# Training the Retrieve



## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Curious - how does everyone train the retrieve?

If I send Stark over the jump (haven't worked the A-frame in retrieves yet) to retrieve the dowel he will automatically go around the jump to bring it back.

He knows the "hop" command and will send over the jump but not come back over it. 

I taught this by using markers (placemats on the ground) on either side of the jump and telling him to basically "place" once he jumped on either side. I then would place(throw over but someone else would place it on the mat) the dowel on one side, give him the "hop" command and send him over. He would grab the dowel and then come back to me but he would not jump over the jump, even with the "hop" command.

Should I have someone lead him over the jump? and once he clears let go of the lead and allow him to continue?

Also, when he comes to front after the jump (or running around the jump I should say) he is crooked, is this because he isn't coming right at me over the jump? Will that fix itself you think once I get him jumping over the jump? He is usually pretty straight on his fronts. His position in heel could be better, but usually his fronts are pretty nice.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Can you put a thin line on him (something that won't catch on the jump) and guide him back? I did not have this issue w/ Nikon but he LOVES to jump. When I originally practiced jumping to get him from his agility height to the SchH height I *always* made him go over and come back just like a retrieve, not just going over on the way out, or having me handle him over and back like in agility. In SchH even if we are just playing he knows to go over both ways. If we are not actually doing retrieves, just doing it for a work out or for fun, I yell "platz" as he goes forward over the jump, then he pancakes on the other side which gives him a chance to get collected and me a chance to say "OK, jump!" so he jumps back over (I don't typically send him over to rewards, reward comes from me).

I guess I would take the retrieve out of it for a while and just instill that jump = going over AND back. Does he do agility? If not that makes it easier, he should know that anytime he jumps he comes back over the jump.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

Does he do the retrieve on the flat? Have you worked the jump/wall both direction up to full height? If not then you should not be doing the retrieve over the jump or the wall. If yes, and it doesn't sound like that since you are using a dowel and not a dumbbell, I would lower the jump most of the way down (24" at the most) and make the wall much lower. When I do it, I will toss the DB, and then go up to the jump or wall after they go over to help them be correct on the way back. By permitting the dog to go around the jump you are teaching him that this is allowed.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Yes, he does agility. 

Lisa, that sounds excellent. I am going to work it that way I think. I think I may put a line on him too. I think I am jumping the gun with this (directed to do it that way but I don't think he is solid enough in the jump to go ahead obviously). Yes, he retrieves fine on flat, it's almost like he gets confused when I correct him for going around the jump.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

Yes, some dogs can get confused by the correction. I would help him so he understands what it is you want.


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## jesusica (Jan 13, 2006)

In addition to what Lisa said about helping him over, you can put up that plastic netted construction fence perpendicular to the jump on each side so that there's basically a defined lane for him to go over and back. Just make sure the dowel lands somewhere in the lane on the other side.


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