Training Question - Send Away - Page 1

Once you have the dog going out to a marked spot, how do you ween this? What have others done in teaching this?
All input is welcomed.

Thanks,
Lyn

Lyn,

I really never "weaned" my dog on the send away.  I always leave a ball or some food out there for him.  I do a practice send away at trials and put his ball out there for him to get.  Then when it's time for the real send away he thinks he is going out after the ball.  When he doesn't find it I platz him.  I try to platz him the moment I think he is going to pull up and start to cast about and look for the ball.

I also use a ball on a rope and a hanger so that the ball is suspended in the air for the dog to see it.

Hope that helps.

Vickie
www.PowerHausKennels.com
 

Hi Vickie,
Just a clarification here, doesn't the judge gives the signal to the handler to platz/ down the dog for the send-away?  

I have occassionally set the ball further down the field where it is not so visual but still my dog will sniff the ground after say, a distance run when she expects to find the ball and she cannot see it,  So I am still working on it especially on  marking the target.

CherLyn,

No, sometimes I heal down towards the hanger and platz him and walk and hang the ball, letting him watch me hang it and sometimes I have someone hang it for me when we are healing and he isn't paying any attention.

When I actually send him blind with no ball on the hanger I platz him and walk out to him and give him a food treat!  He knows if the ball isn't there the treat is on it's way!  This also has made for a solid platz cause he KNOWS if the ball isn't  there he will be getting a food reward!  Kind of clues him in on what I expect him to do.....if the ball is there then he gets to take it and run around and then we play 2 ball.....if the ball isn't there he KNOWS platz is the next thing to do. 

Poseidon,

You are correct!  The judge gives the signal.....If my dog starts to act like he is going to cast about to find the ball I go ahead and tell him to platz.  I would rather loose the points because I told him too early!



Vickie

I do three or four sendouts in a row.  I first put four bumpers about 75 meters away in the grass.  My dog sees me do this.

When I vorhaus! I expect him to sprint to the pile of bumpers.  I sometime platz him before, sometimes after he picks up a bumper.  Then I recall him enthusiastically, take the bumper, fuss him into position, and send him out again.

It's also good physical training.

You have to teach the dog to find bumpers well beyond his visual range, or he will start to put his nose down at the limit of his vision (about 50 yards).  He has to *know* the bumper is out beyond his vision.