I let the dogs off the retrieving drills for a few days because of the weather before we took them to shoot pigeons. I think it rained on Friday and Saturday and I never or almost never work them on Sunday. Then on Monday we took them to the country and worked them on pigeons. When I worked them Tuesday it was almost like they had never been worked before. Almost like starting all over.
Boss pointing a pigeon.
Abby pointing a pigeon.
Sally, in orange vest, and Abby honoring Mann.
Both of them, when I said, “fetch” moved so slow I wasn’t sure they were actually going to retrieve. But after a couple of days they were doing much better. They just need to know that I’m going to make them do it whether they want to or not.
I’ve changed the routine a little in that I now put 4 dowel retrieving dummies, 2 plastic dummies and a Dokken dove dummy on the end of the bench. Sometimes, and Boss is worse than Abby about it, they will get the dowel dummies first. They will walk over the others, especially the dove dummy, to get to the dowel dummies.
Last week I worked the dogs on the bench then let them run in front of the 4-wheeler for a while. Actually Mann and Boss ran about like normal but I cut Sally and Abby’s run in half because of the temperature. I came out a couple of hours later and Boss was having trouble breathing. Just as soon as I saw that I took him to the vet.
Because I had no appointment I sat in the air conditioned waiting room for about 30 minutes before they called our name. By this time he was fine. So until it cools down some they won’t get to run. Or if they do it will be a short one.
My new set up on the retrieving bench.
Yesterday I put Abby on the bench first. After I petted her and fed her a few treats I put the dummies on the other end of the bench. Every other one was a dowel dummy. They start with a dowel dummy and end up with one if they retrieve them as they come to them. This almost never happens. They usually get the dowels first then the plastic ones. The dove is saved for last, usually.
I’m okay with what ever they want to get. When I send them I just say, “fetch”. As long as they get something I’m okay with it. Abby started real slow going to the dummies and returning. I started running the few steps to the other end of the bench then when she picked the dummy up I ran back. That worked pretty good on Abby. She sped up really well. She didn’t really run but she moved faster.
After she retrieved all 7 dummies I petted her for a few seconds then placed the dowel dummies on the ground beside the bench but spread out farther. The dummies were spread over about 30 feet. I set Abby on the ground and whoaed her until I could get by her side. I heeled her to the first dummy and said, “fetch” just before she got to it. She picked it up and I said, “heel”. She carried it to the head of the bench. I petted her a few seconds then said, “give”. She dropped it in my hand.
Abby with a plastic dummy.
We went after each one. It seems like the dogs understand this exercise better than just going down the bench to get the dummies. We are doing a real job. Picking up the dummies and taking them to the place for storage. She did all 4 without a bobble. I heeled her back to the kennel.
Boss and I went to the retrieving bench. Boss doesn’t like the treats even when I changed over to pieces of hot dog. I keep offering them though. After he jumped onto the bench I petted him and tried the treats. I put the 7 dummies on the other end and sent him to retrieve. I waved in the direction of the dummies and said, “fetch”. He moved so slow it was hard to tell if he even heard me. I walked to the first dummy. Finally, he got close and took it in his mouth without lifting it over a half inch.
I returned to the start and called him. He slowly turned and came to me. I raised his head and tapped him on the chin to get his head up. I petted him and acted really excited. When I said, “give” he just barely opened his mouth. I stood holding the end but not moving the dummy. Finally, he moved his head off. I sent him for another.
Boss with a plastic dummy.
As long as he’s moving I don’t give him any stimulation but if he just stands I hold the transmitter button down on level 2 until he moves toward the dummy. A few times he starts to pick the dummy up but then he doesn’t. I try to watch really close and the second his head comes away, without him picking the dummy up, the stimulation comes on.
Boss is really bad about wanting to get most of the dowels before the other dummies. He really doesn’t want to touch any of them with his feet when he steps over them to get the dowels. It’s comical to watch. Sometimes on the dove decoy he will try to take it a couple of times before he finally gets it. I watch him close.
After we finally get through all 7 dummies I petted him and then spread the dowel dummies out on the ground beside the bench. Most of the time he tries to carry the dummies just a few inches off the ground. Yesterday on the first dummy he picked it up and we started to the bench and he was heeling fine. Then he stopped. And wouldn’t move. I had the Wonder lead on him and I popped it a couple of times and he dropped the dowel. I said, “fetch” and he picked it up. I said, “heel” and he came right along.
Sally waiting for me to take the dummy and give her a treat.
I was expecting him to quit heeling on the other 3 dowels but he didn’t. He came right along and held the dummies until I said, “give”.
Both dogs do the ground retrieves better than on the bench. I don’t know whether it’s because they are more comfortable on the ground or it makes sense to put the dowels up after we work with them. Whatever the reason I’m going to do more of that and phase the bench out over the next couple of weeks. I do need to get them more comfortable with the plastic dummies and the Dokken dove, quail and chukar.