Re-writing the rules

[Guest CharlieC]

When I first started up with lurchers I did things "by the book" when it came to retreiving. I would spend a while getting a pup to retrieve in an enclosed space and then onto retreiving out in the open, all the while I would train them to do this alone, as I knew that training a dog to retreive when theres other dogs there is a recipe for disaster.

 

 

Or.................. is it?

 

The last pup I have trained I have used a different approach, and to date it seems to be working.

My theory is that I want a dog which is going to be a good retriever no matter how many other dogs are there and what else is going on, and my reasoning is that they arent going to learn that by being isolated during the training period.

I started off training my bullx to retrieve in the usual way but when it came time to retreives out in the open, I decided to try a wee experiment and I took my old dog Casper with me and threw a tennis ball for him a few times and let the pup run after him and try and catch it as well, of course he beat her to it every time when she was small, but at the end of a couple of throws, I would make him sit beside me, when she was all revved up and keen and raring to go, and I'd throw it and let her fetch it, a good distance away and as she got near I would crouch down and open my arms out wide to encourage her (keeping Casper close to me cos she loves him and alwyas jumps all over him etc) and I soon found she was bringing it to me over a good distance really fast, and better with Casper there than she probably would have been if Id just been training her on her own.

 

She will now retrieve every time right to hand like a lab, even when the other 2 dogs are there, if the other dogs try to get the tennis ball I just call them off and she brings it.

Shes good with rabbits as well, and if the other bitch is there they just grab an end each and retrive it, the only time I ever have bother is if theres a burn between me and the catch - they always seem to go in it and drown the rabbit :11:

 

Anyway, I decided to throw the rule book out of the window due to this success and Im now training a 5 month old collie cross who has done a bit of retreiving in closed in spaces and is just progressing to open spaces.

We hit a wee rough spot last week, when I used the tellietubbie (dont laugh its the favorite soft toy dummy for training cos it makes a tinkly noise ) as she was coming in and then playfully charging past me or around the side of me. So I decided to try the Casper technique and it worked a treat! I sent him out to do a few distance retrieves with the tennis ball with the pup hot on his heels and then I sat him down close to me and did a couple and the pup brought them straight to hand better than she ever has before!

 

Its like any other training technique, its best not overdone, but I think this really works for me, the standard of retreiving seems to be better than ever before, because I think before, training the dogs with no other dogs present, actually made them More likely to be prone to jealousy and running off, or circling when other dogs are there, than a pup thats been trained to accept the presence of other dogs.

 

After all, when I used to train the labs, we used to have a couple of dogs together, and make them sit and throw dummies etc and make one stay and the other retreive, no reason it cant be achieved with lurchers too, and it seems to make them steadier around other dogs, I'll keep you posted and see how she progresses but I have a feeling this training might pay off and If It does I will train all my dogs like this in future

[smallmouth 0]

There's some food for thought there charlie. Very interesting...........all I need now is...........................a tellietubbie!.........which one though?....... :11:

[Guest CharlieC]

:11: :11:

 

Ask Chilli if He'll help you out

 

You might not be able to throw him very far though......................and the dog wont be able to carry him back...........................and therell be a huge crater in the ground where he lands................................

[smallmouth 0]

Now don’t you knock chilli. I’ve felt very close to him since he saw my fish belly white B cup bitch titties and corpulent beer overhang :sick: , at Brighton last year.

 

Mmmmmmmmmm........... :kiss:

[Guest chilli]

:11: i still wonder why u wanted to stay in that first pub :11: ?

 

on the toy one sorry if stopped doing the tellie tubbys because ive some halfwit scottish fool afther me !! but on the toys ive been useing one with my pup an have found a alluminase yellow is the best for him the cheapest one there is !!!

[Guest CharlieC]

:11: :11: :11: :11:

 

hmmm Brighton eh? Gay Capital of Europe Say no more nudge nudge wink wink

 

Anyway, I thought I'd better add a warning to this thread, I need to emphasise the not overdoing the tellietubbie bit, as you can see from this pic, if you leave tellietubbies and dogs unsupervised, the tellietubbies superior intellect and strength will mean there can only be one victor!! :11:

 

[Guest CharlieC]

sorry posted twice

[Guest LEARNER]

I THINK ITS A GOOD IDEA , WE ALL TRY DIFFERENT METHODS, I WOULD SAY THERE COULD BE A DANGER, IF YOU TRIED THIS TYPE OF RETRIEVING WITH A SENSITIVE PUP, IF A MORE MATURE DOG KEPT BEATING IT TO THE DUMMY ,IT WOULD I SAY GIVE UP , AND MAY NOT EVEN FROM THE START TRY TO ENTER INTO THE TRAINING, I,VE TRAINED DOGS IN MANY WAYS, AND HAVE OVER TIME ,FOUND THAT WHAT SUITS ONE DOES NOT SUIT ANOTHER.

[Guest CharlieC]

good advice there learner as always

 

I would never have a sensetive type puppy again, I had one years ago and she irritated the hell out of me, and I resolved never again to choose a nervous timid or quiet puppy because I felt sorry for it

 

all the pups I have trained over the last few years have been out and out hooligans which means their desire to retreive the dummy usually overcomes everything else.

 

Your advice is spot on though and very true, some dogs would just give up with this kind of training so it only works on the bold, confident pups

[Guest LEARNER]

JUST FOR ANYONE TO TRY ANY METHOD, TO HELP THIER PUP TO RETRIEVE .IS ALRIGHT BY ME, THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO HAVE CONSISTANT SUCCESS, STICKING TO ONE METHOD ,WILL ONE DAY CATCH YOU OUT, WELL DONE CC, OR SHOULD I SAY GOOD GIRL.