worse to the point when I seriously thought of having her pts. Fortunately we found a good behaviourist who used positive methods (Attila). This "trainer" was a "Sergeant Major" type who used to shout at the owners if they got it wrong. She asked me why my dogs had such a stupid haircut! (does that effect their learning? ) I will go back to the drawing board with Parker with holding a different item. Thanks once again.
The one thing I've learned about retrieve training is to make it fun, fun, fun! I'm very guilty of trying to run before I walk when it comes to training, but no one was born perfect. As long as you can acknowledge you're not perfect then you're halfway there imo. With retrieves I've started with a few fun retrieves in the garden, before that I used a hallway in the house to encourage the dog to bring it to me. When the dog does he/she gets massive praise and a big friendly rugby tackle before the dummy is removed. Keep the sessions short and fun and try the Gundog Club for advice.
Thank you. I can't rugby tackle Louie as such - he's never been into play fighting with us two - leggeds. I suppose a couple of 5 minute retrieve exercises a day until I get it just right would do? I can do that. I made it fun yesterday - he understands pitches in voice - and I can really go high pitched but with the wind and two sensitive teeth (canines) it really hurt to be fun yesterday Thank you all for your advice.
I understand what you are saying but as valuable as advice on here is, I did say it's not the same as having somebody right next to you. It's the same reason any decent behaviourist will not give advice on the phone about a dogs problem, they want to see the dog. You are obviously a very experienced and knowledgable person Smokeybear, I dont think anybody can argue with that, but it's the way you come across in the majority of your posts which raises peoples hackles. I dont know what you said earlier on in the thread as you have edited your posts but I've been on the receiving end of your advice myself. There is a fine line between telling it how it is without frills and condescension/arrogance.
Have a look at the help with the retrieve article It is a step by step lesson, I am afraid the arrogance here lies with SLB; asking for help and then saying that what she is doiing is correct, when she has clearly demonstrated what she is doing is not working. I do not condescend to anyone, if people feel that way that is more to do with their outlook than mine. Am I arrogant? Yep I expect I am, nothing wrong with arrogance, it is a quality that is necessary in many fields, including dog training. So I am very happy to be arrogant in fields where I can afford to be! If a person is told what they are doing is incorrect and they immediately respond with "no i am not" there are two possibilities, in this case the probability is that in fact the responder is actually wrong. Which again is a great example of the response that many trainers receive from people who go to them, and why many trainers adopt the attitude (as I did) of suit yourself, you obviously know better and do not need my advice! If they choose instead to take advice from someone less able that again is their decision. No skin off my nose, I KNOW how to teach a dog to retrieve anything, anywhere without dropping, chewing, mouthing, running off etc.
