# Moving past the send-away stick



## ayoitzrimz (Apr 14, 2010)

Hey everyone,

I have a question regarding the send away.

First of all, I'd love to know what different people use as a target. Do you do the Michael Ellis system where he has a pad on the floor, that's the target, and then he recalls for the reward? Do you use a send-away stick and put the reward there? Do you use another object (cone, goal post, tree, etc)? 

I personally worked with a send-away stick, just an L shaped stick that I can hang the toy off of or lay the toy next to. At this point, we have the down on the send away, we have our cue in place (standing opposite the long leg of the obedience pattern facing away from target, give the cue (where's your toy?), turn around, cue the dog with my left hand to look ahead, fuss a little and send away). 

My observation of what he knows: I can place a toy at the target without him knowing its there. When I cue him, he'll look straight ahead to find it. If he can see it, I'll get a nice straight line to it. The problem is when he cant see the target when I cue him. He'll still run out, but stop after 15 steps or so, look at me at which point I'll have to give another command to get him to keep going.

Then, out of necessity (the stick broke lol) I started using light poles, trees, etc, basically anything that is at the far end of the ob leg. 

So far, so good. But where to now? Besides what you use to teach it as I asked earlier I'm looking for some advice to help him generalize the send away. 

I heard some things:
1. Get 4 send away sticks and put them in 4 corners, then send the dog to each on from the center
2. Use the goalpost at the end of the field as a send away marker - I'm not crazy about using anything in the field because (just IMO) 1. its not really a send away, it becomes like a placed retrieve and 2. You wont always have your homefield advantage. 
3. Keep using what you have, and keep placing toys at the target when the dog is away or distracted, so he'll grow to believe that by running away from you in a straight line he'll eventually find the toy - but then doesn't that turn into a search exercise?

As you can see, I'm a little confused.
I'm also confused as to what picture do I want in the dog's head. He's not really running to something but rather away from the handler right? But that seems sort of abstract for a dog's mind.

Anyway, I'd love to hear advice from the more experienced folks (by that I mean more experienced than me  )


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

My experience is limited but I'll share this:

I just watched Schutzhund with Gottfried Dildei- Advanced Obedience DVD
His method taught the send out with a piece of hose weaved into chain link fence. So the dog never had an opportunity to go past the reward. And he always brought the dog out to the reward~placed it in the fence, heeling back to where he was sending him from(increasing distance as the dog learned it) Dog always knows where the stick is, so doesn't have to search.
The Platz was added after that with the hose higher in the fencing(dog couldn't see it by then, but knew it was there because of the repeated exercise). 
He also randomized the platz command, sometimes the dog was allowed to get the stick, other times to platz.
Gottfried's methods are huge on pattern training, I don't know that I subscribe to that but it is helpful for some exercises.
I'm also doing the 4 or 8 sticks(bumpers 8=wagon wheel pattern) training/ straight run for obedience exercises. My trainer that I'm working with for obedience is a field retriever trainer so we are using her methods to teach my dog to look to me for direction. He needs to go to where I send him regardless of where the bumpers are all located. This is mostly for my blind search exercises but it will help with the send out. 
So far we haven't really had to teach the send out, my dog goes out just fine, but doesn't always platz on command.


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