So, if I train my dog to find and bring something by name, he's being judged on that and not on proper retrieve technique (like sitting front/heel and "hold" )?

 Quote: Tresa Hendrix

So, if I train my dog to find and bring something by name, he's being judged on that and not on proper retrieve technique (like sitting front/heel and "hold" )?

Is the sitting front, etc., part of your stated goal? If not, then no.

As in the first contest. folks stated what they felt they would be able to accomplish (and accomplish well).

When the judges (all of the entrants) judged, they looked at how well the trainer accomplished his/her stated goal and how far the trainer had to go to get from where the dog was at the start and where the dog was at the completion.

If a dog has never retrieved anything, then it seems like a great goal to teach him to find and bring to you a certain object.

In the signup clip, it's good to show and say clearly where the dog is at the beginning.

"My dog has never retrieved anything. I want him to find a (blank) on command and return it to me."

or "My dog plays fetch with a ball all the time. But I want him to fetch a certain ball (perhaps a scented one, or one different in size from the others) even though I have tossed three all at once.


These are just a couple of ideas out of a jillion possibilities.



Here are some stated goals from the last contest: http://leerburg.com/webboard/thread.php?topic_id=33552&page=1

(Of course, we are better now and can more clearly state our goal and where we are at present. Check out Samantha's post there of "where we are now" and what her goal was.)

my mom wants me to teach them to bring the leash. I want to know if that would be a good goal for the contest?

They are learning the proper dumbell retrieve so that would give me a head start isnt it?? Can i use the leash bring or should i go to something that my girls do not know?

 Quote: Milanka Ratkovich

my mom wants me to teach them to bring the leash. I want to know if that would be a good goal for the contest?

They are learning the proper dumbell retrieve so that would give me a head start isnt it?? Can i use the leash bring or should i go to something that my girls do not know?

If I wanted that goal, and my dog already knew the retrieve, I'd probably complicate it in some way, remembering that the judging is based on both how well you achieved your goal AND on how far you had to go to get from starting behavior to finished behavior.