# Dumbbell Pickup



## HerdingStdPoodle (Oct 17, 2012)

Perhaps some background information might help....

My Spoo eagerly takes the dumbbell, when I hold the dumbbell by the Bell.
My Spoo holds the dumbbell in a sit or stand.
My Spoo walks with the dumbbell in his mouth.
My Spoo picks up the dumbbell from the floor (with me holding a Bell)---and when I lift the dumbbell, directly "up" to where I'm sitting in a chair, I click at the top of the lift and take the dumbbell and reward.

Any ideas as to how I can get my Spoo to lift the dumbbell off the floor without me holding it? The video in my first post really brushes through the pickup.... HerdingStdPoodle


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## patk (Jun 13, 2013)

i have no experience in this kind of training, though i did read some diane baumann years ago. so i'm taking a stab in the dark here. you say your spoo doesn't like the dumbbell when it moves. i think maybe you have to get him to be comfortable with it moving. maybe put some peanut butter on it, tie a string to it and pull it around a bit to get him to follow it? then let him "catch" it, so it is a rewarding experience. when he picks it up, praise, click, or whatever you do. then get to asking him to bring it?


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## HerdingStdPoodle (Oct 17, 2012)

Thank you, Patk, for your response! I'm looking at my booklet that came with Adele Yunck & Judy Byron's CD "Totally Fetching: Teaching and Proofing a Reliable Retrieve" p. 16: *"Teaching your dog to lift the dumbbell from the floor is often difficult."*

I like your peanut butter idea, and it worked well on "The Take." Unfortunately, my Spoo likes to lick and lick the peanut butter more than try for the lift. :frown:

P. 16 of the booklets reads, "As your dog becomes better at lifting the dumbbell a short distance, you will want to gradually move the dumbbell to the floor...."

Well---I'm trying to get my spoo to lift the dumbbell from a stool or couch or something higher than the floor and I'm trying to figure out how to motivate my Spoo to lift the dumbbell [a little!] period. :smile: HerdingStdPoodle


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## patk (Jun 13, 2013)

so it's not the fact that when on the floor the dumbbell it may move that's the issue? 

hmm. maybe wrap the dumbbell with a piece of bacon in the middle (so he doesn't get rewarded just for licking) and while he's trying to chew (hopefully he has the dumbbell in his mouth at that point), lift slowly with the string (i think i'd tie the string at both ends of the dumbbell so that you can kind of keep it horizontal), so that to keep hold of it he has to lift his head as well? when his head is off the ground with the dumbbell in his mouth, click, praise, or whatever? and let him have the rest of the bacon (or whatever you use) as the full reward?


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

Google.... K-911 Dog Training Information and click on Obedience Training.....there is a really good chapter on teaching the motivational retrieve.... Part 2 is all about picking up the dumbell!

I would post it here but I don't know how! Hahaha!


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## HerdingStdPoodle (Oct 17, 2012)

*Thank you!*



MollyMuiMa said:


> Google.... K-911 Dog Training Information and click on Obedience Training.....there is a really good chapter on teaching the motivational retrieve.... Part 2 is all about picking up the dumbell!
> 
> I would post it here but I don't know how! Hahaha!


Thank you so much for a terrific lead! I'm Googling now.... :bolt: HerdingStdPoodle


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## WhosMyFluffyPuppy (Jan 12, 2013)

Ok, noob question here, but what is the purpose of having your spoo pick up a dumbell? Is this literally weight and strength training?


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## poolann (Jan 31, 2013)

The dumbell is used for retrieving in obedience 

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## HerdingStdPoodle (Oct 17, 2012)

*Excellent Question*



WhosMyFluffyPuppy said:


> Ok, noob question here, but what is the purpose of having your spoo pick up a dumbell? Is this literally weight and strength training?


Thank you, WhosMyFluffyPuppy, for your question! Sorry I was not more clear....

Honestly, I never thought that my Spoo and I would get this far [yes---me of little faith!] and I would really really like to give OPEN a try. American Kennel Club - Obedience

But---my Spoo has to pickup, carry, jump, etc. with the Dumbbell in his mouth to even think about attempting a trial! It is my fault...I did not introduce my Spoo to the Dumbbell until later in life. :doh: and now we are playing catch-up! 

Soon, we are going to drive (sleet-rain-snow no matter!) :driver: to a Certified Professional with Karen Pryor and several other seminars under her belt for a private lesson. I hope that she can help! In the meantime...I am enjoying Molly's lead! HerdingStdPoodle


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Have you thrown the dumbbell for Louie? I had dumbbell problems, but not with the pickup. Lily loves to retrieve, so she was very reliable at taking it off the floor from the get go, but she was also 100% reliable at dropping it before she got to front. This was really my fault since I taught her to put things down when she brought them as a puppy because she was really too mouthy to be fun to play with (won't do that again!). 

To get a reliable front with the dumbbell still in her mouth I did the Diane Bauman method from "Beyond Basic Dog Training." It took about a week for Lily to figure out that the only way I was going to stop annoying her ear was to keep the dumbbell in her mouth. For anyone who doesn't like the idea of the ear pinch, you don't need a lot of pressure. You can test out how it feels by trying it on yourself using the web between your thumb and index finger in place of the dog's ear to figure out how much pressure to use to keep it so it is just annoying (not painful).


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## patk (Jun 13, 2013)

lily cd re, thanks for mentioning the ear pinch. this is something i recall reading about in bauman's book and actually used out of desperation to keep my dog from picking up chicken bones (crows in my neighborhood years ago used to open the bags left out and scavenge, often leaving chicken bones in the open). i used it only once and never since, because that's all it took for him to realize chicken bones were out of bounds.

with lily, what command did you give or other device did you utilize to get her to actually hold on to the dumbbell? assuming she got her ear pinched for dropping it at your feet, was there an intermediary step to get her to realize you wanted her to hold on to the dumbbell? what i'm trying to get at is, how do you think she knew she wasn't getting her ear pinched for getting anywhere near you with the dumbbell? it's fascinating to me that a dog will still go to a person when the dog knows the person is a source of discomfort.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

HerdingStdPoodle said:


> "...Whether we show or not, we all should have the same goals. I just had a conversation yesterday with a colleague who is going through puppyhood right now. She had a bunch of questions that I was happy to spend time talking with her about. The important thing is for people to seek advise when they need it."
> __________________
> 
> 
> ...


This is the best method I've ever found...
Scroll down to Redyre Rottweilers


Dumbell training - Dog Training - Dog Chat Forums


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## HerdingStdPoodle (Oct 17, 2012)

*Dumbbell Training*

Thank you, Catherine, Patk, & Poodlebeguilded, for your posts! I really appreciate them! 

I have written and rewritten my post several times and first let me say---Please please :fight: let's keep this thread out of the fight zone! Please. There are many ways to train and many different dog personalities. Please, let us be kind to one another! I know that we can do this because we all love our dogs! And we all have a lot to offer to the Poodle Forum Community! Please let this post be a stand for diversity! 

- My Spoo is a very soft dog. I tried the ear pinch one time with my Spoo during an obedience class, and I must have been super soft or either having his ears plucked has made them less sensitive...no response. When I pressed a little more, my Spoo put his tail between his legs and quite honestly would not look at or even touch or come near the dumbbell after that. 

:dancing2: 

- It has been an inch-by-inch process, but now [finally!] my Spoo LOVES the dumbbell and eagerly reaches for it. 

- Today I drove :car: to that Karen Pryor-trained trainer. She helped us a lot and believe it or not---my Spoo picked up the dumbbell twice (not very high and he did not hold it) but I was jumping up and down!
Here is the system that started the pickup:
- Crouch on the floor
- Put dumbbell in a spot on the floor in front of you and let it stay there
- Stare at the dumbbell
- 10 treats in your hand at a time
- If my Spoo touches the bit of the dumbbell...CLICK and TREAT!
- Throw treat to the side of you so the dog has to reset his/her position and go toward the dumbbell
- If the dog picks up the dumbbell---give a jackpot of treats (lots!)

Try the same technique on a chair

PS---My Spoo picked up the dumbbell two times! :cheers2:
This is a first! I am happy tonight!
HerdingStdPoodle


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## patk (Jun 13, 2013)

very happy you are finding something that works for you and your dog. dogs do have different personalities and seem to respond differently to different training methods from what i have seen.

i find it interesting that your spoo associated discomfort with the dumbbell and not with you. people who train with electric collars often hide the remote so the dog does not associate the buzz as coming from them, depending on what behavior they are training. not possible with the ear pinch, so where your spoo directed his dislike is interesting. my dog also did not associate the ear pinch with me, but with the chicken bones! lily's dog, on the other hand, appears not to have associated the pinch with the dumbbell itself or with her. fascinating.

anyway, most important thing is the advance you and your dog have made on this retrieve. congratulations!


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## CT Girl (Nov 17, 2010)

I know most obedience people get dumbbells specially made to their dog's mouth as it is very important for it to be comfortable for their dog to carry.


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## HerdingStdPoodle (Oct 17, 2012)

*Dumbbell Training*



CT Girl said:


> I know most obedience people get dumbbells specially made to their dog's mouth as it is very important for it to be comfortable for their dog to carry.


CT Girl;

Excellent Point! How do you get a dumbbell specially made to your dog's mouth? I ordered two dumbbells from a popular dog agility supply company, and the two women on the phone asked me a bunch of questions, then shipped me two dumbbells for a Spoo that did not work! The bells covered my Spoo's eyes and the bit was so thick that my Spoo could not close his mouth comfortably! 

I have no-o-o clue how to secure the "right" dumbell for my boy! Great Point!

HerdingStdPoodle


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## CT Girl (Nov 17, 2010)

I would go to a fairly large show and ask people who do obedience. If you are in my area I can find out a name for you. I have participated in a few competition obedience classes with Swizzle and they all have custom made dumb bells and they told me this was key to their success.


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## HerdingStdPoodle (Oct 17, 2012)

*Dumbbell Retrieve*

Catherine, you mentioned the retrieve:

"_Have you thrown the dumbbell for Louie? I had dumbbell problems, but not with the pickup. Lily loves to retrieve, so she was very reliable at taking it off the floor from the get go_....

Yes, I tried to throw the dumbbell for Louie twice (not very far) and he went toward the dumbbell, touched it with his nose, and came halfway back and looked at me. Louie likes to chase things like a frisbee or rope, and he will bring them back, especially if it is part of our training exercise and he is in training mode and knows there is a treat reward. I would not label my Spoo a "Natural Retriever." HerdingStdPoodle


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## HerdingStdPoodle (Oct 17, 2012)

I am still very happy and excited about our private lesson yesterday. My Spoo and I are going to practice---and the Trainer told me to call her with any questions or problems and we'll go from there....[Poodles are very smart and learn so fast!]

My Spoo had so much fun yesterday and he looked so happy and pretty with his Pom Pom wagging. He really liked the Trainer. The best part of all is that he is giving me that "Poodle Stare" because it is time for our morning training....:attention: HerdingStdPoodle


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

HerdingStd Poodle, I am glad you saw some success. As others pointed out here, each dog is different in what motivates or demotivates them. Be patient with Louie, it sounds as though you have the beginnings of an opportunity to shape the retrieve.

I did not use the ear pinch until I was sure that Lily understood what she was supposed to be doing. She had watched other dogs do the retrieve many times and be rewarded for fronting with it. I also had done take hold and give with Lily sitting at front without the each pinch, praising only for holding until I said give. She absolutely knew what she was supposed to do, she was blowing me off. The intermediate orders were take and hold patk.

You should be able to get a well fitted dumbbell from Max200 or J & J if you follow their measuring instructions. CT Girl's advise to go to a big show is a good idea too if you are having a hard time getting the right size. You can also get dumbbells of plastic or wood (both are legal in AKC trials). You might want to try a different material.


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## HerdingStdPoodle (Oct 17, 2012)

Thank you, Catherine, for your post. Your comment..."each dog is different in what motivates or demotivates them" is so true. I also suspect that your experience level with handling and timing is very advanced. :smile: Thank you so much for your encouragement.

My Spoo is the softest & smartest dog that I have ever had. This obedience work has really made us a team, and I must say that I have learned so much from him! My Spoo has a lot of energy---and mental stimulation seems to be even more important to his well being.

With all this said, Open Obedience is not mandatory. But he really enjoys obedience work and learning new things, and if the dumbbell pickup does not happen with tons and tons of patience---then we will proceed to another low-impact canine sport such as perhaps Freestyle or ??? We will keep going! HerdingStdPoodle


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

HerdingStdPoodle you have such a nice attitude about your work with Louie. That is a large part of why you will have success no matter what you try! I had a conversation with one of the instructors at my obedience club a while ago about Lily. He was commenting on what a great dog she is in many different ways (sweet to people, willing smart worker etc.). I replied that I was lucky to have her and that I doubt I will ever have another dog as awesome as she is to work with. He gave me a great compliment by saying that I certainly would because he thinks a lot of how she is comes from how I work with her. I still think a lot of our success is about her at least as much about me as a trainer, but I will pay that compliment forward to you. Louie is the great dog he is because of your kind understanding of him.


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