by Robert Tawton » Wed 10 Nov 2004 4:48 pm
Dear Julie,
Following are further thoughts on techniques for teaching dogs to understand the concept of Relocation Retrieves.
There is a well established practise of teaching dogs to hold their line through cover, across water, ditches etc is by throwing marks to land in the same area and repeating the exercise by progressively increasing the length of the retrieve. In other words, from a relatively short distance you throw the mark and retrieve it. The handler then moves backwards to increase the length of the retrieve (maintaining the same line) the mark is thrown to land in the original area and the dog is sent to retrieve to complete the retrieve, etc etc. Based on this concept, you could throw a short mark and retrieve it. You could then throw the mark to land in the same area, then relocate ( not on the same line) and sent the dog to complete the retrieve. From this new location you could again throw the mark to land in the original location, relocate and sent the dog to complete the retrieve. Over time the dog should learn, through practise, to understand and master the concept of a relocation retrieve.
Regards, RWT