Case Study: Transitioning to Thrown Toy – Bad Dog Agility Academy

Case Study: Transitioning to Thrown Toy

You cannot view this unit as you're not logged in yet.
  • alincoln1963@gmail.com says:

    Can this be done with a toy on string? My girl prefers those over a stationary toy

  • tlburrows65@gmail.com says:

    I cannot wait to try this with my older pup, who likes to do a victory lap before coming to me. I just need to make sure to always present the lesser value toy first. With a dog like this, I would need to make sure to mark as soon as they pick up the first toy correct? So she is looking for the second toy which I have.

    • Esteban Fernandezlopez says:

      Yes, mark and immediately present the second toy–since you’ve already given the mark, the second toy is not a lure because the dog has already done the behavior you want (you marked that behavior). Now we just want to get the dog tugging on the higher value (second) toy.

  • Ed Minar says:

    What if dog persists in dropping toy immediately after pickup (so that one can’t get any return steps before making)? Just go more slowly at shorter distance?

    • Esteban Fernandezlopez says:

      Great question! After I’m sure the dog understand to grab the toy, but does not understand to bring it, I simply withhold the marker and redirect the dog back to the toy and try again. They will usually hold onto it a bit longer. If they don’t go back to it (it’s now dead on the ground) I sometimes have to re-activate it by picking it up and tossing or dropping it again. Withholding the reward communicates to the dog that you have to do something else, different from what you’ve been doing, and when you back pedal as the dog grabs it, they naturally spring toward you and hopefully will hang on long enough to get a behavior you can mark.

  • Christinede1 says:

    Nice!! Gitchi pup?


  • >

    Login