# teaching out



## lcht2 (Jan 8, 2008)

im not too sure how i havent been able to teach my pup out yet. i've worked on drop it but he gets so excited now that he wont let go. so anyway could any of u give me any of your "training techniques"


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I would probably start with a trade. When he latches on, offer something better (or a treat!). Then as he releases, say "out" and give him the new toy or treat. You don't want to have to fight him to out and whatever you do, he MUST out when you say it.


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## GunnerJones (Jul 30, 2005)

I recommend the trade as also, that and playing a two ball game


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## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

Two ball is AWESOME for teaching "out" as are extremely high value treats. Forget the Milkbones and store treats, break out the stinky cheese, the burger meat, the salmon, etc. Make it REALLY worth his while.


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## dOg (Jan 23, 2006)

If you use a tug, you can hold it still. Once is it is still, the "prey" is dead, drive drops, he'll out.
Reward with praise and start it moving again, make him miss, drive goes up. Let him catch it and win the game. 
It's a game, and the bite and fight is the biggest reward. Once it's still, game has to restart, so out is natural, he'll want it live again.
Once he's won it, he'll bring it back to play some more for the same reason, as it's already dead in his grip.


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## TANDB (Dec 12, 2005)

I agree with dOg. This is the way I taught and we have a very reliable out.


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## lcht2 (Jan 8, 2008)

alright ill give it a shot


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## youngK9 (Aug 1, 2004)

This is great advice. Ivan Balabanov teaches this technique for the out. I have watched my Dad do this with young Mals & even an older German Shepherd that would not out. He changed it a little by marking the OUT and rewarding quickly. He really plays hard with the dogs and always makes it a lot of fun.

Good Luck!!!


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## GSDluver4lyfe (Nov 15, 2006)

> Originally Posted By: dOgIf you use a tug, you can hold it still. Once is it is still, the "prey" is dead, drive drops, he'll out.
> Reward with praise and start it moving again, make him miss, drive goes up. Let him catch it and win the game.
> It's a game, and the bite and fight is the biggest reward. Once it's still, game has to restart, so out is natural, he'll want it live again.
> Once he's won it, he'll bring it back to play some more for the same reason, as it's already dead in his grip.


I have to say this is method is GREAT!! I was amazed on how fast it worked. And I havent worked on any outs prior to doing this.


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

> Originally Posted By: dOgIf you use a tug, you can hold it still. Once is it is still, the "prey" is dead, drive drops, he'll out.


What would you do with a dog that continues to pull on it even after YOU have stopped? That's what my Cocker does. I'll stop tugging on it but he just keeps pulling. All four feet planted, he goes PULL PULL PULL PULL and can keep it up for quite some time.


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

My Morgan is that way too - too much mileage between then and now for me to remember how I taught her to let go. I do know when she catches REAL PREY (some creature in the yard) she'll keep shaking it until I call her off it.


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## IliamnasQuest (Aug 24, 2005)

One of the most effective ways I've learned to teach a dog "give" is to spit yummy treats on the top of the dog's head.

What I do is I fill my mouth with a number of pieces of meat or cheese. Then I play whatever game I'm playing with my dog (fetch or tug or whatever) and when I want my dog to let go of the item, I hold onto it and say "GIVE!" and then immediately start spitting treats onto the top of his head. 

I have yet to have a dog that doesn't let go of whatever they have so that they can go after the treats.

Do this for several training sessions and you'll have a dog that releases immediately (and happily) on command. Once they're doing that, it's easy to switch out to just throwing the toy again instead of spitting treats. I tend to still do the treats on occasion so that the dog doesn't ever really know when the sky will be raining bits of meat and cheese .. *L*

I've used the "freeze and don't tug back" method and it does work well on some dogs, but there are others who simply keep pulling. So I tend to always go through the "rain of treats" training at some point to reinforce the concept that "give" is a really good thing.

Melanie and the gang in Alaska


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## bama_lorne (May 20, 2004)

This is EXACTLY the behavior you want in a dog to teach the out effectively by stopping the prey. Pull the prey item up close to your body and simply wait them out. Once they OUT put the item back into a prey mode and let the dog strike. Melanie describes a method they may work with some dogs, but my Mal and a friend's GSD that I trained that were possesive prey monsters showed no interest in the food.

One little note here this can be a physically taxing training method and you may be exhausted after just a couple of sessions. Be patient it will work and you will have a good clean crisp out because the dog learns quickly that out means another chance at the prey.


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