Service Dog Retrieve - 2 Part Series
Cdn$65 (for self-study class)

(3x30 min web cam consults available for extra purchase)

A solid retrieve to hand is an important skill for most service dogs. Whether picking up a dropped object, delivering an object to your hand or between your legs when sitting, your dog needs to learn how to pick up, carry, hold and deliver objects to a location that is convenient to you using appropriate mouth pressure. The retrieve is an important part of many other service dog tasks as well. In all, 35 games!

Service Dog Retrieve - Level 1

Class Goals: Dog learns how to take and correctly hold objects of many different materials, shapes and sizes for 20 seconds.   

You learn how to shape your dog using incremental steps laid out in the form of objectives. Discover how to create behavior chains, add duration to behaviors and how to blend behaviors to get new ones. Find out 7 ways to problem solve a dog to take an object and 7 ways to teach a solid hold. Also how to teach your dog to use just the right amount of pressure. Explore simple ways to proof the early behaviors so they are strong in your dog's mind. 50 video clips to watch! This class is ideal for trainers who work with many different dogs or handlers who have never used positive methods to teach a retrieve! 

Prerequisite: Foundation Skills 1-3 or previous experience shaping other behaviors. Teaching a service dog retrieve is an advanced skill.

 Service Dog Retrieve- Level 2

Class Goals: Dog learns how to pick objects off the ground while safely carrying them for a distance and delivering them to you with a shared hold to prevent dropping. He will also place items where you indicate. Your dog learns to control his mouth pressure and to pick up delicate objects with his lips or front teeth. He brings back stationary objects you point to in the distance and by their name and also picks up dropped objects without a cue.

In this class, we continue to build on level 1, adding change of position (both the dog's and ours), distance and distractions into the retrieve chain and how to build or decrease enthusiasm for dogs who are not natural retrievers. Learn how to apply the retrieve to putting objects away (garbage in a container in public). Learn how to methodically help our dogs generalize the behavior. 

Prerequisite: Service Dog Retrieve - Level 1