Target suggestions

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#1
Ok thought someone on here might have an idea for a target I can use for the wild retriever.

She is very grabby, and so far anything I've introduced as a target has HAD to be picked up. Everything from tiles, to buckets, to brooms will be retrieved, and then it's her party time before I can reset it for another try.

Any thoughts on something that isn't going to be a nightmare to haul to training, that she won't be able to get into her mouth? I'm tempted to get a big plastic spike that I can stick into the ground, but then when we train indoors...

And as far as tossing a toy as a reward, that works too but then she tends to get very silly and focused on attacking me instead of working.

I know she'll grow out of this eventually, but thought maybe someone has an idea....

Lana
 

BostonBanker

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#2
What is it you need the target for? I'm having a hard time picturing how a broom, a tile, and a bucket would all be used for the same sort of target!

Did you teach her to target by holding it in your hand before setting it on the ground (assuming you are looking for a nose touch)? Clicking and treating for a very quick nose touch, before she has a chance to get it in her mouth? I'd get that really consistent before putting a target on the ground where she can grab it.
 

MafiaPrincess

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#3
We've used plexi glass or a small tile as targets. My guys couldn't pick them off the grass if they wanted, let alone harder floors.
 
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#4
LOL

The broom was an example. If there is a broom or shovel at the back door, she'll try to grab it and take it into the dog run with her.

I may have to go back a few steps to target something in my hand, and see how she does from there. I did that for quite a while but she can't resist having something in her mouth. I want to use a target for her to get her to work away from me more, today I had the toy in my hand and she'd spend minutes jumping up grabbing at me/it while I turned my back to her.

That and I plan to do more work on just getting her to do a tunnel or table and then rewarding, so she starts to get the idea to go do something away from me more. Considering a few months ago I couldn't get her to focus much at all on anything (she'd just do puppy tears) she's actually doing quite well being able to work for about 20 minutes without doing a lot of take offs.

Thank god for private lessons, we had two with two different trainers and it's helped a ton. So much for the 5th dog being easy.

Lana
 
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#5
Duct tape. She can't pick it up and it comes in all sorts of cool colors so that you can blend/not blend it into whatever surface you're working on.
 

adojrts

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#6
Something that I do to teach a pup/dog to work away from me is setting up anything that is higher than the dogs withers/shoulder i.e chair, stool etc.
But it can't be so high that I can't get my arm over it. I start by teaching a hand target, then I lure them out and around the object, clicking when they are on the backside of the object, rewarding when they come completely around it. This progressing to me sending them out and around from longer and longer distances and from each side. If I send out on the right, I reward with the right hand.
This turns into a great game of sending them out and around everything and anything, from bushes to trees or rolled up tunnels to my dinning room table or chairs in the house. I am also very careful with my body language, I support the line that I want the dog to take, making sure not to pull my shoulders or move too quickly therefore pulling the dog off the object. I also want speed, the faster the better for jackpots and huge rewards.
I also don't label it as anything either, until fully trained then it can be a 'get out'.
Hope that makes sense.

Lynn
 
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#7
Actually she's started to learn to go around the garbage can in the kitchen. I need to make 2x2's for weaving soon, and thought I'd do a hoop and teach that as well. It's something she can go through that's light enough to transport. I can leave one at work to train with too, as she gets the idea.

Sigh. Got reminded she needs to polish up her retrieves too, she's going to go work birds when I have my human baby. Guess I better get on that.

Lana
 
T

tessa_s212

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#8
Something that I do to teach a pup/dog to work away from me is setting up anything that is higher than the dogs withers/shoulder i.e chair, stool etc.
But it can't be so high that I can't get my arm over it. I start by teaching a hand target, then I lure them out and around the object, clicking when they are on the backside of the object, rewarding when they come completely around it. This progressing to me sending them out and around from longer and longer distances and from each side. If I send out on the right, I reward with the right hand.
This turns into a great game of sending them out and around everything and anything, from bushes to trees or rolled up tunnels to my dinning room table or chairs in the house. I am also very careful with my body language, I support the line that I want the dog to take, making sure not to pull my shoulders or move too quickly therefore pulling the dog off the object. I also want speed, the faster the better for jackpots and huge rewards.
I also don't label it as anything either, until fully trained then it can be a 'get out'.
Hope that makes sense.

Lynn
You know, this sounds like a wonderful idea. I'd even consider teaching it since I have begun to teach Marq to target... but I'm not sure exactly how it should look. Which brings me to a new and really neat idea. On youtube there is a group of us that post videos of training - and I think it would be really neat for those that know more exercises(foundations) to teach and how to teach them to video teaching it and explaining/demonstrating how to do it. I just think that would be really neat. Perhaps I will suggest it. :)
 

adojrts

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#9
You know, this sounds like a wonderful idea. I'd even consider teaching it since I have begun to teach Marq to target... but I'm not sure exactly how it should look. :)
Thanks, but I certainly didn't invent that training method, pretty common to see people sending theirs dogs out and around objects and from awesome distances.
What don't you understand about targetting? I am sure there are any number of us on here that can explain targetting, how to get it, and the different types of targeting.

Lynn
 
T

tessa_s212

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#10
Thanks, but I certainly didn't invent that training method, pretty common to see people sending theirs dogs out and around objects and from awesome distances.
What don't you understand about targetting? I am sure there are any number of us on here that can explain targetting, how to get it, and the different types of targeting.

Lynn
I have taught several dogs to target. To target to my hand, to a lid, to a folded up napkin on the floor. For go outs, for nose touches. But the sending a dog around an object is what is new.
 

adojrts

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#11
Tess;
It can be very useful, just another tool in the box, especially for many of the games classes, i.e gamblers. Or when training layering and getting some awesome distance skills etc.
 

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