Pup dropping dummy

I am working on retrieving off of a placeboard with my 16 week old pup, Delta. Very limited number of retrieves, maybe 1 a day. I have her get on the board, then C&T. Then work through 2 ft away, then 6 ft, then wave dummy, then drop dummy, then toss dummy a few feet and I go pick it up. I C&T between each step. She is doing really well.

I then walk out 6ft and give the dummy a short toss. And then send her. I then start walking away from her so that she will come to me. She is doing great, except that she is dropping the dummy when she gets about a foot from me, but she continues to come all of the way in to me. I think that she is dropping the dummy so that she can get a treat. Any suggestions?

 

It sounds like you need to work on strengthening your delivery to hand with her right by you to start with, then gradually increase the distance the dummy is from you.

 

How? Toss the dummy at my feet, maybe? I am just not sure how to do this.

 

If you think she is dropping the dummy to get the treat, you need to use a clicker. A bit like in this video (don't do this with your pup in terms of the pile of dummies though) :

GOPR1845 by julieandcharlie julieandcharlie, on Flickr

 

Look up 'clicker retrieve' a good version is at the back of Pippa's gundog trust book 1.

 

I'm not sure if this is the same version (I don't have my copy of the book to hand), but here's the clicker retrieve presented on one of our sister sites:
http://totallygundogs.com/clicker-trained-retrieve/

 

I have read about the clicker retrieve, but I was unsure if Delta was too young to start this. I really do not have any reason myself to say that she is too young besides ignorance. I haven't trained a pup since my last dog (15 years ago), and have never done positive training before this.

 

You're doing great! It's never too young As long as you limit too much impact on the joints, and obviously keep in mind the limitations on what she can lift, there's no reason you can't start working through the clicker retrieve straight away. Just keep sessions very short, so she doesn't get bored and switch off. At every step along the way of positive training, you want to make it as much like a game as possible - make learning FUN for both of you and you'll both come on much faster

 

I think the only time to be careful is perhaps when they are teething - use something soft or stop if they show any signs of discomfort