TRAINING A SHOW DOG: OVERVIEW

1. If you have a mixed breed dog, Check out the Mixed Breed Dog Clubs of America, which offers conformation, obedience, and rally competition for mixed breeds.

2. Keep all your training sessions short and positive with your show dog.

3. Use a high rate of reinforcement when teaching a new behavior. Gradually reinforce your dog less with food and more with praise as he masters the tasks you are teaching him.

4. Check out author Vicki Ronchette’s book, Positive Training for Show Dogs, for more detail on training dogs for the show ring.

Sitting at ringside at a large dog show recently, I spotted a woman getting ready to go into the group ring with her Visla. After watching for a few minutes I commented to a friend that I thought the dog was clicker-trained. There was something very telling in the way the dog interacted with her handler that led me to believe that the dog felt comfortable trying things to impress her handler. After speaking to the handler, I found that the dog was clicker-trained, and had, in fact, been trained entirely with positive reinforcement methods. It is always very exciting for me to see people using these methods for the show ring.

You don’t have to be a judge to be able to recognize a show dog who loves what he is doing. A dog who really loves to show and enjoys what he is doing is obvious, even to the untrained eye.

Dog Show Basics

Almost everyone has been to a dog show or at least seen one on television, but not everyone knows how they work or why they exist. The original purpose of dog shows was for breeders to have their breeding stock judged. Many breeders will not breed a dog until the dog has completed its championship. The dogs who most closely match the breed standard in structure and temperament are the most desirable ones.

The largest registry for purebred dogs is the American Kennel Club (AKC). Most dog shows in the United States are AKC shows. There is also a United Kennel Club (UKC) and a Mixed Breed Club of America for people to compete in conformation with their spayed or neutered mixed breeds. I strongly recommend that anyone interested in doing dog sports with their mixed breed check out the Mixed Breed Dog Club. This organization allows mixed breeds to compete in conformation, obedience, and rally. It’s a lot of fun and a great way to get started in showing.

Successful Show Dogs: What it Takes

So, what does it take to be successful and win at dog shows? Besides having a dog who is a correct representative of his breed, you also need the dog to enjoy his “job.” Part of what makes a successful show dog is showmanship. A show dog needs to be able to perform and look like he enjoys it. The only way I know to preserve and enhance enjoyment of this work is through positive reinforcement techniques.

An important piece of the success puzzle is the relationship between the dog and the handler. In order for the dog to enjoy what he is doing and feel comfortable and relaxed in the ring, he needs to have a strong connection or relationship with the handler, whether the handler is his breeder, owner, or a professional handler. Positive reinforcement training can help strengthen that bond. Training methods that focus on positive reinforcement, rather than physical punishment, allow the dog to trust and feel safe with his handler; that, in turn, allows the dog to relax and enjoy strutting his stuff in the ring.

Clicker training and other positive training methods have made their way into many different areas of dog training, from teaching good manners to family pet dogs, to agility and rally competition training for professional canine athletes. The behaviors that are necessary for agility or obedience are much more complex than the behaviors required of a show dog. It only makes sense that positive training should find itself a place in show ring training as well. My goal is to make it the norm!

Positive reinforcement training can not only teach a dog the behaviors that he needs to perform in the ring, but also teach them in a way that the dog can have fun with and enjoy. Positive training allows the dog to try things and figure stuff out without having to worry about getting physically punished in any way. This, in and of itself, is incredibly powerful, particularly when part of the end goal is a dog who looks like he’s having fun.

There are three core behaviors that a show dog must learn to do well. He must be able to “gait,” “stack,” and be examined. Gaiting means moving at the proper speed and in the proper position without pulling on the lead, so that the judge can evaluate how the dog moves.

Stacking means he must be able to stand still on the ground (if he is a small dog, he must also learn to stand still on a table), so the judge can observe the dog and form an opinion as to how the dog appears when standing still.

Finally, a show dog must be able to stand still and remain calm while a judge examines him. The judge must actually put his or her hands on the dog to determine the overall structure of the dog. These are not particularly challenging things to teach. In fact, I have found that they are quite simple when using the clicker and other positive reinforcement techniques.

Equipment

To best show your dog’s conformation in the ring, you’ll need a special collar and leash combination.

For small dogs I like to use a Resco, “all in one” style collar with lead. The Resco is basically a loop with a slider that slides down to keep it snug where you want it on the dog’s neck. For medium or large dogs, I recommend a martingale style collar that closes up enough to keep the dog’s head from slipping out, but doesn’t continue to tighten like a choke collar would. There are “all in one” leash and collar martingales, or separate martingale collars that you can attach to a matching leash.

Clicker Training

I use clicker training a lot when working with show dogs. I see clicker training as sending non-emotional information to the dog. If your timing is good and your training plan is well thought-out, the clicker allows you to clearly communicate to the dog what, exactly, you want him to do.

How does this happen? The clicker tells the dog that whatever it was that he was doing when he heard the click was the behavior you want, and that a reward is coming.

In order for a dog to understand this, you have to set up a few training sessions for teaching the dog the relevance of the clicker. You do this by simply clicking and then giving the dog a treat. Practice this about 10 times in each session, then take a break. Make sure that you and the dog are not always in the same position or in the same location. You want him to learn that a click results in a treat, no matter what. Once you have done this, you can begin training some behaviors.

Keep your training sessions fairly short. Three minutes is enough time for a good session. Several short sessions throughout the day is plenty to teach the show ring behaviors. It’s fine to teach multiple new behaviors to a dog at the same phase of his training. However, it will help the dog if you work on each new behavior during its own, separate training session. For example, work on gaiting, and then take a break before moving on to stacking.

First Behavior: Gaiting

Gaiting a show dog seems like a simple behavior, but if you think about it, it’s pretty complex. You aren’t just “walking the dog.” Rather, you are asking the dog to walk at a certain speed, in a specific space in relation to your body. You don’t want the dog to pull on the leash, but you also don’t want him lagging behind. You need his tail and his head to be carried in the correct position for his breed. You don’t want him to sniff the ground or watch you as he moves. Oh, and he needs to look like he loves doing it! That’s a lot to ask for! You must train in baby steps to get there.

I typically start with the dog off-leash. I put some treats in my left hand and the clicker in my right hand. I let the dog know I have treats, and then I walk off. I click if the dog comes with me or if he even starts to come with me. After I click, I give him a treat at my left side, always with the dog’s head facing forward. I do not want the reinforcer to be delivered with the dog’s head facing me. Unlike heeling, where you may want the dog looking at the handler, in conformation we always want the dog’s head facing forward, so that the judge will always see the dog moving in profile.

Once the dog seems to understand what I’m rewarding him for, and is reliably moving alongside me, I will add the leash. At this point, I put the treats in my right hand and the clicker and leash in my left hand. Be sure to gather up the leash so it isn’t hanging down in a distracting manner.

Once again, start walking and click and treat immediately if the dog walks off with you – always delivering the treat with the dog’s head facing forward. If your dog pulls ahead, simply say “Uh-oh!” or “Oops!” in an upbeat voice, and go back to where you started. On the next attempt, try to click and treat very soon – before the dog has a chance to pull. Click and treat frequently, as long as he’s by your side. Do not yank or jerk on your dog’s neck; this will not help him understand what you want and it won’t teach him to like the conformation game.

Once your dog learns to move alongside you without pulling, you can begin to slowly “raise your criteria” – that is, require that he do a bit more before you deliver the click and treat. Adding changes is challenging, so only add one at a time. For instance, if your dog is watching you and pulling while you move, you might need to ignore the fact that he’s looking at you while you teach him not to pull. Once he isn’t pulling, you can begin to click only when his head is forward. Ask for small pieces at a time. This is really important because if you ask for too much, your dog won’t be able to figure it out and both of you will get frustrated.

Once the dog is moving correctly, in the right position and at the right speed, begin to click less often (lower the “rate of reinforcement”), until you are using mostly your voice as reinforcement, with infrequent treats. At this point, I put this on cue or command by telling my dogs, “Let’s go!” just as we take off.

Stacking

Stacking is the behavior in which the dog stands in the proper position for the written standard for his breed. There are two kinds of stacking: free stacking and hand stacking. Free stacking is when the dog finds the position on his own; while you may prompt him to reposition a foot or two, you don’t put your hands on the dog. Hand stacking is where you actually manipulate the dog into the position that you want.

photo by susan joseph

The dog will have to be stacked a few times in each visit to the show ring: immediately upon entering the ring; before being moved as a group; individually for hands-on examination by the judge; and at the end, for the lineup with the other dogs.

Small dogs will be examined by the judge on a table, so they must learn to stack both on the ground and on a grooming table. Medium and large dogs will be stacked on the ground. Some shorter but heavy breeds such as Basset Hounds and Bulldogs may be examined on ramp, or a lower larger table that they walk onto. Many people will hand stack the dog only for the judge’s examination and let the dog free stack the other times.

Hand Stacking

Don’t use a clicker for the hand stacking; it’s too easy to click right by the dog’s ear, which won’t be pleasant for the dog. Also, you will need both hands to hold the bait (treats) and reposition the dog. Small dogs will be hand stacked on the table and medium and large dogs will be hand stacked on the ground.

Start out with a good chunk of bait. With hand stacking, use bait the dog can nibble on, such as a slice of dog food roll (tubed food) or a chunk of chicken breast. Position the dog so he is standing sideways in front of you; you face his right side. With the food held securely and somewhat protected in your right hand, allow the dog to nibble and chew off little pieces as you position his body with your left hand.

Whether you place a small dog on the table or walk a large dog into a stack, always start with the dog’s front feet in the proper position; that way you have to reposition only the rear feet. When positioning the front legs, move the legs at the elbows. When repositioning the rear legs, move the legs at the hock. Never, ever reposition the dog’s legs by grabbing at his feet; this almost always makes him shift and reposition himself in a way that you don’t want. When hand stacking, always gently smooth your hands over the dog, keeping your hand on him, rather than pulling your hand off and back on his body, which can startle him and make him shift. Once he is in position, give him one last nibble, and then give him a break before you start over. Practice this until he is comfortable being hand stacked.

The next step will be to teach him to hold it. Stack him, then say “stay,” and pull the food away from his mouth for just a moment. If he holds his position, say “Yes!” and give him a bite of bait. Repeat this, slowly increasing the amount of time that you require him to stay put, as he becomes comfortable holding the position.

Some dogs will get too stimulated with a chunk of food and do better without the food being held at their mouths. For a dog like that, put the treats on a table nearby. Walk him in front of you (or put him on the table if it’s a small dog), then put your right hand into his collar, and gently talk to him as you reposition his front legs; then reach for a treat, give it to him, and then let him take a break.

Once he is comfortable with that, do the same thing, but then fix his rear feet as well. Gradually shape this behavior so you can stack him, have him hold the position, and then go and get a treat.

Free Stacking

Just like everything else, train this behavior in baby steps. Begin by getting some treats and your clicker. Initially, click if your dog stands, whether or not he stands perfectly. If he continues to stand, click and treat again and again. Move away and allow him to walk up to you, and click and treat him before he has an opportunity to do anything else. Continue to do this until your dog offers the stand position. Do this until your dog easily stands very frequently.

Next teach your dog how to stack himself in the position that you want. I like to teach the dog to “back up” (which means “step backward and reposition your rear feet”) and to “step” (which means “step forward so that both front feet are side by side”).

To teach “back up,” step slightly toward your dog and click and treat any shift of movement backward. Do not expect a full “back up” initially; shape it by clicking and reward increasingly correct, successive approximations of the backing up behavior. Another way to teach “back up” is to have the dog walk toward you in between two objects, such as the long narrow space between your couch and coffee table, and click and treat when he backs out. Once the dog is easily able to step back, say “back up” right as he backs, then click and treat.

To teach “step,” I simply prompt the dog by stepping back slightly and clicking and treating as soon as he moves a front foot forward. Once he can do this easily, say “step” just before you prompt him.

In the end, free stacking will look like a dance with you and the dog. If he doesn’t stack perfectly, you say “back up” and reinforce that, or “step” and then reinforce that. When he finally ends up just how you like it, say “stack” and then click and treat him! If he holds it, click and treat him again. Reinforce him richly when he finds the proper positioning.

Some people feel that show dogs shouldn’t be taught to sit because the dog will sit in the ring. This typically happens because the owners practice more sits than stands. If you reinforce standing a lot and make it very rewarding, there is no problem with teaching both sit and stand.

Judge’s Examination

Most social, well-adjusted dogs don’t mind the gentle handling meted out by a judge. However, you just have to make sure that your dog is comfortable with people putting their hands on him. Get him used to this as early as possible. Make it a part of your daily routine to put your hands all over your dog. Get him used to you examining his teeth. If you have a male dog, get him used to having his testicles touched. If you have a small breed that a judge may lift up (such as a Pekingese), get him used to this.

I like to let my dogs know what’s coming next by saying a word right before that part of the examination. Every time I examine my show dog’s bite, I say “mouth please!” so he knows it’s coming. I do this in the ring as well, to let him know that someone is about to look into his mouth. Once your dog is comfortable with you doing these things, practice by having friends do the same thing. Remember to let your friends know to be gentle and respectful when examining your dog.

Good handlers make showing a dog look easy. The truth is, the behaviors are not overly complex, but it will make your job – and your dog’s job – so much easier and more enjoyable if you really put the time into training them well. Using positive reinforcement techniques will not only help the dog enjoy the training process but also teach him to like the ring behaviors in general.

Vicki Ronchette, CPDT, CAP2, is a dog trainer and behavior consultant specializing in positive reinforcement training for show dogs. She is the author of Positive Training for Show Dogs: Building a Relationship for Success, and owns and operates Braveheart Dog Training, in San Leandro, California. 

Forward! The judge cues the team to begin. The handler cues her dog to “heel” and, with her left arm bent in at her waist, briskly moves forward with her dog on her left side, heading toward the first in a series of signs that prompt her to cue one of a variety of behaviors. As she completes an “about turn,” a particularly challenging behavior for her long-bodied dog, she smiles, praises him, and moves on to the next sign, attempting to keep up a steady pace around the course of 20 signs. Wait! Did we hear her praise her dog in the ring? Horrors! Surely, the judge made note of that! He’s scribbling furiously now!

The handler moves toward another sign and executes the “halt / sit / down / walk around” maneuver. As she releases her dog, she praises him again and even sneaks in a quick pat on the head. She can’t be serious! The judge must be grinding that pencil to a nub now! Does this handler not know that talking or touching your dog in the ring is not allowed? Ah, but therein lies the unique nature of “rally obedience.” It’s not just the signs and the greater variety of behaviors involved; it’s the philosophy of this sport that makes it distinct from its cousin, traditional competition obedience. Rally obedience was envisioned as a sport that would promote the human-canine bond by allowing more natural communication in both training and competition than historically had been available in traditional obedience. The game This is a sport that takes a variety of useful real-life behaviors and strings them together into a “course” you take with your dog, guided by signs that call out behaviors in both text and graphics. Depending upon the level of competition and venue, there are anywhere between 18 and 22 signs. In addition to common behaviors such as sit, down, stay, come, and leash walking (heel), here are just a few of the behaviors required: •Halt / sit / stand •Halt / sit / down / walk around •Halt / leave dog / recall over jump •Halt / leave dog / send over jump •270-degree turn, right •270-degree turn, left •Call front / finish right •Call front / finish left •Moving side step •Moving back up / heel back three steps / then forward •Moving stand / leave dog •Serpentine weave (heeling around cones) These are just some of the variety of behaviors that may be strung together in rally as your dog heels next to you around the course. There are many more, depending upon the venue and the level of competition. The dog’s rapt attention to the handler and his quick and correct response to cues are critical to smooth completion of each course. There are time limits to complete each course, and your speed in completing the course can mean the difference between placements (e.g., 1st through 4th). Each course is “designed” by the judge and, as a result, can vary widely from competition to competition. This is in contrast to traditional competition obedience where the heeling patterns are very similar, the judge simply calling out variations of “right turn,” “left turn,” “about turn,” “fast,” “slow,” and “halt.” In traditional obedience, the judge follows the team very closely, while rally judges give the teams more room to perform the behaviors. This can be helpful for dogs who might be fearful or stressed with strangers lurking nearby. Many of the behaviors are useful behaviors to train for real-life use. As Pam Dennison, author of Click Your Way to Rally Obedience, says in her book, “Passing other dogs or people on the road or trail, getting around a show site, even taking your dog to a flea market will all be easier, more enjoyable, and safer if your dog knows the rally moves outlined in this book.” Originally a self-confessed traditional competition obedience “snob,” Dennison first attended a rally seminar only to see if it might be something she could offer her students as an alternative to traditional obedience. She was hooked. She teaches it to her students and has competed with her own dogs in events offered by two organizations – the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) and American Kennel Club (AKC). Dennison’s book is a good resource, detailing the differences between APDT and AKC rally and providing lengthy instructions about how to train rally behaviors. This includes how to use the clicker in training and how to “proof” your training using positive reinforcement instead of punishment. (See sidebar, below, for additional books and DVDs.) Ann Ford of Hagerstown, Maryland, had also competed in AKC obedience before discovering rally. In 2004, she attended a rally seminar presented by Dennison. She was curious about this new sport because her Border Collie, Jenny, did not seem to enjoy traditional obedience. Jenny was a challenge because she was very easily stimulated by the environment, which made training very difficult. “Because I can interact with my dog throughout an APDT rally course, by verbally praising her and giving her food rewards (and also a pat on the head!), Jenny learned that working with me can be a whole lot of fun for both of us. She would pull and tug on her lead in the traditional obedience ring and we were both miserable, but in rally, she enjoys all of the exercises and happily dances next to me in beautiful heel position. I never thought I would ever be able to do any type of venue with her off-lead until we started rally, so I have a happy dog and I am a happy handler!

“That’s the most important part to me – that my dog is happy working with me. Rally has given that to us, for which I am so very grateful! Ribbons, placements, and titles are all icing on the cake. Rally has also benefited our overall relationship and communication. It has also very much enhanced our training for canine musical freestyle dancing, as many of the moves we use are rally exercises.” History Rally was conceived in 2000 by Charles “Bud” Kramer, a long-time obedience and agility aficionado. Kramer saw interest in competition obedience wane as agility’s popularity grew. He envisioned a fun, attractive alternative to traditional obedience. The AKC took his proposal under review in 2000 and launched its program in 2005. Meanwhile, the APDT launched its rally program in 2001 (see “A Brief History of a Rally Cool Sport,” below). The United Kennel Club (UKC) and Canine Work and Games (C-Wag) both started rally programs in the past couple of years. We’ll describe some of the differences between APDT and AKC rally; UKC and C-Wag each have their own nuances, as well. Attributes of a rally team Rally obedience is a fun, upbeat sport, but does not favor dogs with any particular physical structure or temperament. Actually, it is the handler’s approach to the sport that is the most important contributor to successful training and competition. Obedience training requires precision behaviors and focused attention and these can be a challenge for many dogs. Thus, the handler who is committed to making training fun and truly enjoys training as a conduit to better communication between the species will be most successful. Although some handlers see rally as merely a stepping stone to “real” competition obedience, handlers who embrace rally as it was originally envisioned will get the most out of the sport. If you have previously thought that competition obedience is not your cup of tea, you might want to consider this version. Rally competitor Ann Ford shares her view of the sport: “Rally folks – especially APDT rally folks – are a bit different from the traditional obedience people, in that rally is a very bonded group of exhibitors. Everyone supports and encourages one another so very much. We have gained some very dear, lifelong friends thanks to rally trialing, laughed at our mistakes together, cried with our wondrous victories together, encouraged those who didn’t have a good day to try again another time, critiqued each other’s runs with loving respect, and took the “newbies” under our wings in making them feel welcome and less nervous at their first trials. “I have noticed that folks who gravitate to rally are those who have or are working to improve their relationship with their dog, to engage in a sport in which all dogs can participate and enjoy. APDT is open to all dogs (mixed breeds too!) as well as handlers with special physical restrictions and needs, so it’s a win-win situation! “Retired agility dogs seem to excel in rally (especially with distance work), as do traditional obedience dogs, who also enjoy the more relaxed interaction with their handlers. Puppies can get great obedience and trial experience in their early training, and older dogs who cannot physically perform actively like they used to can take advantage of APDT rally’s willingness to modify some of the exercises so they can still participate.” Equipment and supplies The sport does not require a lot of gear. •Rewards – Both toys and treats are used. As Pam Dennison stresses in Click Your Way to Rally Obedience, a variety of reinforcers are important in rally training. Using food alone limits handlers, especially with small dogs who can only eat so much! Reinforcing with toys can be a great stress reliever as well. •Signs – Trainers who teach rally classes will have the rally signs. You can also purchase your own. •Jump/hurdle – A single jump, similar to those used in agility training, is used. Other kinds, such as a broad jump or a panel jump, might also be used in AKC.  

•Miscellaneous – If competitions are held outdoors, you will need a shade canopy for you and your dog, as well as the usual accoutrements of water bowls, training kit, chair, and crate. Expenses This is a relatively inexpensive sport. •Travel and lodging – The most expensive part of competing is often the cost of travel and lodging, depending on how far you must go to compete. •Classes – Class costs vary widely throughout the country. But plan on anywhere between $65 and $150 for classes that meet once a week for six to eight weeks. Plan on taking classes for several months to prepare for competition. •Entry fees – Trial fees are about $20 to $22 per class. You might enter multiple classes depending upon prior titles achieved. APDT rally sometimes offers two trials in a day, which adds to your trialing cost (who can say no?), but also opens up the possibility of “titling” in a single weekend of trialing. Training Even if you never plan on competing, training rally behaviors is fun and those behaviors can be used in many day-to-day situations. You can train on your own or search out a class in your area. There are many good books and DVDs available if you choose to train on your own. If you are lucky enough to have a trainer nearby who holds classes, that’s the way to go since seeing the exercises demonstrated and being coached by an instructor (especially one who competes with her own dogs!) will help a lot. Ann Ford has been fortunate to have had many good trainers help her along the way. “At Pam Dennison’s seminar in September 2004, a lady who was also taking the class turned out to be, without our knowledge at the time, our instructor at our own training facility. It was Kitty Bowman. We are still learning with Kitty, who has been our friend and instructor from October 2004 through the present and, I hope, long into the future. Pat Miller introduced me to the clicker, and Karen Allen taught me positive reinforcement and fun training. It has really been a group effort! “Rally is the best venue I could ever recommend for any dog owner to learn. You can use it for teaching basic good manners and solid obedience skills that could even save your dog’s life. What’s better than to have your dog do a solid sit/stay or down/stay in an emergency situation or to learn a 360-degree left turn to where you don’t step on your dog’s feet or fall over them? Side-stepping, the dog moving with you as you are heeling, is great for maneuvering through a crowd.” Levels of competition There are three basic levels in both AKC and APDT as well as additional, advanced levels of competition in each that have been added over the years. The following is a brief description of the titling requirements at each level. Books such as Dennison’s contain lists of each venue’s required behaviors at each level. •APDT rally In APDT rally, you are encouraged to praise your dog throughout the course. Petting is allowed after the conclusion of the behavior(s) on a sign. Food rewards are also allowed at the conclusion of a sign, but food must be kept concealed in a pocket and you will have points deducted if you reach for the food before the conclusion of the behavior. •APDT Level 1: Performed on-leash. The course consists of 18 to 20 signs (or behaviors). •APDT Level 2: Performed off-leash. The course consists of 20 to 22 signs, including behaviors from Level 1. •APDT Level 3: Performed off-leash. The course consists of 20 to 22 signs, including behaviors from Level 1 and 2. Three qualifying scores of 170 or higher under two different judges are required for each APDT title. •AKC rally In AKC rally, you are encouraged to praise your dog throughout the course. Neither touching your dog nor using food rewards is allowed in AKC Rally. •AKC Novice: Performed on-leash. The course consists of 10-15 signs. •AKC Advanced: Performed off-leash. The course consists of 12-17 signs, including those from Novice. •AKC Excellent: Performed off-leash. The course consists of 15-20 signs, including those from Novice and/or Advanced. Three qualifying scores of 100 or higher under two different judges are required for each AKC title. Other differences Both AKC and APDT have additional advanced titles based upon an accumulation of points earned from these higher levels of competition, and AKC has team and pairs competition, as well. The different venues each have their own challenges, although AKC is thought by some to be the easier of the two venues and commonly used to get versatility titles (titling in more than one sport) for AKC competitors seeking that distinction. For APDT rally competitor Ann Ford, some of the most challenging exercises to train for were the directional jump, the “offset Figure 8 around food bowls with treats in them,” and the “halt / leave dog while running” exercise. “At the higher levels, the hand cues should not be as pronounced as in Level 1. For example, a cue for a ‘down’ should not be your hand and arm held high in the air and then going down to touch the floor. “There are many challenges. In the advanced levels, you should not have to give multiple commands. A brisker, more flowing, confident pace and execution of exercises should be in place. Proper placement of handler’s footwork for pivots is also very important, but especially at the higher levels. In addition, re-tries of an exercise should be minimal. Distance work for directional jumps, straight and recalls over jumps, and the stand / down / sit at a distance (with minimal hand cues) is a must at the higher levels of competition. This is indeed a challenging sport!” Ford remembers a particular high point in competition: “When we tried for APDT Level 3 for the very first time, Jenny was so beautiful on the course, her tail up over her back, her face totally lit up and smiling up at me the whole time, she was in her glory, even with all the demands of Level 3. “I did have tears, remembering the days when I almost gave up doing any competition with her because she was unhappy in the ring and I didn’t know what to do about it. Accomplishing our ARCHEX (APDT Rally Champion Extraordinaire) brought it all together: Jenny and I are a team. Rally helped bring our minds and hearts together.” How to get started Check out some good books and DVDs and call local trainers to see if they offer rally classes. Many obedience clubs now offer rally. View the APDT website or contact its office to find a trainer who offers rally classes. Some trainers teach only AKC rally, so be sure to get a couple of books that detail the differences between the two venues if you want to compete in both. Terry Long, CPDT, is a writer, agility instructor, and behavior counselor in Long Beach, CA. She lives with four dogs and a cat and is addicted to agility and animal behavior.

Back in the day, when old-fashioned coercion training was de rigueur, it was generally accepted that if you didn’t teach a “forced retrieve,” you didn’t have a reliable retrieve. Today, as the field of modern, science-based positive reinforcement training has incubated and matured, we know better. While you can still find die-hard trainers who are more than willing to inflict pain on a dog to force him to hold a fetch object in his mouth, you can also find a growing number of trainers who are teaching happy, reliable retrieve behaviors without ever even considering the use of pain.

When you stop and think about it, given the natural propensity of most dogs to want to put stuff in their mouths, it’s pretty absurd to think you should have to force a retrieve. How hard is it to find ways to reinforce a behavior that our canine pals offer so willingly? Of course, back in the day, we used to punish our puppies a lot for putting stuff in their mouths! Maybe that’s why it was difficult, later, to convince them that we wanted them to pick something up.

Fortunately, those days are long gone. Whether you’re training the next flyball champion, working toward your Companion Dog Excellent and Utility degrees in competition obedience, or just looking to play fetch in the backyard, there are fun, happy, force-free ways to teach your dogs to retrieve. Reliably.

Know your goals
Before you can start training your dog’s retrieve, you need to be clear on your training goals, or more correctly, your criteria. If you just want to toss balls and discs for your dog in your backyard, your criteria – meaning how you want the retrieve to look – are a lot looser than the criteria you would set for an obedience retrieve, or flyball competitor.

Let’s compare the criteria of a couple of different backyard retrieves:

• Low-Criteria Backyard Retrieve
1. Throw the ball.
2. Your dog runs and picks it up in his mouth.
3. Your dog brings it back and drops it at your feet.
4. Tell him he’s wonderful, pick it up, and throw it again.

• Medium-Criteria Backyard Retrieve
1. Hold up the ball and wait for your dog to sit (because your trainer told you this “Say Please” behavior was a good thing to do).
2. Your dog sits.
3. Throw the ball.
4. Your dog runs and gets it.
5. He brings it back and drops it on the ground.
6. Tell him he’s wonderful, pick up the ball, wait until your dog sits, then throw it again.

• High-Criteria Backyard Retrieve
1. Hold up the ball and wait for your dog to sit.
2. Tell your dog to “Wait!” and toss the ball.
3. Tell your dog to go get it.
4. Your dog runs and gets the ball.
5. He brings it back and drops it into your waiting hand.
6. Hold up the ball and wait for
your dog to sit again, tell him wait, throw it, and send him to get it again.

Each variety of retrieve has its own criteria. A flyball retrieve looks different from an obedience retrieve, and includes teaching the dog how to properly hit the box that delivers the ball to him. A service dog retrieve is different still, perhaps requiring that the dog be able to identify objects by name, and find them even when they’re not in plain sight. For each specialized type of retrieve behavior, you’ll need to determine what the criteria are and figure out how to apply the principles of learning to make them work for you, your dog, and your training goals.

Let’s look at how you could train the simpler version: the backyard fetch.

The puppy retrieve
Smart puppy owners start reinforcing their pup for picking up things, instead of punishing him for exploring his world with his mouth. Trade your baby dog a treat every time he has something in his mouth. He’ll start picking things up and bringing them to you, instead of running off to chew on them.

If your pup approaches you with something in his mouth that he shouldn’t have, offer him a treat, pick up the item when he drops it, give him his treat, put the item away, and make a mental note to do a better job of puppy-proofing! If it’s something he’s allowed to have, you can toss it for him to pick up again. Keep trading each time he brings it back, and in no time your pup will be a champion backyard retriever. If you make it a point to play the trade game with a variety of different “legal” objects early on – soft toys, rubber, plastic, metal, wood – you’ll have a dog who will happily retrieve anything you ask him to!

If your dog’s puppyhood is long gone, don’t fret. You can still shape your adult dog into a super retriever. If there are some things he’s willing to pick up, start with those. If nothing goes in his mouth except food, you can start shaping from scratch. Remember that this is supposed to be fun, so keep it light and breezy!

Shaping a backyard retrieve
Start by holding up a soft toy. If he looks or sniffs at it, “mark” the behavior with the click of a clicker (or a consistent verbal marker, such as the word “Yes!”) and give your dog a treat. Happy verbal praise after your click and treat helps your dog understand this is a fun game. Repeat this numerous times, until your dog is clearly intrigued by this new game.

Raise the criteria a little; perhaps now you only click and treat if he actually sniffs the toy. Repeat numerous times, until he consistently sniffs it every time.

Raise the criteria again; only click if he lightly bumps the object with his nose when he sniffs, putting a little more intensity into his sniffing behavior. Remember to keep it fun!

As he gets more intense about sniffing, occasionally he will open his mouth a little as he connects with the toy. When he’s opening his mouth more and more frequently, raise the criteria again, clicking only if his mouth opens, even just a little.

Eventually he’ll open his mouth on the toy every time. Now raise the criteria again, so he has to open his mouth a significant amount. Resist the temptation to stuff the toy in when his mouth opens, or you might intimidate him and make him back off. Let it all be his effort.

When he’s consistently putting his mouth all the way around the toy, start shaping for “duration of hold.” Raise your criteria just one second at a time; increase the duration of the “hold” only when he’s solidly performing at each new level.

Increase the duration – gradually! – until he will hold the toy for 5 to 10 seconds. If, eventually, you want him to drop the toy into your hand, make it easy for him by positioning your hand where the toy will usually fall into it, but don’t make that a required criterion yet; click and treat even if the toy misses your hand when he drops it.

Now place the toy on the floor and go back to the first step. Click and give your dog a treat for just looking at, then sniffing the toy, then putting his mouth on it, and eventually picking it up and holding it. The previous steps should go more quickly this time, as soon as he realizes it’s really the same game, just with the toy in a different place.

Next, toss the toy a short distance – a few inches – and repeat the previous steps, gradually tossing the toy longer and longer distances, until your dog is retrieving for you. If he starts dropping the toy instead of bringing it back, you may have increased the distance too much too soon. Go back to shorter distances and work on a longer duration of hold. Also, try backing away as your dog approaches; this encourages him to move toward you with more energy.

Finally, if you like, you can start asking your dog to “Wait” when you toss the toy, until you give him the cue to go get it. If you want him to deliver the toy to your hand, incorporate that piece into the shaping procedure early, as soon as he’s solid about holding the toy in his mouth for several seconds.

When the pick-up-and-bring-back behavior is solid and he’s enjoying the fetch game, you can raise the criteria again, and require that he deposit the toy in your hand before he gets the click and treat. Make it easy for him to succeed by offering your hand for the toy, and only click and treat if it hits your hand-target.

If he gets too enthusiastic about fetch and starts jumping up for his toys, put a “Say Please” program into effect; wait for him to sit before you throw his ball, flying disc, or other fetch object.

So there you have it: a decent backyard retrieve. That’s just one way to teach it; there are many others. If you have a dog whose mouthing behavior has been so suppressed he can’t be shaped into picking something up, you may need to start by creating desire for an object (see “Creating Desire,” below).

In contrast, if you have a dog like my Bonnie, who is always looking for the accidental artifact that she can pick up and carry around in her mouth until you trade her for a treat, you can skip all the early shaping steps and leap right to putting all the pieces together for a formal retrieve.

The obedience retrieve
The formal obedience retrieve is a complex “behavior chain,” meaning a number of behaviors are strung together without a separate cue required for each one; completion of one behavior is the cue to start the next behavior in the chain.

For the obedience competition retrieve on the flat (not over a jump), you start with your dog in heel position at your left side, and tell him to “Wait!” while you toss the dumbbell. Then, on the single cue to “Take it!” your dog performs the following behavior chain:

• He goes away from you to the dumbbell.

• Picks up the dumbbell and holds onto it.

• Comes back to you with the dumbbell still in his mouth, and

• Sits in front of you, holding the dumbbell, without mouthing it.

Then cue your dog to “Give” the dumbbell (drop it into your hand) and “Finish” by returning to heel position. Since those behaviors require separate cues, they aren’t technically part of the behavior chain. In fact, obedience competitors have to be careful that their dogs don’t anticipate those two steps and add them to the chain, dropping the dumbbell and returning to the heel position without waiting for the cues to do so.

To avoid these anticipation errors, vary the amount of time that elapses between the “front” (when the dog sits in front of you), the “give” (when the dog releases the dumbbell), and the “finish” (when you ask him to return to heel).

To teach the complete obedience retrieve, you would train separately those segments that aren’t retrieve-dependent: Your dog should already be solid at the “Heel” behavior and thoroughly understand the “Wait!” and “Finish!” cues before you incorporate them into the retrieve.

You can use shaping and other positive training methods to create the precision you’re looking for in a competition retrieve – perfecting the position of the sits, adjusting your dog’s speed as he runs to the dumbbell and back, increasing the distance to the retrieve object, and fading any mouthing or tossing of the dumbbell. When each is perfected, strengthen the chain by practicing the behaviors in order, while fading any interim cues in the chain.

Remember that even if you’re working on a competition retrieve, with serious titles and trophies in your future, the training program should still be buckets of fun for your dog – and for you!

Thinking about a flyball career, or service dog work? Find out what the criteria are for those retrieves, break them down into all the appropriate pieces, and get started! Or find a good positive trainer who can help you with them.

Pat Miller, CPDT, is Whole Dog Journal’s Training Editor and author of many books on positive dog training. Miller lives in Hagerstown, Maryland, site of her Peaceable Paws training center.