# Daily retrieving



## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

I've been working on and off with Scout to improve her retrieving work over the last year and while she's come a long way, my lack of consistency is definitely holding her back. My solution was to start finding ways to add retrieval work to her daily routine. It's funny what materials throw her. For instance, she now brings in the paper, but was originally turned off by the plastic bag around it. 

The other week I decided to start making her carry her bag of food to her crate. It took a little bit of work to get her used to the slippery material and (I think) having the weight hang down, as opposed to be centered in her mouth like with a bird. So now she works for her dinner and reinforces her training at the same time! 

Here's a quick video I put together of her new dinner routine.


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## Fcardoso (Sep 22, 2015)

Awesome vid....is that raw chicken?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## tknafox2 (Apr 2, 2013)

It is wonderful for dogs to have their regular " Jobs" ... gives them purpose, and scheduling.
Include the mail... 
Fergy brings the paper and the mail... totally different times of the day, but he is right on top of it.
Of course his reward is a treat, but ... He has earned them.


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

Fcardoso said:


> Awesome vid....is that raw chicken?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Yup! Scout has been on a raw diet since she was 5.5 months old and she'll be 3 in few months. It's worth reading up on if you've never heard about it. I hadn't before joining the forum. In the video I think she had a chicken quarter, pork, beef liver, suet, and maybe a marrow bone for dessert.


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## CrazyCash (Jul 12, 2012)

Scout is such a good girl. Mine are not nearly as impressive! In order to get dinner at my house, the dogs have to give me a kiss. . Maybe I need to make them work harder...


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

CrazyCash, I wouldn't mind a kiss before dinner, but I definitely don't want one immediately after! Considering how tuckered out they were in your POTM entry, they are clearly being overworked as it is! 

Today her meal was bit heavier and she dropped it on her way to the crate. Up 'til now I've picked it up for her and re-commanded a fetch, but today I wanted to see if she would pick it off the ground on fetch all by herself. It took a bit of convincing, but she did it! There's always progress and regress in training, but it's an opportunity either way.


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