It’s hard to get time to train dogs in this kind of weather. So far, today February 24, the high temperature has been 18 degrees with snow most of the day. The only day, so far this week, that has been warm enough for dog training, was Monday. The dogs and I had a good day. I worked all 5 dogs, Sally and Mann on retrieving, because they have been force broke and the others, Abby, Boss and Bodie on the bench, in the first part of force breaking.
Sally retrieving the Dokken quail.
Mann honoring Ally.
Mann on point with Sally honoring.
I’m following Tom Dokken’s system from his book “Retriever Training”. He says that you should train twice a day, everyday. When it’s snowing and really cold I have no place to train. I’m sorry Tom. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I skipped the training. It should get to 30 degrees tomorrow with a north west wind of about 8 mph. I may be able to get them out tomorrow.
Monday, when I trained, I took Mann out first. He’s in the last kennel and usually get’s trained last. Mann retrieves in the field really fast but he doesn’t really enjoy retrieving in the yard. I have a small sack of treats and I give him one when he retrieves correctly. That makes it a little more fun for him.
I’ve got a Dokken dove and quail dummy that I use on Mann and Sally. For Mann I threw the quail about 20 yards and said, “fetch”. When he started back toward me I threw the dove off to my right about 10 yards. He brought the quail to me and held it until I said, “give”. I gave him a treat and waited for him to eat it. The treats I have are really hard. When he swallowed his treat I waved in the direction of the dove and said, “fetch”. He made a short circle without getting close to the dove. I walked toward the dove and I kept saying, “fetch”. He found the dove and I moved back where I had started. He dropped it in my hand and I gave him another treat.
We did the same exercise about 5 or 6 times. Each time he hunted for the second bird, that I threw when he was bringing in the first, he made his circle too short. Later, it dawned on me that I need to throw the second dummy shorter, until he gains some confidence in finding the second bird, then lengthen the throws. This is stressful for Mann. I let each of the dogs run after working with them but he really needs it. As he runs I can see the stress leave him. I let him run for a little while then we went back to the kennel.
I put a chair in the big pen so I could sit and pet the dogs before I put them back in their kennel. I also give them a treat or two while I pet them. I want each one of them to think that I think they are my favorite. When I turned the dogs into the big pen, to clean kennels, the males decided my chair was a good place to hike their leg. I have one empty kennel so I moved the chair into it and keep the gate closed unless I call a dog into that kennel.
Boss on the retrieving bench.
I brought Sally out and put her on whoa. I threw the quail as far as I could and said, “fetch”. Sally, happily, ran out for the quail. When she turned back toward me I threw the dove off to my right. Sally loves the treats and dropped the quail in my hand. I gave her the treat and when she had eaten it I waved my hand in the direction of the dove and said, “fetch”. She grabbed the dove and dropped it in my hand. I gave her another treat.
We did this 5 or 6 times then I let her run. We went all the way to the back then back to the kennel. I called her into the empty kennel and spent a few minutes petting her. And giving her treats. She loves the treats.
I want the dogs, Abby, Boss and Bodie, to deliver whatever they retrieve straight to my front so I put 3 place boards in my yard. I work each dog on the place boards. I heeled Abby toward the first place board but I whoaed her a couple of times before we got to it. As soon as she stepped on the place board I said, “whoa”. I walked around her and tugged on the Wonder lead. I went right in front of her and rubbed her ears so I would be right in front of her and she would have her head up. That’s the way I want her to deliver the retrieved object. She wouldn’t move until I tapped her head and said “heel”. I worked her on all three place boards.
Bodie on the snowy place board.
Dokken’s book says work them twice a day for about 5 repetitions. She jumped onto the retrieving bench and I walked her back and forth, petting her. I held my gloved hand in front of her mouth and squeezed her jowls against her teeth. I have pried their mouth open and put my hand in their mouth often enough they know what I want. It didn’t take much for her to take my hand. I had her hold for just a couple of seconds then said, “give”. She moved her head off my hand. After 5 times of this I set her on the ground and let her run.
When we came back by the retrieving bench I had her jump on it, again. This is the only way I have time to work them twice a day. I let them run for about 5 to 10 minutes then put them back on the bench. I try to do everything exactly the same way we did before. I walk them back and forth, petting them. Then do the 5 repetitions of the squeeze their jowls and insert the hand. Small steps and they get it pretty quick. I set Abby on the ground and let her run back to the kennel. I sat in the chair, petted her and gave her some treats before putting her back in her kennel.
Abby stopped to check something.
Boss heels better than any of my dogs. He never tries to get ahead of me. His head is right by my left knee, always. I whoaed him a couple of times before we got to the place boards. I worked him on each of them, making sure to get right in front of him, rub his ears and get his head up. That’s how I want his retrieves to be. He jumped onto the retrieving bench when we got close.
I petted him as he walked up and down the bench. This is the first morning of me squeezing their jowls and putting my hand in their mouth and it went really well. With very little pressure he opened his mouth and held my gloved hand. I had him hold for just a couple of seconds then said, “give”. He moved his head off my hand. We did this 5 times and I set him on the ground. I let him run for a while.
Sally pointing a cripple.
When he came back close he jumped onto the bench. Mann and Boss both jump on the bench before I get close. They enjoy being petted and being face to face with me. Plus now I’m giving them treats. This, also, shows that I’m not putting too much stress on them, I think.
Boss and I did the 5 times with the jowl squeeze and insert hand and I set him on the ground. I let him run as I walked back to the kennels. I petted him while I sat in the chair. Boss doesn’t really care for the hard treats. I have to crush them before he will eat them. On the retrieving bench it’s easy to lay them on the bench and mash them. Sitting in a plastic chair it’s a little harder but I get it done. I put him in his kennel.
Mann pointing quail.
Bodie was last and he’s been telling me that he should have been first. He whined every time I took another dog from the kennel. But that gets him fired up. He still wants to lead when we heel so I do a lot of 180’s. So far he’s not really daunted by this. As soon as we get started in the direction he knows we are going he tries to lead. But he’s starting to get the whoa thing. As we go toward the place boards I whoa him, drop the Wonder lead and walk circles around him. He doesn’t move.
When we get to the place boards he tries to not step on them until I force him. I walk right beside the board and he has to step on. I say, “whoa” as soon as all 4 feet are on the board. He’s done this enough times that he knows to not move his feet. I walk a circle around him then rub his ears. Then I tap his head and say, “heel” and we go to the next place board. After the third place board I have him jump on the retrieving bench.
He will jump onto his house without me being there but he doesn’t have confidence that he can jump onto the retrieving bench. I think he still vividly remembers breaking his leg. But with just a little help he jumps onto the bench.
Sally on point.
I walk him back and forth petting him. We go through the squeezing the jowls and inserting the fingers 5 times and I pet him some more. I gave all of the dogs a few treats on the bench. He loves the treats and gobbles them down. I set him on the ground and let him run for a while. There is a clump of brush close to the retrieving bench that it’s hard to get him away from. It’s low growing brush with one large multi floral rose bush that, evidently, birds like to roost. He runs around the multi floral rose and through the brush for a long time before he will go to the back.
When I put him back on the bench he was panting pretty hard. He has quite a bit of hair and the day was warming. I just put my hand on his jowls and placed my fingers behind his canine teeth. He did close his mouth around my fingers when I said, “hold”. So he is understanding what we’re doing. After 5 repetitions I set him on the ground but I heel him back to the kennel. He is learning “here” but he doesn’t always do it. He likes to explore and I’m afraid he will go to the highway out front. I turned him loose in the big pen and when I sat down in the chair I called him to me. He likes to be petted and the treats never hurt anything, either.