Layla looking for a pigeon.
Layla chasing a pigeon.
Layla and Rocky on their stake out chains.
We have had a stretch of hot weather and I haven’t worked the big dogs but I have been working the puppies. I mainly worked the pups on retrieving but one morning I took several pigeons with me and walked the pups to the back hiding a pigeon in the tall grass for them to find.
I had both pups staked out. I released Rocky and we walked to the back. I have left some strips of grass grow to have a place to hide birds. When I tried to put a pigeon to sleep Rocky wouldn’t take his eyes off me. Once I got the bird to sleep I had to grab his rope and distract him for a few seconds, plant the bird then lead him away. After walking about 20 yards we would go back. As soon as he smelled the pigeon he would leap into the tall grass waking the bird up. He only chased a few yards. I hid 3 pigeons for him then took him back to the stake out.
I released Layla from the stake and we walked to the back. She gets a little farther away from me than Rocky does. I hid a pigeon in the tall grass and called her back. She smelled the bird and went straight to it waking it up. She also chased farther than Rocky did. I was able to get a couple of pictures of her chasing pigeons. I hid 3 birds for her and she found them all plus she smelled the hot spots where I had hidden the birds for Rocky. I took her back and released Rocky so they could play for a while before I returned them to the kennel.
I ordered George Hickox’s “Training The Upland Retriever” and also got his “Great Beginnings”. Great Beginnings has some tips on clicker training. I decided to try clicker training on these pups. The way the dvd said start them is to click and treat without asking anything of the puppies at first. The first day it was raining so I took the pups into my shed one at a time. I had cut a hot dog in 24 pieces. The first time I offered the hot dog Rocky licked it but didn’t try to eat it. Finally, he ate one and he was hooked. I clicked and gave Rocky a piece of hot dog 12 times then put him up and did the same with Layla.
The next day I put the pups on their stake out while I cleaned kennels then released Rocky. We walked to the retrieving bench and I lifted him on. I petted him and walked him around to get him used to being off the ground. I clicked and treated him 12 times. This time he could hardly wait for me to get the treat out. I set him on the ground and we went back to the stake outs. I put him on the stake out and released Layla.
I put Layla on the bench, hooked her to the cable that runs the length of the bench and walked her down the bench to get used to it. She showed no fear of the edge. I started clicking and treating. She got excited and walked off the edge. I helped her back on, clicked and treated her. She came off again. I helped her back on. I gave her all 12 treats then took her back to the shed and released both pups to play.
I clicked and treated the puppies 4 times before I started asking for a certain behavior for them to get a treat. We went back to the retrieving lane I had built for them. Rocky ran into the lane and I threw the tennis ball. He grabbed it and came back. When he got to me I clicked and gave him a treat. I have been petting him until he dropped the ball but with the treat he dropped the ball immediately. I threw the ball about 10 times and he grabbed the ball and returned each time. I took him into the yard and threw the ball without him being in the lane. He raced after the ball and came running back to me. I clicked and treated. I had tried him out of the lane before and he came back but it was after he made a victory lap around me. Both times with the treats he came right back. I put him back on the stake out and released Layla.
She ran into the lane and I threw the ball. She grabbed it and returned. I clicked and treated. I threw the ball again and she touched it with her nose and came back wanting a treat. I threw the ball again and she grabbed it. She brought it back and I clicked and treated. I threw the ball another 8 or 10 times but she never brought it back again. She would touch it with her nose but wouldn’t pick it up. I took her into the yard and threw the tennis ball. She ran out and touched it with her nose then came back wanting a treat. I released Rocky and had both of them chase the ball when I threw it. I threw the ball and Rocky grabbed it starting back to me. Layla wanted the ball if Rocky wanted it. When he got to me with the ball I clicked and treated him. Layla wanted a treat too but didn’t get one. I used all of the treats and Rocky retrieved the ball each time. I released the pups to play.
The next time I worked the pups I didn’t use the retrieving lane. I threw the ball in the yard and Rocky ran to the ball, grabbed it and raced back. I clicked and treated. He retrieved the ball all 12 times. I put him back on the stake out and turned Layla loose. I threw the ball and she grabbed it and came back. I clicked and treated. I threw the ball again and she touched it with her nose then came back for a treat. I picked up the ball and tossed it again. She touched it with her nose and came back. I threw the ball several times and she never retrieved it again. I put her back on the stake out and released Rocky. I used the rest of the treats on him retrieving the ball. I turned them loose to play before putting them back in the kennel.
I’m going to continue the click and treat with both pups. Layla will learn that she must do the job to get the treat, I hope. This is my first time with the clicker so I’m learning too.
Waiting
Layla chasing a pigeon.
Pups on the stake out.