# How did you teach your V to retrieve?



## BaxtersMum (Oct 6, 2012)

As the subject title says


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## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

Really useful for wearing your vizsla out.

Once your recall is good, play with him with his favourite toy and then in a hall or confined place/space - play with him with the toy and then throw it a little way and he should go and get it. Once he picks it up call him back to you. Lots of praise. Put your hand under his chin so he doesn't drop it and then take the toy off him and give him a treat. Don't make him sit when he comes back - make it fun for him.

If he start to run away or not bring it straight back to you, put him on a long lead or similar and once he has picked up the item you have thrown, encourage him back with the lead.

Ken posted some you tube videos of how he trains his young dogs to retrieve, which I found excellent. Use the search box and see if you can find them.

Boris is really good at retrieving now, so I now hide things and tell him to seek. Vizslas have fantastic noses for scent and it is amazing to see him quartering the area searching for the toy.

Great fun and very rewarding for both of us


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## zigzag (Oct 4, 2011)

Snow day in portlan and we ran early AM. Found a hold over phesant, no gun on are walk we may go back to some basic training today. Hallway fetch with a paint roller and phesnt wing taped to it. Doesint get better then this.


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## zigzag (Oct 4, 2011)

Hunting WMA straight ahead 8)


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## Kay92 (Oct 19, 2012)

As hotmischief said, recall should be down really good. For Riley he just had that natural instinct to go get it. Chuck is just now learning. throw the toys/ball enough times and they eventually get the hang of it.


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## BaxtersMum (Oct 6, 2012)

I've been throwing toys in the house and he is quite good at bringing back but he wants to play tug of war rather than drop for me to throw again. Outside off lead he us absolutely useless. He runs to it and then either throws it up in the air and leaves it and runs off or 
he just runs off with it. More often than not I have to go over to toy that he has left on the ground to throw it again.

He is only 20 weeks so I'm sure he will get it eventually I just wasn't sure if there was a better way to train maybe with treats or something?


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## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

I would stop throwing things for him out doors until he is consistently bring the toy back to you on command in the house. The idea of teaching retrieve in a narrow confined area is so that they can't run off. 

Have his favourite treat ready for when he returns. Boris soon learnt to anticipate the treat and would drop the toy a few feet from me. As I wanted him to retrieve to hand, he got sent back to fetch it and then I place my hand under his chin to stop him dropping the toy before I took it. Then quickly treat him. 

When I started doing it outside in the garden I had to put him on a line as he would do the same as Baxter and trow the toy around and run around with it, so the line was useful for guiding him in when I recalled him.

Always use treats to reward him when he brings it back.

As you say he is only 20wks and he will definitely get the hang of it.

PS, Did you manage to sort out the Natural Instinct?


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## BaxtersMum (Oct 6, 2012)

Ah thanks for the advice. 

I haven't been able to find a distributor for Natural Instinct yet. I'm going to go to a pet store tomorrow as a friend has told me she thinks they sell it. I'm hoping so as its not too far so will save on postage. I did take your advice though and stopped using the kibble and I have just fed Nature Diet wet food since and guess what ..... Firm poo's since!!


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

The hallway has always been the perfect place to start retrives. If the pup is playing a little to much with it instead of bringing it back, place the object instead of tossing it. Start praising as soon as his mouth touches the object. Make sure you always praise and rub the pup before removing the object from its mouth. Reach under the pups mouth , not over it head and gently remove. If you snatch/grab from a pup they will start to anticipate it, and drop the object before they get to you.


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## Rudy (Oct 12, 2012)

This is a hour one gig max and both above me correct ;D

Your watching TV but can speak over the shows

tie up a sock use simple commands and rewards fetch good boy or girl Inside only at first

add drop and stay with treats as you progress

keep it simple

Done I can have cats do this 30 mins 

then after its he or she is consistant rewards and actions take her or she outside just limit the distances at first

as well as a good start on hand commands or whistle work

Balls are great as well

the Retrieve and to please process will kick in fast

I would also add Pheasant or duck wings in his course

reward results


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## zigzag (Oct 4, 2011)

Try putting a string through a tennis ball, use a nail or punch to drive the string through the ball and tie it off. Then you can pull the ball back to you if he doesint bring it straight back. Who knows it might work.


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