This section describes how a dog is trained to retrieve a "ball" (see Equipment Needed) over increasing distances until it can be sent over 51ft to a black rubber mat (with a helper standing behind the mat), pick up the "ball" off the mat and return through the start/finish poles to its handler (being rewarded with its motivator once it has placed the "ball" in the handler's hands).

As with all the Dog-Games, each stage of all the Dog-Games is non-competitive and is designed to help both dog and handler learn at their own pace and to their own ability. Dog-Games recommends that the dog wear a well fitting harness so that the handler can hold the dog comfortably and securely before sending it to retrieve.

Before we go into detail about how to train a retrieve it is a good idea to look at what stops a dog retrieving, or dropping the article on its way back to the handler - particularly for handlers who have tried to train retrieve in the past and have had little success. Therefore, it is recommended that you read Problems with retrieving before deciding how to train your dog using the methods outlined below.

It is also recommended that you read Different Ways of Learning to decide which training method to use - is your dog a Group A, B, C, D or a combination of them?

See Guidelines for a full explanation of how to set up for success. Ideally the dog should be trained in exactly the same location that it was first taught Recall.

The first part of this section concentrates on how to teach a dog to retrieve. If, however, your dog is already adept at retrieving to your hand you may skip this part and read Training for Level One, which is written afterwards.

As with all Dog-Games training, the dog is taught to retrieve using kind positive methods so that the dog has time to work out for itself how to get its motivator - this is done by using a backward chaining technique. The dog learns the end of the exercise first - if the article is in the handler's hand it will be instantly rewarded. Gradually, over a period of time, the chain of events is lengthened so that the dog travels further away in order to get the article and put it in the handler's hand for its reward. Eventually the dog will go quite some distance away to retrieve the article and bring it to the handler's hand. Throughout the chain the dog is building on the lesson it learnt first - it needs to put the article into the hand to get the reward.

Through trial and error it realises that there is no point in running off with the article (it has a very low value as a reward), or dropping it, as the Game stops and it does not get its motivator.  The main reason why this method works is that the training sessions are short enough that the dog does not become tired or confused, while keeping it keen to have another go the next time you train by careful choice of the motivator used.  Soon the dog starts to build up such strong happy associations with the act of placing the article in the handler's hands that it enjoys the challenge of running further to get the article, so that eventually the biggest reward for the dog is doing another retrieve!

Before you begin to train the dog you must decide how you are going to signal to your dog that it has done something right - in the first instance touch the article in your hand with its nose.  Many people use their voices to signal their approval (such as saying, "Yes", Good boy/girl/dog/its name", "Good", "OK" or even "What a good dog".  However, as is explained in Dog's dictionary,the problem with using words is how long they take to say in response to a dog doing something (research has shown that when dogs are learning something new they have difficulty associating the praise with anything they have done more than one second before).  Therefore, the handler's timing must be very accurate otherwise the dog will become confused about what it is being praised for.  As well as having to consistently say the same word each time, another disadvantage of using words is that the dog can pick up the human's emotions and will become anxious or put off from doing the exercise due to the stress in the handler's voice.  This is where the clicker comes in so useful, as it is an unemotional sound that can be heard in an instant rather than getting the human brain to decide what words to say and at what time (clickers are particularly useful for Group B type dogs - see Different Ways of Learning).  If you are unable to be trained to use a clicker or are unwilling to use one, try to use a sound (such as making a clicking sound in your mouth) instead.  First train your dog that whenever it hears the clicking noise that it will instantly be given its motivator.  Once the dog is turning round and looking at you for the motivator as soon as it hears the clicking sound, you are ready to begin the training steps outlined below. 

CT - means "Click, Treat" (ie make the click sound the moment the dog ends the behavioural chain, then give the dog its motivator at quickly as possible).

1. Start off the initial training sessions at home, when you are sitting in front of the television, or listening to the radio, so that you have something to occupy your mind while you wait for the dog to investigate what is in your hand - the "ball".  Do these sessions just before you plan to walk your dog, or take it to play with other dogs, or before you prepare and give it its meal -if it really enjoys its food - in fact any life reward that the dog really enjoys doing and will remember happened soon after these sessions.

2. Hide the motivator behind your back, underneath you, in a bumbag that you wear all the time, or in a pocket, so that the dog does not know you have it near at hand. 

3. Allow the dog to wander round the room and explore while you dangle your hand over the side of the seat (or rest your hand on the floor) with the "ball" in your hand.  Try not to lure or entice the dog by talking to it - instead try to be patient (watch the TV!) and perhaps waggle the "ball" slightly to get the dogs attention if the dog does not notice where your hand is after a couple of minutes or so.

4. As soon as the dog touches the "ball" with either it's nose or its mouth - CT.   Do not reward the dog for touching the "ball" with its paws etc.  Show your pleasure by smiling a big smile and either give it a treat from a treat box, play with the motivator (if it is a interactive toy such as a Raggit or a Grabbit) or the "ball" itself by throwing it for the dog to chase and catch etc.  To aid understanding and consistency, Group A and C dogs now need to generalise the exercise by the handler moving to a new location in the room, while Group D dogs need to be trained in the one location and start the next session in a slightly different location in the room. 

5. Repeat "Touch = CT" a maximum of four or five times in a session, depending on the dog's eagerness to do the exercise once again.  If the dog accidentally offers the next criteria in the training programme (ie holds the "ball" in its mouth while you are holding the "ball") CT this and only CT similar attempts.  In other words, you must no longer CT the dog for just touching the "ball"; The dog will only hear the click and get the treat now when it holds the "ball" in its mouth.  Taking the next step in the training chain and only rewarding this new step is called raising the criteria.Also experiment to see whether you can introduce a visual body movement or signal that triggers the dog to retrieve (such as pointing to the "ball" with the hand nearest the dog - if you use the other hand the dog will be unable to see the movement or the arm's silhouette). Do not, as yet introduce a verbal command - see 11.

6. As soon as the session is finished, get up and give the dog its life reward eg pick up its lead and take it for a run in the park, or feed it its meal etc.  However, do not distract it too much by talking to it - let it think about what it has just done and learnt - this is called latent learning.

7. If the dog shows no interest at all in the "ball" (and you are absolutely sure that the "ball" has no bad associations for the dog, and that the dog is not interested in any other item that could be used as a "ball" - see Equipment Needed) withdraw the "ball" and put it away.

Take the "ball" to the kitchen, while keeping the dog in another room.  It is important that the dog does not associate the start of the exercise by watching you bait the "ball" with the treat.  Otherwise it will soon learn that it is hardly worth its while playing the Game unless it sees you covering the "ball" with its favorite food. 

Spread a very small amount of something it really likes on to the surface of the "ball" so that the dog wants to smell it and lick off (such as a dab of peanut butter, or Marmite, or pate, or cheese spread etc). 

Return to the room and the seat that you want to train in and repeat steps 1-6. 

It is highly likely that the dog will at least want to touch the "ball" with its nose or mouth even if it is to sniff or lick the treat off!  Try not to allow the licking of the "ball" to become too high a motivator for the dog otherwise you will find your dog will only retrieve "balls" that have always been baited with peanut butter etc in the future and retrieving could be a very messy game for you and the helper to play!  Instead, allow it a very quick sniff or lick and then withdraw the "ball" and replace it with an even higher value motivator, such as chasing a toy; a juicy treat; or a Kong with a teaspoon of the peanut butter pushed high up inside it for the really food motivated dogs so that it can go away and lick it out in its own time - "scavenging" is another life reward for many dogs.

8. Each dog progresses at a different pace and in different stages.  Some dogs need to take very very small steps when raising the criteria, while other dogs make huge leaps of understanding (which is not always a good thing for the dog, particularly Group A dogs).  See below (Suggestion of stages for teaching a dog to retrieve) for guidelines how to go through the different criteria.

9. Experiment by rewarding the dog with different life rewards or motivators so that the dog really begins to have strong happy associations with the "ball" and it is very keen to touch the "ball" with its mouth.  Some dogs like their motivators to be varied while others become confused and prefer one particular reward - watch the dog's reactions to varied rewards, learn which method of rewarding it prefers, and tailor the training to the dog's preferences.

10. As the dog's eagerness to play retrieve increases and the training criteria rises, the number of repetitions can be increased in a training session.  Some dogs can cope with 3 or 4 goes (being rewarded with its motivator every time it does it successfully) while other dogs that have the working drive and concentration and need to do 5 or 6 goes to feel fulfilled.  As with all dog training, finish a training session before the dog gets bored, while it is still doing it correctly, and while it still wants to play some more.

11. Do not be tempted to introduce a verbal queue or command until the dog is thoroughly at home doing retrieve.  I find the word "hand" easy to remember as it reminds the handler that the Game is only over once the "ball" is in their hand.  Begin by introducing the command as the dog is just about to put the "ball" in your hand, having successfully done a retrieve from quite some distance.  Gradually say the command earlier and earlier in the chain until the dog hears the command as it begins it run out to the mat and the "ball".  The dog will then have strong associations with the command and what it is doing at the time.

Ideally the dog should be trained in exactly the same location that it was first taught Recall.  Before the dog arrives, once again prepare the training area by measuring where the poles, jumps and the 51ft marker should be, and spray paint the exact spots so that the equipment can be put in the same location for the next couple of training sessions.  Also put up the plastic netting if the area is too big or not secure. 

Make sure that the helper has plenty of "balls" hidden about their person and that no one is allowed to throw a ball while training Hand - if the helper needs more "balls" in a training session they should always walk up the lane, have the "ball" passed to them by the handler (who is standing behind the poles in the handler area), then return back up the lane and resume their position behind the black rubber mat.

12. Allow the dog to run freely off the lead round the training area (see Where & When) so that it can explore the environment.  Do not distract the dog by calling to it or giving it any commands.  Allow it to relieve itself without reprimand - it is just marking the area so that it will recognise it next time and also to pass on the "news" to other dogs that it has been there.

13. The handler should only call the dog to them once it has become settled and is becoming bored with the lack of stimulation.  As the dog already recognises that it is going to do a Dog-Game by the similar visual and environmental triggers it learnt while waiting to do Recall, don't be surprised if it is sitting expectantly at your feet waiting for the harness to be put on!  This shows how strong the dog's happy associations are of the Dog-Games.  However, if the dog is barking with frustration do not be tempted to start training - to do so would be to reward the dog for barking with something it really wants to do.   Wait for it to give up and move away before calling it to you to begin training.  It might be an idea to pre-empt the barking in the next session by starting the training before it gets frustrated enough to bark.  It is not only the dogs that learn by trial and error…..!

14. While the handler is putting on the dog's harness and attaching the lead to it, the helper should place the black rubber mat on the 51ft marker Equipment needed). This mat will always be placed on this spot until the training lane is either turned round or set up somewhere else.  The dog then becomes confident of always knowing where the mat and the "ball" are going to be.  The helper also places the two start/finish poles approximately 6ft from the mat.  He then returns to the mat and takes up his position behind it - standing perfectly still, not saying anything, with his hands behind his back and trying not to distract the dog in any way.

15. The handler then walks the dog up to the start poles and sets the dog up facing the mat whilst he is holding it by the harness's handle.  He must not be tempted to manhandle the dog by pushing it into the required position, or turning it in circles in an attempt to distract the dog.  These actions disorientate the dog and make it lose its sense of direction as to where it is supposed to be running.  The manhandling will also frustrate the dog, as it will upset its balance whilst it is preparing to run.

16. As soon as the dog realises that the mat and the helper are in front of it, the helper should place the "ball" in the centre of the mat and resume his upright stance.

17. The moment the dog begins to pull towards the mat the handler should release their hold on the dog's harness and give the dog's verbal command to retrieve.  The dog runs towards the mat, picks the "ball" up, uses the rubber surface to turn round quickly and runs back through the poles to place the "ball" in the handler's hand.  The handler should immediately give the dog its motivator as a reward - or bowl the "ball" in the opposite direction from the training lane for the dog to chase and bring back to its handler.  Either of these methods can be used to reward a dog doing Hand.  Try to resist the temptation to throw the "ball" above the ground, as the sight of a chasable object flying through the air could be too big a distraction for dogs in the other lane later on.

18. If the dog seems confused or reluctant to run to the mat, take the dog closer to the mat and progress further back as the dog's confidence grows.

19. If the dog drops the "ball" before it places it in the handler's hand do not reward the dog or say anything.  Just stand very still with your back to the dog (just as you did in Recall) and look away from your dog.  The dog will not be too upset or distracted and will work out that it must have done something wrong, as it did not get its motivator.  Wait half a minute or so and then repeat the run again, perhaps helping the dog by hiding the motivator or standing sideways on - see Problems with Retrieve.

20. Try to do a maximum of 5 attempts in a session so that the dog is still keen and eager to do more.  Always finish a training session on a successful note and with the dog wanting to still play the game.  He will then be keener and more confident the next time he enters the training area.

21. Remember to write up the dog's notes so that you can begin the next session where you left off.  Also make sure to write down any training difficulties that the dog needs more work on. 

22. The handler should calmly take the dog to a quiet place where it can relax and unwind, and be allowed to retain what it has learnt in its memory without any distractions.  Sometimes a well-ventilated car, which does not give the dog a view of the training area, is an ideal place to let a dog relax in between training sessions.
23. Some dogs can cope with more than one training session in their first lesson, while others benefit more from being taken home and brought back another day, when they are keener to play the game again.  Trust your instincts and remember - it is better to do too little and teach some more next time, than to do too much and take the dog's eagerness away for repeating the Game in the future. If you do try another session later on, consult your notes so that you can start where you left off and try to progress from there.

24. Only put the training equipment away once all the dogs have been looked after and are resting peacefully.  Some dogs become anxious and unsettled when they see their exciting training environment changing as the equipment is moved and dismantled.

Once the dogs have had a chance to relax and unwind, and the training equipment and netting have been put away, the dogs should be allowed free time off the lead together.  This is best done by a few handlers and dogs going together for a gentle stroll in an area with enough space for the dogs to move away or approach each other as they need.  It is important that the humans do not call their dogs or give commands while this canine interaction is going on.  The dogs need to relax and be themselves without the added pressure of listening out for their handlers voice as well.  It is also important that no toys are played with when exercising the dogs, as this could over excite them or start aggressive behaviour between certain dogs over who should have the toy. The handlers and trainer will begin to notice which dogs are comfortable and friendly with one another and which prefer to keep their distance.  This will help them decide later on which dogs to choose when doing changeovers in Hand Gold .

26. Over a period of time the poles can be moved further back - to the fourth jump marker, then the third.  The dog is then ready to take the Starters Test Level One.

If the dog is unable to fulfill this criteria it should be rested, given further training and should not be tested within an hour of the last attempt.

Please send in your Dog-Games Entry Form giving the details of where and when you passed Starters Hand Level One and with the appropriate fees.

As soon as the Entry Form and fees are received the Dog-Games staff will enter your dog's details on the website Roll of Honour, so that you have a record of its achievements as it progresses through the Dog-Games and Competitions, and your certificate will be posted to you.

27. Build on Level One training sessions so that gradually, over a period of time that is suitable for the dog's learning processes, the poles can be moved back to the second, the first, and finally their correct location - 6ft from the first jump.  The handler can experiment with releasing the dog further away from the start line so that the dog is running flat out as it passes over the start line - this will come in useful for competitions later on.

28. Do not be tempted to rush through these stages - they are the building blocks and foundations of the dog's ability to understand the Hand Game.  Give the dog time to experiment and learn what is expected of it.  If the lessons learnt are not "rock hard" the dog will struggle later on with the added challenge of distractions, and the changes of environment and location.

If the dog is unable to fulfill this criteria it should be rested, given further training and should not be tested within an hour of the last attempt.

The dog has now earned its Starters Hand - Certificate Level Two and a Starters Hand rosette. The dog can now progress on to Bronze Hand Please send in your Dog-Games Entry Form giving the details of where and when you passed Starters Bounce Level One and with the appropriate fees. As soon as the Entry Form and fees are received the Dog-Games staff will enter your dog's details on the website Roll of Honour, so that you have a record of its achievements as it progresses through the Dog-Games and your certificate and rosette will be posted to you.