Retrieve Training

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To register for a class online, see instructions below. If you need help to register please email us

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Ready, Steady, Retrieve!

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This course will work through the foundation skills for a Retrieve-to-hand along with other complementary skills such as heel work, stays, verbal and hand signal cues, steadiness, focus, and personal play.

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This effective, force-free method of training a retrieve to hand is great for dogs of all sizes, breeds, and most ages! This is a great course for owners wishing to train their own hunting companion, service dog handlers, obedience competitors, or those who want to play a good old game of fetch.

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By the end of this class, your dog should be able to retrieve an item and deliver it to your hand from a moderate distance; walk a small course in heel; hold a position while you walk away; and focus on you in distracting environments

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Each week will build on the exercises from the previous class, so commitment to doing the homework is essential for success in this course.

 

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This class is 1  hour a week for 7 weeks.

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Prerequisite: Beginning with Basics - recommended age is 8 months and older

Ready, Steady, Retrieve! Level 2

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This class seeks to build and extend the skills from previous retrieve courses. If are looking for more opportunities to perfect your retrieve, additional help for steps of the retrieve process, or looking to take your retrieve to new, exciting levels, Retrieve level 2 is here. 

 

This class will be held outdoors, adding the extra challenge of distractions to retrieving. It will also include personal play and basic nose-work elements to offset the retrieve portion and maintain engagement with the dogs.

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Content will be tailored to the level of the students registered and thus anyone with a started (shaped) retrieve is welcome to join! Some potential options for content depending on student abilities are:

• Generalizing the retrieve to new items 

• Progressing in the retrieve steps including pick ups, returns or deliveries to hand

• Trouble shooting issues you may be having with your current retrieve

• Applying the retrieve skill to learn new behaviors such as cleaning up toys, opening doors, and carrying items.

• Teaching a delivery style and perfecting the delivery to hand 

• Introduction to marked, blind and memory retrieves (level of dog dependent)

• Adding verbal cues

• Object discrimination (teaching the dog to pick up different objects by name)

• Increasing steadiness and reliability

 

Essentially, this class will work to the level of the participants and every effort will be made to ensure content flexibility for those coming out of the workshop or out of practice with their retrieve.

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Some homework will be provided with this class, however due to the flexible nature students will be given personalized tips and exercises based on their level of retrieving. Consistent with previous retrieve classes, homework and at-home practice is a key component and students should have a level of commitment to training this that motivates them to practice with their dog. Students are encouraged to bring a notebook if they wish to write down specific tips received in class but it is not required. 

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Prerequisite: Ready, Steady, Retrieve Level 1 OR Retrieve Workshop