[NAGDU] Finding Dropped Items

Sat May 27 19:45:32 UTC 2017

That is a great point, Cindy. That is the reason that I will probably
not be doing it with Demi--it isn't really necessary for my needs and
would end up being more of a novelty trick. The reason I am
considering it is because--and for those of you who have insight on
this, please correct me if I'm wrong--I would really like to
eventually teach Demi to put away her toys, and I am pretty sure that
teaching this starts with the dog being able to pick something up on
command. At this point, I can say something like "Go get your (insert
name of toy)," and she will usually do it, but if I have her toy in
front of her and say the same, she won't take it because she doesn't
understand why I would be asking her to get something that is
literally right there in front of her. If I tell her to "Bring it to
me," she will either bring it close and drop it or try and throw or
kick the thing to me, but it is not consistent.<div
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On 5/27/17, Cindy Ray via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 		When I say this, it is not meant as a criticism of what
> people do. I had a black lab, my second dog, who was just a masterful
> fetcher, and she would pick things up and drop them in my hand. Once she
> even took a cookie off a tray and I put my hand under her chin and said
> "out", and the cookie dropped into my hand. She was the only dog I had who
> would do this. I was disappointed that more of my dogs didn't fetch or find
> things. And oh yes, if she was playing with a toy and it went where she
> couldn't quite find it, she would go as close as she could and put her nose
> in the vicinity and whine. I think that was her anyway, though it could
> have
> been Spencer. Anyway, thing is, the dog is a guide. That is its primary
> purpose. I personally decided that having it do the fetching and finding
> things was nice but full unnecessary. Please remember that I appreciate why
> people want it, and I would be proud if I had a dog that did it, but it
> isn't important to me. The one thing that would be just too cool about it
> would be that I could say I trained the dog to do it.
>
> Cindy Lou Ray, Moderator
> cindyray at gmail.com
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Rachel Grider
> via
> NAGDU
> Sent: Saturday, May 27, 2017 1:53 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Rachel Grider <rachel.grider at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Finding Dropped Items
>
> Thank you for this information! I started this a couple days ago using sort
> of a mixture between the two methods described. Demi picked it up very
> quickly. She has mastered putting her paw on a dropped item both in and out
> of harness. when working in harness, I would drop an object like my phone
> or
> credit card, then would drop the harness and say "find it," and Demi would
> put her paw on the item. We have only done this for practice at home so
> far.
>
> I am wondering, though, for those of you who actually have your dogs pick
> up
> items, how one would train a dog to pick something up on command? Demi will
> fetch, but that is only with her toys, and it seems like using clicker to
> teach a dog to pick up an object would be counterproductive because the dog
> expects a treat at the sound of the clicker. Does anyone have insight on
> this? I don't know if I even want to train Demi to pick up items; I
> definitely wouldn't want her doing it in harness, but it could be a useful
> skill to have for certain situations when off leash at home or in a hotel
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> On 5/23/17, Julie Johnson via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> I taught this a bit different, basically just shaping natural
>> tendencies.   I noticed that my dog would immediately go to something
>> out of place or new that he hadn't noticed before.  I paired this
>> natural behavior with a phrase.  I use, "find it".  Then give praise
>> when he went to it. My dog does a nose target, which I found to work
>> just fine and so I continue to use that.  He does not pick up random
>> objects, so that was not a worry for me.
>>
>> Later I set up situations with objects that I had placed in a known
>> location and then called him to find it.  I used a lot of verbal
>> encouragement and praise.  When he found the thing he got more praise,
>> pats and acknowledgement.  I don't remember using clicker and treats
>> to teach this, but I may have at some point. I did try to teach a
>> retrieve at some point, but gave up because he absolutely refused to
>> pick up anything that he didn't recognize as his.  We had a lot of
>> problems when he was a puppy with chewing up stuff, so I spent a lot
>> of time teaching him to only chew on his things.  I guess he took that
>> to heart.  Of course every dog is different and it is quite possible
>> that with more time I could have taught him a retrieve.  Finding
>> things on the floor was really what I needed so I stopped with just
> locating objects.
>>
>> I think  Danielle's method would work also.           is a lot more
>> methodical  and systematic.  I do try to have training plans and teach
>> things step by step, but then life happens and we end up using the fly
>> by the seat of your pants method.
>>
>> Oh, I should add the find it is something that I only use at home or
>> in a hotel room, out of harness and off leash.  Monty will not find
>> objects on the floor when working in harness.
>>
>> Good luck!
>> Julie
>> http://www.guide-and-service-dogs.com
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On 5/22/2017 7:38 PM, Danielle Sykora via NAGDU wrote:
>>> I taught my dog how to find dropped items, by putting his paw on or
>>> near the object. Here's the outline of how I taught this, using the
>>> clicker.
>>>
>>> 1: Start with one object (I think I used an index card or some kind
>>> of paper/cardboard). Hold it in your hand, show it to the dog, and
>>> click and treat when the dog paws it. My dog tried nosing the object,
>>> mouthing it, and barking in frustration before he finally got it.
>>> 2: Once your dog paws the object reliably, put the command to it, (I
>>> used "get it"). Make sure the dog reliably paws the object when you
>>> give the command.
>>> 3: Drop the object right in front of the dog from just a few inches
>>> off the ground. Tell the dog "get it", and click and treat for pawing
>>> the object.
>>> 4: Drop the object from higher off the ground, but still in front of
>>> the dog.
>>> 5: start dropping the object progressively further away from the dog.
>>> 6: Temporarily pair the "get it" and "stay" commands. This way, the
>>> dog will paw the object and then stay there until you come over to
>>> pick it up. Release the dog from the stay only after you pick up the
>>> object. Eventually, you can drop "stay" and just say "get it".
>>> 7: Start practicing  with a variety of different items.
>>>
>>> **In the initial stages, make sure to use something that is easy to
>>> hear when your dog's paw makes contact with it.
>>>
>>> Danielle and Thai
>>>
>>>
>>> On 5/22/17, Rachel Grider via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>> Hello, All:
>>>>
>>>> Awhile ago, there was a discussion about teaching dogs to fetch, and
>>>> someone  on this list (I don't remember who) talked about teaching a
>>>> guide dog how to find dropped items--not necessarily how to pick
>>>> them up, but just to find them by touching the item. I would like to
>>>> learn more about training my guide dog to do that. Does anyone have
>>>> information about this?
>>>>
>>>> Thank you!
>>>>
>>>> Rachel
>>>>
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>>
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