Won't "Take it"

[SheilaT]

Hey guys....I need some guidance here. I've been working with Angus in the hope that someday we'll go to a water trial. My issue with him is a pretty basic one....he hates to pick up anything in his mouth. Won't chase a stick or a ball or a bumper...at all. In the water, he will take a line, for a split second, and then spit it out. On land, he won't take anything. I tried Judi Adler's method with him, for 10 days straight, and all I reinforced in him was his love for bacon.

Any ideas?

 

[ardeagold]

Have you tried different textures of bumpers, etc?

Cole doesn't like the rubber ones...only canvas. Mira doesn't like anything except the orange rubber ones. Molly prefers the white rubber ones. Maybe if you find something he'll accept, you can go from there?

 

[pecanpiepatti]

There are "bumpers" that can have food inserted; or, take a tennis ball (or a bigger one depending on his size); slit it and fill w/treats. Let him smell it and throw it for him. Baby steps.

 

[janices]

Katie's Bumpers has the bumper can insert food - Stuff N Fetch It http://www.katiesbumpers.com/documents/kb_Stuff_N_Fetch_It.htm . Some like different textures, right.

I do clicker method. Click for holding and slowly increase the criteria. Georg wouldn't take anything last year. Started very slow with him. Now he's just as grabby as his mum.

A couple of guides for teaching retrieving - A GUIDE TO THE INDUCIVE RETRIEVE, REVISED by Sternberg and clicker method is in THE CLICKED RETRIEVER by Mitchell.

 

[SheilaT]

Thanks y'all! I've tried lots of different textures....he's not impressed. The Stuff N Fetch may help...he's very food motivated.

 

[ardeagold]

Then smear the ones you have with peanut butter. LOL

 

[Prdmary]

Take a bumper and put squirt cheese on it.....let him lick it off a few times. Then put the squirt cheese on the top side of the bumper and hold it up so that he has to reach up.....normally they will take the bumper in their mouth to pull it down and get the cheese on the top side.......tell him "take it" when he does. PRAISE like crazy! It is a way to start.....

Sometimes dragging the bumper on the ground on a string will bring in their prey drive and they will go after it. As he goes after it, tell him take it......then if you can get him to play tug with it, tell him hold. Then you can use a treat and offer it to him and tell him give....taking the bumper and giving him the treat.

You can also take treats and toss them out, tell him take it as he goes to get the treat, then tell him come and give him another treat for coming.....repeat by tossing the treat in the opposite direction....come....treat......then toss a toy and see if he will bring IT to you.....treat......then go back to tossing the treat.......it's like a game. Don't make the tosses very far out, maybe 15-20 ft at most. Be very up and excited to get him up and excited about it.

 

[Ivoryudx]

Have you tried working 'take it' with a bully stick, then once he is doing 'take it', 'hold' with the bully, he gets to 'take it' with a bumper every other try. It will probably take a few sessions to get him to understand that unless he puts his mouth on the bumper the bully stick goes away and he doesn't get it again til the next session.

 

[SheilaT]

The cheese or peanut butter may help...but the doofus has NO prey drive. Bully might work, too. Got lots of good ideas now....thanks, y'all!