Your pup is making
some beautiful retrieves in and out of water now, and you are proud
except for the fact he drops the dummy at your feet. Sooner or later,
you're going to have to teach him to "HOLD". He is at least five
months old now and has his permanent teeth. Let's start with some
basic obedience. It's not as much fun as retrieving, but think of
it as a necessary fundamental in the educational process to become
a hunting dog. We are going to expect a lot of him throughout his
retrieving career, and the more discipline and response to our commands
we can accomplish, the better, so let's get it done.
You will need a heavy link choke chain that will slip easily on
and off the dog's head and a six foot nylon or leather lead, about
one inch wide. The thinner, less expensive choke chains bend and
break. We suggest you buy good equipment and put it away after training
so it doesn't get chewed or lost. You can now replace the soft puppy
dummy with a couple of white, plastic, knobby dummies, usually available
in sporting goods stores or pet shops. They come in red and gray
as well, but these colors are difficult for a dog to see since dogs
are color blind. The white show up best and we want to teach our
pup to rely on his eyes as well as his nose. Red and gray are used
for more advanced work.
The standard position to heel a dog is on your
left side, using a choke chain. Leather and nylon collars are good
for attaching identification, but never use them to obedience work
the dog. Put on the choke chain and remove it after the lesson,
as you would the bit and bridle on a horse. There is a correct way
to put on a choke chain so that it releases when you release the
pressure on the lead. Put on incorrectly, it will remain tight around
the dog's neck even when you release the tension on the lead.
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The choke collar is used with the same principle as the bit in
a horse's mouth. It is used only to correct speed or direction,
with a sharp jerk. A steady pull on the reins toughens the horse's
mouth, likewise the dog's neck. Have the dog sitting on your left,
move forward by giving a short forward jerk on the collar, commanding
"Heel". The dog should learn to walk with his head approximately
even with your left knee. When he's too far forward, jerk backward,
again commanding "HEEL". If he lags behind, jerk forward. Always
use the verbal command with the physical correction, so he will
learn the meaning of the word "HEEL". Avoid towing the dog or having
him tow you. There should be slack in the lead when not correcting
the dogs position. Introduction to a leash and collar can be traumatic
for young pups, so be lenient. Use discretion and have a short session.
Don't make it a miserable experience.
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To sit the dog, jerk straight up on the lead and command "SIT".
If necessary, push down on his rump at the same time. Practice getting
him used to sitting straight beside you and up on his haunches,
not leaning on you. The dog should sit up and on his own feet. Turning
to the right, at heel, is accomplished by using short jerks pulling
toward you. Jerk away from you across the dog's neck to turn left.
Use your knee to bump the dog out of the way if he runs into you.
Don't let him sniff the ground, keep his head up and attentive.
Set out some obstacles. Dummies laying on the ground work fine,
and practice heeling around them, making left and right turns, figure
eights, etc.
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Dog at heel position on the left side. |
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Now we've mastered basic obedience and our dog is still
wild to retrieve, whether it be on land or water, so let's begin
teaching the command "HOLD". Have the dog sitting on lead, open
his mouth, put the dummy in, adjusting the lips so they are not
pinched by the teeth. Close his mouth and command "HOLD". You may
have to hold his mouth closed or support the bottom jaw, again commanding
"HOLD". Leave it in a short time and take it commanding "DROP".
If he spits it out, pick up the dummy, slap him underneath the chin
with it and replace it in his mouth, commanding "HOLD .... HOLD".
Try to keep the dog's head up either by slapping his chin or pulling
upward on the lead. He is less likely to drop it if his head and
chin are up. When he catches on to the concept of holding in a "sit"
position, which usually will take several lessons, start to walk
with him, holding the dummy. You want to be able to heel and sit
the dog without him dropping the dummy until you take it using the
command "DROP".
The next progression is to have the dog sit, holding the dummy.
Then move backward away from the dog and call him to you, commanding
"HERE". When he comes to you, sit him in front still holding. Repeat
this a couple of times before you take the dummy. This will accustom
him to come into you and sit down without dropping the dummy. It's
a good idea to stroke the dog's head while he's holding, commanding
"HOLD", so he gets used to your reaching toward his head without
dropping the dummy. He must "DROP" only on command.
All this will take time and persistence. Don't get discouraged.
Take advantage of small gains and end the session with a positive
note. You can teach an older dog to hold as well even if he's been
dropping the bird for two years. You just have a bigger training
job on your hands. |
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