Tur Bo
Lucky
Luke
I had some things I needed to do first thing this morning but it stayed cool all day. Perfect day for working dogs. Tur Bo is still favoring his left rear leg so I heeled him to the retrieving bench. He jumped onto the retrieving bench with no problem.
I walked him up and down the bench petting him every few feet after snapping his collar to the cable that runs from end to end on the retrieving bench. Snapping him to the cable keeps him from jumping off the bench. I opened his mouth and put a retrieving bumper behind his canine teeth. I put my thumb into the groove beneath his jaw to keep him from spitting the bumper out as I held the collar with the same hand. After he held the bumper for about 20 seconds I took hold of the end of the bumper and said give. He moved his mouth off the bumper.
I used 4 different bumpers and had him hold all 4. He was holding them real well so I had him walk down the bench holding the bumper in his mouth. I started him by pulling on his collar and holding my thumb under his chin. He was holding real well so I dropped my hand and he came on down the bench. He took a few steps and decided to drop the bumper. I pinched his lip against his teeth and replaced the bumper. He carried the bumper back to the other end without dropping it. I said give and took the bumper from him. I had him hold another bumper and walk down the bench. He didn’t try to spit it out. I set him on the ground and heeled him back to the kennel.
Usually Lucky is the last dog I work but today I heeled him down to the retrieving bench after Tur Bo. He jumped onto the bench and we walked up and down with me petting him every few feet. I put 4 bumpers on the other end of the bench and he retrieved them all, twice. I set him on the ground and placed the 4 bumpers in front of him. He grabbed the first one and delivered it to me. I sent him for the second and he went half way and came back. I held the button on the e-collar down on level 3 and he retrieved the next one. He then retrieved all of the bumpers. I tossed a bumper and he ran out and retrieved it. I threw the bumper several times and he retrieved it each time. I let him run for a while before returning to the kennel.
I heeled Luke to the retrieving bench and he jumped on it when I said “up”. I walked him back and forth petting him every few feet. I set the 4 bumpers on the other end of the bench and tried to get pictures as he retrieved but he moves so fast it’s hard. He retrieved all 4 bumpers two times then I set him on the ground and placed the 4 bumpers in front of him. He retrieved them so I threw one for him. He got excited and before he got to me he dropped the bumper. He moves so fast it’s like he was throwing it to me. I made him hold the bumper for a few seconds while I petted him. Then I said give and he dropped it. I threw the bumper 3 more times and he held it until I said give. I let him run while I walked to the back on my side then over to the neighbor’s side. We returned to the kennel.
I heeled Blaze to the bench and she jumped on. I walked her back and forth petting her every few feet. I placed the 4 bumpers on the other end of the bench and told her to fetch. Her mouth would hardly open wide enough to grab the first bumper. Then she remembered that that didn’t work the last time and her mouth opened enough to grab the bumper. She retrieved it to me and dropped it when I said give. She retrieved the rest of the bumpers with no problem. I set her on the ground and placed the bumpers in front of her. When I sent her for the first one she had trouble getting her mouth open wide enough but she finally got it and returned with it. She retrieved the others with no trouble. I threw a bumper a few times and she was more animated when she retrieved. I let her run as I walked to the back on my side then on my neighbor’s side. We returned to the kennel.
Dolly was the last one to be worked and this makes her hyper. She’s like Luke though, almost every thing makes her hyper. I heeled her to the retrieving bench and she jumped on when I said up. I walked her up and down the bench petting her every few feet. I put the 4 bumpers on the other end and she raced after them. When she brings them to me she usually holds them until I hold one end and say give. She retrieved all 4 bumpers, twice. I set her on the ground and placed the 4 bumpers in front of her. Each time I said fetch she retrieved a bumper. I threw a bumper a few times and she retrieved each time. I let her run while I walked to the back on my side then over on my neighbor’s side and back to the kennel.
The dogs would rather be pointing birds but as long as I’m doing something with them they are happy. If I let Blaze get by with not being able to open her mouth large enough, one time, she would try it every time thinking she could get away with it. Reward or punishment must be administered in less than 2 seconds to be effective. That means the e-collar must be on them every time I run or work them.
Dolly
Blaze
Luke