Delivery
Having a dog that can deliver a bird directly to your hand is a blessing. It takes a lot of the struggle out of the final delivery and shows just how well you have trained your retriever. To avoid a dog that ducks away from your hand as you reach down to grab a bird, there are a few things to keep in mind.
First, you should never rush to grab a bird. It is the dog's prize, so let it hold onto it and enjoy it for a bit. Second, never take a bird out of the dog's mouth until the dog looks up and presents the bird to you. You don't want to condition the dog into giving up the bird while it has a dropped head. When performed over hundreds of repetitions this quickly becomes second nature to your dog. Finally, make sure that you are petting your companion under the chin instead of on top of its head. Petting a dog on top of its head can lead to the dog dropping its head while at heel, whereas petting under the chin encourages your dog to keep his head up.
How often do you focus on your dog’s delivery in training?
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