Keeping the Fun in Retriever
Training
By Charlie Jurney
Wouldn't it
be nice in the middle of a rough day if someone stopped by and
said a few words that made all your cares go away? Instantly your
negative feelings would disappear and you'd be happy. Well, in
retriever training there is something that can have that effect on
your dog. We call them "fun bumpers," and although the concept is
simple, they serve an important purpose.
The only
rule with fun bumpers is that the dog must chase the bumper. I
throw fun bumpers in some fashion everyday for each dog I'm
training. With a young dog, this is how I begin each session. I
continue until I see a positive attitude in the pup. After all, it
serves no purpose to throw an object for your dog to retrieve if
he's not motivated.
In a dog
with poor retrieving desire, this fun game can build his
excitement. You can nurture motivation by teasing your dog with a
bumper. As his interest in the object intensifies, toss it a few
feet in front of him. If he doesn't chase, repeat the process.
I've seen this go on for weeks in an unmotivated student. Patience
is the only way to solve the problem. I've yet to see a dog enjoy
retrieving that had the process forced upon him.
Most dogs
from good breeding don't need much motivation to retrieve, but
that doesn't mean fun bumpers aren't a useful tool at every stage
of the training process. As anyone who has done much retriever
training knows, there are a lot of rules you demand your dog
follows steadiness, stopping on the whistle and taking hand
signals, to name a few. Therefore it is important to add a verbal
command to differentiate the fun bumper routine. I use the words,
"Hup, hup, hup," prior to tossing the bumper as a verbal cue to
pup that he's about to have fun. You can use any words you prefer,
but be consistent. Soon those words alone will send your dog into
a frenzy of excitement.
Continual
repetition of the fun bumper programs gives you an extra tool for
training. Fun bumpers can be used to coax a dog into water the
first time. They can adjust pup's attitude if he seems confused or
lacks confidence in a new situation. And they're enjoyable for
you, too. I don't know anyone who doesn't smile when their
retrieves with a wagging tail and happy attitude.
As the dog
progresses, I used fun bumpers as a reward at the end of the
training session. I always follow a job well done with a couple of
fun bumper tosses before the dog goes back on the truck or into
his kennel. This increases his desire to work in the next training
session.
Everything
I've explained so far has to do with motivation and reward. But
this concept can work the other way: to punish a dog. Suppose your
boss told you your paycheck depended on how you performed your
job. Poor performance by your dog might mean he gets put back in
the kennel without his paycheck of fun bumpers. Not giving him his
fun bumpers at the end of a training session can be the greatest
punishment in a dog's life if he has been properly trained with
them.
For more
information related to this topic, please check the "Training
Information" archive at
www.sportdog.net.
Charlie
Jurney, owner of Beaverdam Kennels in Terrell, N.C., is a
professional retriever trainer. He is the author of the Finished
Dog training manual and CD-Rom. For more information, visit
www.finisheddog.com.
