# The Call Back



## laukaouda (Jun 26, 2002)

Can those with experience please explain how they begin to teach the call back? 

Once Phantom has recovered from her spay we will begin working on this piece of the protection routine.

*Sorry Chris the e-mail monster lost your technique so please re-post*

Thanks


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

I start at home using a toy. Sit dog, place toy several feet in front of dog, then myself step several feet behind dog. Call dog back to heel, then release to get the toy. This allows the dog to build the behavior and comprehend the concept of moving away from the goal (toy) in order to earn the toy in a lower drive state than in protection. I gradually work up to sitting the dog, stepping back, throwing the toy, calling back, release. Sometimes instead of releasing the dog to get the thrown toy, I reward myself in heel position with a 2nd toy I had hidden in a pocket to condition the dog that sometimes the reward will come in heel position, not just a release.

Once that's reliable at home we move to the protection field. I prefer to do this in the open, not in the blind, so as to minimize the impact on the dog's hold and bark in the blind.

I start with a similar set up, just using a helper instead of the toy. Have dog sit with helper several feet in front of the dog, and me several feet behind, call back, then *the helper steps forward to the dog* to reward with the bite. I do this, rather than sending the dog for a bite, so the dog has more desire to get back to call back position because the bite will happen *there* in heel position, not forward.

Once that's reliable we go to doing in from a barking position in front of the helper instead of the dog just sitting. Dog is in a much higher state of drive than if the dog is just sitting and this is more like the trial exercise. Process is the same, call dog back, then helper steps forward to give the dog the bite in heel position. 

Once that's good, we move to the blind a few times, but not very often. I only rarely do an actual call out from the blind because I don't want it to adversely affect the hold and bark or to make the dog sensitive to my approach at the blind or anticipating the call back because she wants to hurry back to heel position as soon as I get there in order to earn the bite. When I do a call back out of the blind, again the helper always steps forward to give the bite with the dog in heel position. I never release the dog or send to the blind for the reward bite. All sorts of dirty in the blind problems can come of that. Helper must come to the dog. To make sure the dog stays barking properly and doesn't anticipate, the majority of the time the dog is rewarded with a bite out of the hold and bark, no call back.

So 99% of the work is done away from the blind, with just the occasional call back from the hold and bark in the blind to proof the exercise and make sure the dog understands the same rules apply there... but not so often as to cause anticipation.


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## laukaouda (Jun 26, 2002)

Thanks. Reading that a second time helps.


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

Do you train with Les?


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## laukaouda (Jun 26, 2002)

Yes, Phantom and I train with Cascade Schutzhund Club. Les is our training director.


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

I was just wondering. A friend of mine also trains there.


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## laukaouda (Jun 26, 2002)

It is a fantastic group of people. Everyone (even the Dobie people, once you pry the camera out of their hands or catch them in between adding bling to their dogs) are friendly.


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## cledford (Apr 5, 2005)

For a SchH1 - does a handler *have to* heel the dog out of the blind - or can they simply start out with the call-out - given that is what the dog will be doing for the II & III?

-Calvin


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## G-burg (Nov 10, 2002)

You can do either or in the SchH 1.


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

In SchH/VPG1 you can do either a call back or a pick up. Handler's choice. I believe in IPO1 the call back is required and pick up is not allowed. The call back is required for the 2 and 3 in all versions of SchH.


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