By Jerry Sather
As dogs progress through the steps to learn multiple retrieves that last week’s blog covered, there almost always comes a time when the dog will begin to “think” it’s more advanced than it is. It will start to anticipate multiple retrieves instead of focusing on each mark. The sure sign of this is called “head swinging.”
Instead of locking total attention on each individual mark of the series all the way to the ground, the dog will start looking for the next bird to be thrown before it has truly marked a fall. Obviously, not seeing the bird all the way to the ground will inhibit the dog’s ability to make a precise, efficient retrieve. And when you add the complication of multiple marks and the dog always anticipating the next one, the whole situation can turn into a mess very quickly.
The thing to do in any aspect of training, when a dog starts anticipating rather than focusing on what’s really happening, is change the game immediately. For example, if a dog is breaking to make a retrieve before it’s sent, then this blog has already shared that you don’t let the dog make retrieves very often … even on hand-thrown bumpers in the back yard you go to only sending the dog for one in five or so birds. The other times you walk out to pick up the bird and make the dog stay sitting in place to watch you do it. Even a flinch gets a correction. That’s changing it up.
In the case of dealing with head swinging anticipation of multiple marks, you take the dog straight back to single retrieves. Since it’s anticipating multiple retrieves, this is changing it up for the dog. Additionally, the dog only gets the “reward” of making the retrieve is if it locks in and focuses. If it doesn’t, you take the dog off the line, put it back in the kennel for awhile while you run other dogs in your training group, then try the “problem student” again in 15 minutes or a half hour. It only gets to enjoy the thrill of retrieving if it’s doing it correctly in the way that you want it to do so.
Once the dog is back to locking on singles for at least several training sessions, then you start to work your way back up the 1-2-3 ladder step by step. You bring the dog to the line and throw the first bird in a series as a single. Dog makes the retrieve.
If it’s done correctly. Then you throw what is to be the second bird in a double as a single. Dog makes the retrieve.
If this one’s done correctly, too, then you bring the dog back and throw the double. Dog makes the retrieves.
If the pair is done correctly, you give great praise and you’re done for the session.
Next time you train, you come back to the same set up and run it as a cold double. Dog makes the retrieves. If this is done correctly, then you change to a new set up and run a cold double.
You can see the progression. They are all steps, maybe baby steps, but steps in progression up the 1-2-3 ladder. The key is not being afraid to back up and make the steps again when necessary. The reward will be a well-trained, eager, confident dog that is locking on retrieves – no matter how many there are in a series – and making you proud both in the field and at the hunt tests.
