Train a dog - QUICK!

March 21, 2009 7:39 AM

Help me train my friend's dog in one afternoon!

I am watching my friend's labradoodle for the whole day tomorrow, and I really want to teach him how to fetch. He is about 2 years old, and will chase sticks and such, but he doesn't bring them back to me. Any tips?

posted by yet.another.boston.question to pets & animals (7 comments total)

Does he pick them up, but just not bring them back? Because if that's all it is, then just give him a treat for bringing it back. Start out giving him a treat ever time, then 9 out of 10 times, 8 out of 10, 7 out of 10, etc., until he is bringing it back without treats. That's what I did with one of my dogs.

If he won't pick them up, then you're probably not going to be able to do it in just one day, but if you want to try, there's a very good and comprehensive article on backchaining a fetch here. I did this with my other dog and she did learn to fetch, but it's not her idea of fun at all. Some dogs just don't have any retrieving instinct and she's one of them.
posted by HotToddy at 8:15 AM on March 21

Throw a stick and don't chase him under any circumstances. Look totally bored. Keep a pocket of treats and when he gets tired and comes back to you with the stick go berserk with praise and give him a treat. Repeat.
posted by plinth at 8:15 AM on March 21

*every* time
posted by HotToddy at 8:16 AM on March 21

All dogs are different. You may get lucky and succeed in one day, but that might be expecting a little much. My Jack Russell Terrorist loves to fetch, when she's in the mood, but other times, she just doesn't get it at all. "Go get it," I yell, over and over, and she looks at me like I'm speaking Cat. Or racoon. Or, she goes and gets it, brings it back, drops it at my feet, and says, "Throw it again. I promise I'll go get it." And she does.

plinth advised you to go berserk when he comes back with the stick. Someone else phrased it, Have a PARTY, a big celebration. Make that little dog brain understand that it just did a really good thing. Good treats are chunks of hot dog or baloney. Full of flavor, go down really quickly (unlike dry treats that require chewing) and you're ready to go again. OK, so they're not health food. Can't have everything.

Good luck! And above all, have fun!
posted by davoid at 8:39 AM on March 21

Rent The Dog Whisperer: Beginning and Intermediate Dog Training
posted by watercarrier at 10:16 AM on March 21

Clicker training. I taught my horse to fetch in 2 sessions of about 10 minutes each.
If you don't have a clicker, actually, use your tongue to click. It works.

www. clickertraining.com (sorry, I can't get the clickable link to work)
posted by OolooKitty at 12:44 AM on March 22

Seconding the clicker training. I was having the same problem with my labrador and using a clicker (which would probably require more than a day's work to get started) I got him fetching and bringing stuff back to me in two 5 minute sessions. If you don't have a clicker or can't learn enough about it in time you could probably do it with treats as follows:

1. Give dog toy/stick, play with him/her, be encouraging and, the second s/he drops it, say a word ("Thanks" or "drop" or something) and give him a treat.

2. Repeat two or three times.

3. Throw the toy/stick about 1 foot away, perform as in point 1.

4. After 4 or 5 times, choose one "drop" that the dog does really well, give a bunch of treats and extra praise and put the toy/stick away. (Try to end before the dog gets bored and on a very positive note.)

5. Start again after an hour or so, starting from about a foot away.

6. Repeat the whole thing as much as possible, building up the distance slowly.

I can now throw sticks etc as far as I can and he brings them back right away. Don't use a toy that's inherently fun in itself though - sticks and balls are best as they don't do much by themselves. I made the mistake with my dog of throwing a floppy frisby (called a squirrel or something) soon after I'd taught fetch: it was a new toy and it was so much fun for him to shake around that he never brought it back. Stupid as I was I tried again the next day without 'restarting' as above and simply un-taught him how to fetch.

Anyway, have fun. (There's tons of stuff online about this but the best book for my money is Karen Pryor's Don't Shoot The Dog.)
posted by gwpcasey at 8:25 AM on March 22