Taking the dumbbell from the hand

The first prerequisite for teaching the forced retrieve with our method is to establish a mechanical advantage over the dog so that it cannot physically resist us. We must be able to control the dog, and control it very easily, so that we can be precise in everything that we do with it.

Just as we do for training the out in bite work, we use a back tie to secure a mechanical advantage. The dog is tied to a post or tree on about eight feet of line leading to a leather collar buckled snugly around its neck. The animal also wears a correction collar that is reversed so that the live ring hangs in front, underneath the jaw. The handler stands in front of the dog with a leash that is attached to the correction collar. Most often we use a pinch collar rather than a simple choker.

The purpose of this exercise will be, quite simply, to compel the animal to take the dumbbell in its mouth and hold it. With the leash in his left hand and the dumbbell in his right, the handler begins to pull on the leash strongly enough to cause the dog some discomfort. At the same time he says, “Take it! Take it!” At one point or another the dog will open its mouth, either in the process of resisting the collar or in order to give a yip of distress–or, in the case of a tough customer, to try to bite. At that instant the handler inserts the dumbbell in the dog’s mouth and, just as soon as he has it between the dog’s jaws, he relaxes the tension on the leash and praises the animal softly and quietly.

The dog will immediately spit the dumbbell out. The handler begins to pull on the correction collar again the instant he sees the dumbbell come loose, and catches it as it drops from the dog’s mouth. Very quickly he presents the dumbbell to the dog again, urging it to “Take it! Take it!” He keeps after the dog until, in response to the discomfort, the dog opens its mouth again and then the handler quickly reinserts the dumbbell. As always, as soon as the dumbbell is actually in the dog’s mouth, he relaxes tension on the leash.

The proposition for the animal is a simple one. Taking the dumbbell in its mouth after hearing the command “Take it!” will turn off the discomfort caused by the correction collar. Dropping it or refusing it will turn the discomfort on again.

^{The forced retrieve. This dog shows, by the way that it reaches for the dumbbell, that it is beginning to understand what is expected.}

The dog will quickly see where the advantage lies, and someone who is really good at teaching the forced retrieve with this method can have a dog taking the dumbbell and holding it after about fifteen minutes of careful work.

Once he has compelled the animal to take the dumbbell, the handler praises it quietly and calmly while the dog holds the dumbbell, petting it gently if he can do so without disturbing the dog’s grip on the dumbbell.

After a few seconds of holding the dumbbell, the handler commands “Give!” and tries to get the dumbbell back. At this point many dogs have their jaws set stubbornly and somewhat resentfully on the dumbbell, and will require a mild correction in order to get them to give it up. The correction is not given with the leash, because we have just finished teaching the dog that tension on the leash and the discomfort that it causes mean to take and hold the dumbbell, not drop it. Therefore, we correct it another way. A very light bump on the chin or the end of the dog’s nose should “unclinch” the animal from the dumbbell.

The handler works with his dog once or twice a day on the back tie until the animal will quickly take the dumbbell on the command “Take it!” and hold it calmly, and then give it up readily on the “Give!” command–without the necessity for any corrections.