I've entered Molly for 2 obedience classes (pre-beginner and beginner) at a show in mid-October. Her heelwork is good but we're struggling with the 'present'. In these early classes you can use any article to retrieve so I've been using a dummy. Molly never runs in, always brings the dummy back and gives it to me BUT if I ask her to sit first she drops it. She also drops it even when standing if I don't immediately take it. I've tried to get her to sit in front of me and hold the dummy but she is very reluctant to take it - she turns her head aside. Any suggestions please?
If she won't even take it from you I think she's probably feeling quite a bit of pressure. I would try a clicker trained retrieve with the dummy on the floor and reward each interaction with the dummy. This should eventually give you a reliable hold.
I've been working on delivery to hand recently, with all sorts of different objects. I think you have to train the delivery apart from the rest of the chain to start off. With some suggestions from the lovely Barbara and Julie, I had them doing hand targeting "through" the object - starting with it held in my hand and asking for a touch, then bringing it away from my hand slightly, so they had to grab it before they could touch, and working back. They really quickly got the idea that it was a good thing to have the object in their mouths whilst touching my hand, so I progressed to giving it to them and immediately asking for the touch, and eventually up to them picking it up off the floor and then touching. Then, building distance slowly. Walking backwards encourages them to come towards you, too. Alongside this, I did some work on having them comfortable with holding the objects for extended periods, just walking to heel with it in their mouths, then turning 180 degrees in front to face them, and asking for the delivery. Pippa has a video of this technique somewhere, but I'm struggling to find it.
Thanks both. I taught the clicker trained retrieve initially, when she was about 9 or 10 months old but didn't go as far as asking for a sit before delivery - at the time I was just pleased that it cured running off with the dummy and that she brought it back. I guess I could go through it from scratch, but she already picks it up willingly, it's just the hold I haven't got. @snowbunny, I like the hand targeting idea. I'll give that a try. I had a look at the walking hold link and Pippa says that it's not good for dogs who spit the dummy. (What I need is a dead seagull - she'll do a walking hold with that!) Actually, perhaps I should get a rabbit skin dummy... Meanwhile I think I'll try seeing if she'll sit and hold any of her other toys - she holds her rope when we play tug but the sit is the cue for her to give it up. Hmm.
Ah do you think this has something to do with your problem? Whatever you choose I think she needs choice to remove pressure. The hand target could work. You could also use a thin furry paint roller, weighs nothing, easy to hold....
Writing about it has helped me clarify my thoughts. I do think the sit is the problem, as Molly carries lots of things - if she finds a plastic bottle on a walk she's been known to carry it for a mile or two! She'll also take things from me if she's standing. (This evening we've been to our 'social' dog class and were playing with tennis balls. When the time came to stop Molly was still excited so I offered her the ball and she took it from my hand and carried it to the box to put it away.) I wonder if I'm kind of looming over her at the present. She's too tired this evening but tomorrow I'm going to try sitting on the floor and see if she'll sit and hold like that. I could also try with her sitting next to me instead of in front.
All good ideas! Obi is shorter than Riley so in the early days of retrieving I kept my back against a wall to stop me leaning over or sat in a chair. Play around, take a video if you can and see what works. There's no textbook answer just what works for you both
