Cdx

[AdrianneIsabel]

We're going for the CDX with Sloan and by we I mean Denis and Sloan. However, because I have more time I'll be helping train the jumps and retrieve.

Any tips? Any experiences?

I'm going to start tomorrow and we're considering throwing her in the end of the month show. Probably much too fast to ask but we may do it, if not we'll have to travel because this will signify the end of our season here.

She already has a dumbbell retrieve for IPO obedience so how much harder can it be? A lot? lol

 

[Sekah]

I'm not sure how widespread this advice is, but my instructor suggests to have one cue for a retrieve on the flat, and another for a retrieve over a jump. She's had a dog take a jump a good distance away during what was supposed to be a retrieve-on-flat exercise.

 

[Aleron]

I would think she'd already know the retrieve and high jump stuff from SchH. The broad jump is a bit trickier and will take some work if you haven't started it already. Most people I know start with a straight recall over it, then move gradually to the side. You could also start at the side, tell them to jump and use a thrown toy or treat reward, gradually tightening up the arc of them turning towards you. I think one of the most common issues with it is the dog cutting the corners because they know they are going to turn towards you.

Is she solid on the out of sight stays in a group?

 

[Dekka]

For the broad jump.. I have seen people send to a target, to get the dog used to going straight. Its common for them to cut the corner of the jump off as they are turing and returing to you.

I used a pylon to send Kaiden around. So he would jump straight.

Yes, I agree a rock solid out of sight stay is the most important.

 

[AdrianneIsabel]

Thank you all! I plan to use a target for her. Today I did a run through with her just to see where she was and she has no issue with the broad (probably because of agility) and no issue with the jump, nor the retrieve. She needs a bit of convincing to sit with the dumbbell (she still likes to stand and wiggle or spit it, not sit and hold) but besides that and a bit of polishing on the drop on recall I think she's on her way. We'll see if we'll go that fast for her, this month is already packed, but either way she shouldn't have an issue with the additional exercises.

Oh and yes, her group sit and down are solid, we'll have to practice out of sight but I doubt there will be an issue, she's done them plenty while I down her in the agility ring and help someone at work in the office, etc, plus she practices for 20 minute downs where she can see dad but he can't see her (for IPO). Of course, sit may need polishing, I'm just assuming she'll hold the sit as well as the down.

 

[Finkie_Mom]

Kimma and I haven't even gone for her CD yet at all, but she is also having issues holding the dumbbell (or in our case, "dumbbell-like object"). If you figure out anything that works, please let me know

I will eventually get us in to a class for this (I don't even know what I'm doing with this stuff), but she has so many anxiety issues to deal with that I would rather have as good a grasp on the content of the class as possible beforehand

 

[Aleron]

Kimma and I haven't even gone for her CD yet at all, but she is also having issues holding the dumbbell (or in our case, "dumbbell-like object"). If you figure out anything that works, please let me know

I will eventually get us in to a class for this (I don't even know what I'm doing with this stuff), but she has so many anxiety issues to deal with that I would rather have as good a grasp on the content of the class as possible beforehand

How are you currently working on it?

IME the best way to teach retrieve to a reluctant dog is through clicker training/shaping, especially with a non-traditional breed and a dog with anxiety issues. It can take a loooooong time though, I know two dogs who took about a year to be fully trained. They were both with fairly "new" trainers and were extremely opposed to the dumbbell (would go into avoidance upon seeing it) - most dogs won't take that long. However, once they get it they tend to be awesome and will retrieve anything, every time.

 

[Red Chrome]

If she already has a good retrieve for IPO, then it won't be hard for her in the CDX ring! The broad jump is tricky but it goes quickly I found once they get the hang of it! I used 2x4s on end at home for practicing the broad jump. They were cut down to the same length as the broad jump boards.

She will do great!!!

 

[Finkie_Mom]

How are you currently working on it?

IME the best way to teach retrieve to a reluctant dog is through clicker training/shaping, especially with a non-traditional breed and a dog with anxiety issues. It can take a loooooong time though, I know two dogs who took about a year to be fully trained. They were both with fairly "new" trainers and were extremely opposed to the dumbbell (would go into avoidance upon seeing it) - most dogs won't take that long. However, once they get it they tend to be awesome and will retrieve anything, every time.

Oh, she LOVES the retrieve part of it! I shaped it LOL. She goes nuts when I take the toy out that we use for it and will retrieve most any object (she will also "go find" the object, even when it's like wrapped in towels/blankets and such, which is cool). It's just getting her to hold it and go in to a sit that we have the problem with hahaha. I've been trying to treat for longer duration, but she gets so ahead of herself that she drops it. And going in to the sit with the object in her mouth is weird for her I guess. I recently started only treating after she let me take it out of her mouth (therefore upping the time), and that seems to have worked, but we're stuck at the sit part

 

[Aleron]

It's just getting her to hold it and go in to a sit that we have the problem with hahaha. I've been trying to treat for longer duration, but she gets so ahead of herself that she drops it. And going in to the sit with the object in her mouth is weird for her I guess. I recently started only treating after she let me take it out of her mouth (therefore upping the time), and that seems to have worked, but we're stuck at the sit part

LOL I had the same issue with my boy Belgian actually. He could easily sit then take it or drop it and sit but sitting while carrying it was very tricky. His fronts with a dumbbell are still not as nice as without but I decided I didn't care that much. Typical of an overthinking Belgian, he made the behavior way more complicated than it was, then worried that he still wasn't getting it right and became more and more frantic to do it (and do it wrong but he was sure it was right and he just had to try harder!). For quite some time, he insisted on sitting up with the dumbbell in his mouth in front position. Then it was drop it, sit and pick it up again. Then he went through a chewing phase. At a point, I just stopped working on it because he had become so insistent and obsessive that it had to be done in one of his complicated ways that we weren't really getting anywhere. I'd change his mind about one way and he'd come up with some other weird thing. Then when I went back to it, he had improved a lot and it got much easier. So sometimes taking a break helps

 

[Red.Apricot]

LOL I had the same issue with my boy Belgian actually. He could easily sit then take it or drop it and sit but sitting while carrying it was very tricky. His fronts with a dumbbell are still not as nice as without but I decided I didn't care that much. Typical of an overthinking Belgian, he made the behavior way more complicated than it was, then worried that he still wasn't getting it right and became more and more frantic to do it (and do it wrong but he was sure it was right and he just had to try harder!). For quite some time, he insisted on sitting up with the dumbbell in his mouth in front position. Then it was drop it, sit and pick it up again. Then he went through a chewing phase. At a point, I just stopped working on it because he had become so insistent and obsessive that it had to be done in one of his complicated ways that we weren't really getting anywhere. I'd change his mind about one way and he'd come up with some other weird thing. Then when I went back to it, he had improved a lot and it got much easier. So sometimes taking a break helps

I think I love him.

Elsie went through a brief phase where she decided that being asked to get into heel position means circling me three times first.

 

[SaraB]

So here's a random problem for you retrieve trainers. I've been working with Classic for as long as I can remember to get him to take and old a dumbbell or any object (shaping via clicker). Problem with him is he is very, very reluctant to pick up any object, even toys because his lips fold under and he ends up biting them. So as you can imagine, convincing him to hold a dumbbell is really tough. Any tips? I've used different objects, even soft things like fleece tugs with no difference in aversion.

 

[AdrianneIsabel]

Sloan is getting there... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDa67_lSa6I

Strangely, maybe not?, she goes into bitework level drive for the dumbbell. She gets squeaky, bouncy, angry, and frustrated. Anyone have this happen? She's not been force trained at all? Maybe that's the problem? lol She's coming along nicely either way, it just seems like an odd drive to hit for the exercise...

 

[Saluki-Sue]

Best way I've found to help a dog want to hold a dumb bell is to put a little spray cheese on the bar. It gives the dumb bell a little more value.

 

[Red Chrome]

Judge goes APE for his dumbbell. He hasn't been forced either. I think it makes a difference when they are not forced to do it and WANT to do it.

I worked really hard on making it happy for him, now, he gets too happy! lol

 

[Finkie_Mom]

Kimma LOVES her "dumbbell!" We shaped it, too. She runs like a maniac to go get it LOL. Once we start getting closer to being ready to trial I may have to work on dialing it back a few notches

Best way I've found to help a dog want to hold a dumb bell is to put a little spray cheese on the bar. It gives the dumb bell a little more value.

Huh. I may just try that....