# How do you teach "take it" for the dumb bell?



## ponyfarm (Apr 11, 2010)

We had our first class for AKC Open obedience. The first step in teaching "take-it" for the eventual retrieve over a jump is to hold the collar with treat in hand, say Take It! with great enthusiasm and shove a treat in to his mouth. Of course, Tim is loving this, but I have a problem with it. I have taught him to take treats so gently and this just encourages "grabbing". Trainer says that will happen for a while..I dont want that!

How do you all train that skill?


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

I clicker train the beginnings of the retrieve. It is not necesary to teach take it with food treats as the grabbed item.


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## Jazmeena (Feb 9, 2012)

We just had our first advanced obedience class with Angel this week. The way our trainer said to teach "take it" was to start with a tennis ball (or other toy they love). Put it in the palm of your hand and as soon as they are going to reach for it, say "take it" and treat. Do this over and over so they associate the "take it" command with grabbing something.


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## GatorDog (Aug 17, 2011)

I shape the dumbbell work starting with a wooden dowel or pvc pipe.


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

You can use a marker word and then give the treat to the dog. You don't have to shove it in his mouth.


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## Franksmom (Oct 13, 2010)

I started with simply treating Frank for touching the dumbell, since he didn't want to touch it at all. we worked up to holding it, then I would put it down and when he would pick it up I would say "Good take it!" take the dumbell and treat. He gradually picked up on the command and now understands. I say take it and he does.

Indy always loved his dumbell so I simply held it in front of him and said "take it" and he did, gotta love a BC sometimes, I think he read the rules before I did LOL


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## Packen (Sep 14, 2008)

Training the retrieve essentially has 3 proven methods, depending on the dog one of these should work better than the others,

1. Motivational
2. Forced
3. Combination of 1 and 2 for example using NEPOPO

To get a competition level retrieve it typically takes 2 to 6 months of training using the back chaining technique to progress from the "hold" to "pick up and hold" to "front position while holding" to "flat retrieve" to "over jump or wall retrieve".

Ivan has a good DVD describing the process, might be worth buying!


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