Trouble with Stop/Halt

Discussion in 'Labrador Training' started by Maddison, Mar 1, 2017.

  1. Maddison

    Maddison Registered Users

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    I have been working on 3 whistle commands with Larks for about 2 weeks now. Come, stop/halt and lay down. Come is going perfectly, as is lay down (from a sit) but the stop is giving me some trouble. I have it to the point where I can whistle and she will plop her butt down right away, but only if she isn't moving too fast (i.e. just walking next to me, or standing by me). I can also hold up say a tennis ball to throw it and she will run a ways, look back at me and if I whistle she will sit and wait. I'd like to get to the point of being able to make her stop midway through a retrieve (going or coming) but I don't know how to get to that point without confusing her.

    Any thoughts or tips? Thank you!
     
  2. heidrun

    heidrun Supporting Member Forum Supporter

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    Having brakes in the form of a good stop whistle is great. But if your dog is still a puppy be very, very careful with stopping her on the retrieve. I don't introduce this until my dogs are a bit older and passionate retrievers. It is very easy to crush their desire to retrieve by stopping them on the outrun. As for the stop on the return with the retrieve, that's not something I do with my dogs. There is no point. You want the retrieve back as fast as possible.
     
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  3. Beanwood

    Beanwood Registered Users

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    I have a good stop whistle with Bramble..now 14 months old. I used the technique of wait until she is some distance, blow the stop whistle, (with my hand raised, which I have also trained as a sit..but that is just me..) the instant she stops I add a verbal "sit", click, then throw a large high value treat to land just behind her. Even with a good stop now I am not using it for halting a retrieve, as I would rather get her better at discriminating dummies first..meaning for example, throw 2 dummies, then send her out for the one I want her to retrieve. It will be some time before I add a stop, as I need her to be able to understand what I want from her first, and for Bramble to trust me when I send her out, this is really important in her training, soon we will be moving onto blinds, so I introduce stop whistle on a retrieve now, there is a risk it might hamper progress later for the reasons that @heidrun described.
    Using a stop whistle is useful for hunting, and redirecting a dog. For Benson who is more experienced, he understands that "stop" means, hold on, look to me, I am going to give you another cue now, well sometimes! :D
     
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  4. bbrown

    bbrown Moderator Forum Supporter

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    I think a stop whistle is a tricky thing to teach for all the reasons discussed. To build a picture in the dogs mind that regardless of distance, speed or direction of travel and, importantly, distractions that they must stop and look at you takes a lot of repetition. In particular making sure the dog doesn't see it as a negative because you're spoiling whatever fun they're having at the time. At least with a recall they've come back to you so you can reward the heck out of it.

    I think you've made a good start. Don't be in a rush and be careful of the pitfalls mentioned :)
     
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  5. Karen

    Karen Registered Users

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    I agree with the above. It is important the dog learns that the stop whistle means 'hang on, I have something really important and exciting to tell you' (whether that means I am going to throw a treat/ball for you, or whether at a later time you are going to redirect the dog to a dummy or fallen bird). Overdoing the stop whistle can lead to a dog who stops on the outrun... I have had that happen with Poppy, and it has taken months of work to rebuild her confidence.
     
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  6. Maddison

    Maddison Registered Users

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    Thanks for the advice everyone! I will keep up with what we are doing and slowly work up from there.
     

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