Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i have a 7 month boxer puppy, georgie. we've been going to obedience class for two months and he's been doing really well. we've been working on an offleash come outside in an open area with no fence. but only from a stay position. but i was wondering if i could somehow use the recall to teach him to retrieve toys. he retrieves fine in the house. but when we get outside, he goes nuts and what bring back his toys. is there anyway i can use the recall to teach him to come to me. but i don't want to go backwards with the recall in the process. i don't have a long enough line to do this effectively, so it would have to be offleash. i know i should probably start with shorter distances first, but he progresses so quickly that i'll need to figure out how to get in the distance sooner. i've been doing the recall from a distance of 50 feet, so that would be the goal i'd want to work up to. does this make any sense to anyone or do i sound like a complete idiot?

Haha.. No you don't sound like an idiot Unfortunately I can't help you much, as I don't know a lot about teaching retrieving, but I do know that you can get a 30' lead at almost any dollar store, grocery store, anything like that.. And if you can't find one, a length of rope from the hardware store works just as well. You can even tie it to the end of your regular lead so that you have the quick release clip for his collar...

It seems like if you tried to teach him off lead there are far too many opportunities for him to start thinking that your commands are optional. With my dog I've learned never to give a command that I can't directly enforce because he'll never forget it, and he'll challenge every command for weeks afterward.. I think that spending a couple of dollars on some rope or a long line would save you both a lot of trouble..

>>i have a 7 month boxer puppy, georgie. we've been going to obedience class for two months and he's been doing really well. we've been working on an offleash come outside in an open area with no fence. but only from a stay position. but i was wondering if i could somehow use the recall to teach him to retrieve toys. he retrieves fine in the house. but when we get outside, he goes nuts and what bring back his toys. is there anyway i can use the recall to teach him to come to me. but i don't want to go backwards with the recall in the process. i don't have a long enough line to do this effectively, so it would have to be offleash. i know i should probably start with shorter distances first, but he progresses so quickly that i'll need to figure out how to get in the distance sooner. i've been doing the recall from a distance of 50 feet, so that would be the goal i'd want to work up to. does this make any sense to anyone or do i sound like a complete idiot?

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Braided nylon rope from the hardware store in quite inexpensive. I like to work with 5/8 inch diameter and 40' length after tying a brass harness snap on one end (hardware store has that, too) and a wrist loop in the other. The rope comes with instructions for tying the knot, and a bowline knot works well. This diameter and type of rope in this length is not too hard on the hands and not too bad to tangle--if you loop it up neatly each time you put it away.

You can also teach retrieving with the help of a hallway inside the house. Never for any kind of training do you want to give the dog the option of running off in the middle of it, so you do need a long line to work in the open. There is no benefit to throwing the article farther than 40 feet, except perhaps for increased exercise--but doing a higher number of 40-foot repetitions provides just as much physical exercise with more mental exercise, and it take both to properly satisfy a dog's activity needs.

You'll find full instructions on teaching a basic retrieve at the link below my name in the article "Retrieving in Play." Your dog is now old enough to learn the "Hold It," but you must do it in very short sessions, daily over a period of time. I started my last dog at 7 months of age and spent 4 months on gentle daily "Hold It," along with stimulating the "Take It" strictly through play. She became the best retriever I've ever had, and it's part of her job as my assistance dog.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series articles at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=47