This episode features two familiar guests: Dr. Gayle Watkins and Susan Patterson! As breeders of Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers respectively, today’s episode is all about retrieving games you can play with your dogs.

How do you get a dog started with retrieving? The first step to getting a puppy trained in retrieving is finding something the puppy likes to retrieve and start retrieving in a quiet, confined place. The goal in getting your puppy used to retrieving is to make the process of bringing their favorite toy back fun (they usually don’t need any help taking the toy from you!). When starting out, also make sure to limit the number of retrievals to just 1-3, otherwise the puppy will become bored or disinterested. Another important point is to avoid touching the toy once the puppy brings it back to you. Puppies will bring the toy back to you because they want to see you - not because they want you to take their favorite toy from them. Instead of taking the toy right away, be sure to praise them and play with them before gently taking the toy.

What are some events you can do with retrieving dogs? Retrieving dogs can participate in dock diving, hunt tests, field trials, and other events that center around the act of retrieving. Before taking your dog to one of these events though, you and your dog must have a strong understanding of the rules and manners associated with participating in these events. The most important skill to have going into these events is the sit and stay. Once your dog is comfortable on and off leash and is able to stay obedient around distractions, that’s when you’re able to have all the fun that comes with retrieving at an event. Another huge skill to have is the ability to have your dog deliver the object straight to your hand, rather than dropping it in front of you. This is important to train young, as it’s more difficult for a dog to break the habit of dropping things in front of you. For sports that don’t require your dog to deliver items directly into your hand, flyball, dock diving, and disc throwing are all great options to stay active with your pups.

Listen to the rest of the episode to learn more about the details of hunt tests and field trials, including what both the dog and the handler are responsible for.