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Any tips for teaching a "hold" for flyball?
I've been taking Bodhi to flyball classes for a few months and we've reached
the problem that I had anticipated - he's dropping the ball, literally. We introduced the ball a couple of classes ago and I can't get him to keep it in his mouth for very long. Working with a clicker and the ball on the ground, I can get him to hold it long enough to go over a jump, but as soon as I try to get a little distance he drops the ball. I'm getting all sorts of variations on the theme - he's spitting out the ball then jumping, or spitting the ball out over the jump, or spitting the ball out, going around and nosing the ball at me - so I know he's confused and isn't getting that the goal is to keep the ball in his mouth. He picked up everything else in class very quickly and has a nice swimmers turn on the box, and is starting to get some distance in sends over jumps to the box, so I'm very happy with his progress so far. But I really need him to hold the ball! I'm not interested in teaching him a force hold, either, where you open the dogs mouth and put the item in and hold it shut. He's just too soft for that method. My whole goal in trying flyball is to get him to really loosen up and enjoy a sport, and so far, he is really having a good time. I don't want to use a harsh training technique because I feel it will shut him down and cause him to associate the sport with that harshness, plus, if I jam a ball in his mouth and hold it shut, I don't think he'd ever go near the ball again. So, I'd love some tips on how to teach him how to hold the ball until I give him a release, then I can go back and work it into the flyball. Christy |
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