Training a "hold" and "retrieve"

Just when I thought we were doing well at training

They introduce a new stage...

A dog is expected to "hold" an item for at least 15 seconds (dumbell, tugger toy) and also to go and "retrieve" a toy from where it has been thrown (about 6-10 feet away).

We're told to bring a toy to the class for them to hold and then retrieve.

Well, most of the dogs in the class are labs, spaniels and BC's - they will very easily "hold" an item in their mouth; and also are pretty good at the fetching it.

Max won't even countenance holding anything in his mouth. If I do manage to get him to hold it, he immediately either
a) Drops it, lays down and starts chewing it; OR
b) Shakes it around hard, like he's killing it

I think that his mouth isn't quite the right "shape" to comfortably hold a toy in that way.

How can I train this? I've been told to wiggle the toy in front of him, use an excited voice and as soon as he puts his mouth on it, say "hold" and praise him.
As soon as I wiggle the toy, he grabs it and rags it, or tries to chew it!

And the retrieve

Unless I throw a toy half way down the garden, he doesn't want to know... If I throw it a few feet away, he just sits and looks at me.

I've tried throwing it, running over with him and acting all excited; but he doesn't even notice the toy

It's almost as if he thinks these types of things are beneath him
He's obviously not a working dog!!

have you done any clicker training with him? You might find it useful - the 'lightbulb' will light up much quicker.

I tried clicker training with my boxer and he hit the deck everytime I clicked, I didn't use it for long lol! I have to say I think it is the mouth shape. Harvey didn't like holding things for long and would chew it.
On the other hand I don't have that problem with Wilson who has issues if he isn't carrying things!
Becky

plenty of Boxers excel at holds/retrieves, so I dont think it is down to mouth shape.
I think its a case of just finding a way to flip the switch to the lightbulb

perhaps you inadvertantly conditioned your boxer to hit the deck every time you clicked

Nah Harvey wasn't called Mr Thickie for nothing! I tried to teach him agility and he wouldn't even step over the pole on the ground!
Becky

I've tried it before, but he generally ignores the sound of the click. We did the basic "click and treat" with him, but he walked off after doing it correctly twice.

I carried on clicking when he sat and treating him, but he was very disinterested in it all. However, so far, we've done very well on voice and hand commands.

I know how you feel. We're the only Iggie in a class of border collies and labs. Everyone retrieves & holds except little Vespa. But we'll keep at it. Because an IG's responses are so fast the klicker helped with some other things she had difficulty with. Maybe the klicker will help with this too. I'm gonna try it. Good luck....

don't know where i'm going wrong with my BC then can't get him to 'Hold' retreive no problem but always drops it as soon as he sits

Teach the hold from the Front (present) & from the side.

From the front teach the dog to hold it in the present.

From the side teach the hold & leave, once youve got that,from the side still hold the article but move it a inch away so he has to "reach" for it, gradually move forward & down, so in the end you are holding it next to the floor & hes standing to reach down to pick it up, you can now also as soon as he holds it run back encouraging him to come.

The next step is to place it a stride in front of you & touch it with your foot(instead of your hand)& to call himmaround your foot, hold & the back into present. Then youve cracked it!

I also do recalls leaving the dumbell in the dogs mouth & recalls leaving the dumbell between me & dog asking him to hold & the way.

In all this Slow mini steps & loads of reward.

i clickered Mavs retrieve & hold,butas a guide to being right,im not a purist!

I like Mish break the retrieve down into parts & I teach them separately.

The run out I teach as part of play retrieves with no finish no sit just the toy returned to my hand(I use either a tuggy or ball on a rope)& have a tuggy game every third or four return.

I teach the hold as a separate exercise, because I have usually got the dog play retrieving fairly quickly(Rjj took about 20 minutes to fully grasp it)so my dogs willing take hold of any toy offered so the dumbell is just another toy.

I teach the pick up separately & put the dumbell into a dog bowl to encourage the dog to hold the dumbell in the middle & not by the ends

I also teach the present(as in obedience competition)separately by doing a recall with the dog holding the dumbell as Mish does.

I encourage my dogs to play tuggy from the outset which gets them used to having hands near the toy & also I let them win frequently as a reward