The Clicked Retriver by Lana Mitchell

Author:Lana Mitchell
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, pdf
Tags: Dogs, Pets, General
ISBN: 9781929242313
Publisher: Dogwise Publishing
Published: 2005-08-14T21:00:00+00:00

3 — 1 SHAPING THE ‘TAKE’ BEHAVIOR

The TAKE behavior is one of the most important in the retrieve behavior chain. Mouthing, dropping, and crooked carrying result in point deductions and constitute an unreliable retrieve.

Before your dog can perform a proper TAKE, he might need some dumbbell attention shaping. This preliminary shaping involves several components that precede the TAKE itself. They are:

Look

Static Touch

Reach to touch

Walk to touch

Lick

Open Mouth (Tooth) Touch

Bite — up, down, left, and right

Adding the Command

This is not to say that all dogs need shaping through these beginner steps. Some will perform a TAKE at their first glance of the dumbbell. These individuals, however, quickly extinguish the TAKE behavior when any rules for taking the dumbbell are enforced. Many dogs perform the first two components, the Look and the Touch readily enough when introduced to the dumbbell, but soon enter into the first dip of the Training”W” and require shaping through it.

Lessons 1 through 8 will walk you and your dog through shaping for the Look through the Bite behaviors. Watch for the dips of the Training “W”, as they can be both entertaining and informative. More importantly, experiencing and triumphing over them will form a good foundation for future shaping attempts.

At the completion of this chapter the dog will be consistently approaching and biting down on the mouthpiece of a dumbbell while it is held in your hand. Keep this picture in mind, because the ability to bite and hold a dumbbell while it is being held is the cornerstone of a good hold.

Shaping a TAKE could last a few minutes or it could take a couple of weeks. If your dog requires weeks to get through these first lessons, give them to him — it’s worth it. Early TAKE shaping is best done in side-front position, kneeling with the dog facing your right and you facing the dog’s right shoulder (pseudo heel position) as indicated in Figures 2 and 9.

Have a short leash on the dog for teaching all parts of the retrieve up to the distance retrieve. The use of a leash minimizes the length of time that passes between each shaping lesson, and enables the trainer to better control the game.

Keep shaping sessions to a maximum of ten minutes with no pressure, and five minutes with pressure on the dog. If you are the type of person who must remind herself not to “get in the dog’s face” and demand results, keep it short. Ten minutes is acceptable for a patient trainer and a willing dog. If you don’t feel you are done with your lessons and you feel that the dog can easily tolerate more, take a short break and then begin a new shaping session.

Refer to Figure 2 for positioning in Lessons 1 through 9. Here I am working at the dog’s level rather than bending over her. This lowered position allows me to remain on his right side (heel position), to better control his actions, and to better observe his responses. Side

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