I have a 3yr old weimaraner dog who i have trained to a fair standard. The biggest problem i have is that he will not return with the dummy. I will throw the dummy - send him out , which he will do very nicely but on his return he will stop 5 yards from me and drop the dummy. He is a VERY intelligent dog so i cannot understand this - it is VERY VERY frustrating !!!

I have tried everything i know to get this sorted but have failed. I have this posted on another forum and was advised to teach the "HOLD" command. I find this to be good advice BUT as i am fairly inexperienced I am scared that i do something wrong and put the poor dog off.

I have read numerous books on this subject and they all say BE VERY CAREFULL when teaching this.


Does anyone have a simple step by step guide to teaching this command in relation to the retrieve ?

Has anyone had a similar problem which has since been rectified ??

Please help !!!! :huh:

I now how you feel i train my HPRS to field trial standard and the need for birds to be deliverd to hand is important.
2 ways i have achived this is the hold method dog sat at your feet dummy in mouth hold mouth shut around dummy and then walk away stop and then walk back to dog and then loads of praise then do the same but dog at heal with dummy in mouth . Then throw the dummy a few meters send your dog then recall always reinforcing that hold word .
keep doing this until he holds the dummy and will deliver to hand.
Also try when dog is on the way back with a retrieve turn your back on him and walkawy and in theory the dog will start to come around the front of you to stop you walking away hopefully with dummy .
Also make it fun lots of gogo gaga dogs respond to praise .

Good luck mvf

I have no experience of training pointers but can say that with other retrievers the trick of running away as they return and twisting and turning to avoid facing them until you can take from them works well and quickly. The hardest one I trained was a 3 year old lurcher and he only took an hour in 4 , 15 min sessions.

So go for it- you cant do too much damage if you have the time and inclination to work with your dog.
Keith

Thanks Keith , I will keep you posted !!

How are you stood when your dog is on the way back to you? If you are stood up, looking him in the eye, he could be intimidated by you hence he drops the dummy. Try crouching down, don't look at him but look down and hold your arms out as you call him in. When he comes in, stroke his chest, praise him. You can look him in the eye when you give him the command to leave..

Hi Landlord , I do have a tendancy to look him in the eye but i never stand , i am always either crouching or bending on his return.
I have been working hard on his delivery this week and i have noticed a big improvement - basically from sheer determination and encouragement he is now coming in to my feet but still drops the dummy. I now have to work on the "HOLD" command.

I do his training beside my newly built pheasant pen in a secluded wood. I was out there on Monday night doing the training. I had to laugh because when i was training , i was giving him as much encouragement as possible to come right in - you know "screeching and whooping" like a RAGING LUNATIC. To my horror i then spotted a woman in her early forties walking past with her labrador - She must have thought i was CRAZY !!! I quickly explained that i was training my dog to retrieve - she just smirked and calmly walked off. MY GOD I WAS MORTIFIED !!!

:o

I never knew training could be so embarrasing !!! :D

LANDLORD - Are you going to Crufts this year? I will be there , we are entered in post grad dog - not expecting to win but it is a good day out. Good to see all the gundogs in one place.


:D

Hello Weimaraner

The best way to teach a dog to hold a dummy is not to say anything when he/she is returning with the dummy other than "good dog". If, as many people do, you say the word "hold" it tends to be said in a harsh tone and the dogs thinks it is doing wrong and promptly drops the dummy. As previous people have said, crouch down and don't look the dog in the eye, as the dog approaches say in a reassuring and pleasing voice "good dog" and keep this up whilst the dog has the dummy in its mouth. If the dog drops the dummy, walk forward to pick the dummy up all the while growling at the dog and saying "bad dog"and making it clear you are not pleased. pick up the dummy and place it in the dogs mouth and as soon as the dummy is in the dogs mouth change your tone of voice to the pleasing tone saying "good dog" and back away tapping your thighs to recall the dog to you all the while saying good dog whilst the dummy is in its mouth. Back off for about five steps then take the dummy from the dog saying "dead" Should the dog drop the dummy , repeat the previous steps. This method works every time with Labs and Golden Retrievers and takes about 5 or 10 minutes to cure the problem, but I have never tried it on an HPR
Good luck,
yellowlab

Yes I am going to Crufts. I will be in Limit dog and also in the AV HPR Beaters/Picking Up Dog Class.

Does your dog like to carry things around the house i.e not in a training situation? I encourage mine to carry things about the house such as the paper, post, washing, raw eggs etc. I tell him to hold, let him carry it for a bit and then encourage him to give it back

DO NOT TAKE THE DUMMY OF THE DOG AS IT RETURNS BECAUSE THAT IS PROBABLY WHY IT DROPS IT . JUST FUSS IT GIVE IT A TIB BIT IF YOU USE THEM THEN TAKE IT OFF THE DOG