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About a year ago I started naming which lab should retrieve the throw. "SEAMUS! Heads up!" Or "FLYNNIE! Look sharp!" Now, I just say their name.
At first, both of them would head out to make the retrieve. Whoever got to the ball first or caught it first would bring it back to me. (Don't really know how they figured out the "to hand" thing, but they each did... I did not teach it to them.)
They quickly caught on to nominations. I began naming which boy should retrieve which throw. When I realized they had figured this out, I began reinforcing with appropriate praise for each dog on their special retrieve.
A year later, we begin with what I will call "open field" throws... the "warm-up session"... whoever gets the first dozen or so gets biggest praise. But after those first few? I nominate; Seamus or Flynn. OMG! One waits for the other to make their retrieve! No hogging the retrieve by either dog. Then both come running in... "Which one of us will it be next, mom?!? Which one!"
I love this stuff with labs... I really do! Did I ever mention that before?
:happy:
At first, both of them would head out to make the retrieve. Whoever got to the ball first or caught it first would bring it back to me. (Don't really know how they figured out the "to hand" thing, but they each did... I did not teach it to them.)
They quickly caught on to nominations. I began naming which boy should retrieve which throw. When I realized they had figured this out, I began reinforcing with appropriate praise for each dog on their special retrieve.
A year later, we begin with what I will call "open field" throws... the "warm-up session"... whoever gets the first dozen or so gets biggest praise. But after those first few? I nominate; Seamus or Flynn. OMG! One waits for the other to make their retrieve! No hogging the retrieve by either dog. Then both come running in... "Which one of us will it be next, mom?!? Which one!"
I love this stuff with labs... I really do! Did I ever mention that before?
:happy: