Vito and I have made great progress with our retrieving work. He will bring a toy thrown back to my hand 95% of the time (not always when other dogs are around) with no reward other than a game of tug or just another throw. Even with plastic, leather, and metal dumbbells he will run after and bring it back (I use treats for dumbbells to make it extra cool!). So I have no regrets (yet) about my decision to allow him to roll the dumbbell into my hand at first and then raise the height of my hand so he can't roll it anymore.
Some background info- I originally made that decision after having immense difficulties with Vito consistently dropping the dumbbell (or toy, pen, etc.) 2ft away from me and me having a hard time gradually clicking closer and closer deliveries. But Vito did understand hand targeting and with my hand on the floor liked to roll it to my hand an inch away. I was quickly able to progress and was soon having my hand off the ground and Vito picking it up to give it to me!
However, now I am working on more of a hold but we have ran into a slight problem. Either the dumbbells are made of helium or Vito is levitating. My plan is to click early, before he has the opportunity to bring any feet off the ground. But it really is an instintanious lift off, so I still end up with at least one paw off the ground. He is trying so hard!!!
I've been looking at my body language to see if my leaning forward to give him the dumbbell is too much pressure and causing him to want to move back, but standing straight or even kneeling doesn't make a difference. I've also tried not letting go of the dumbbell as is recommended by Sue Ailsby, but I've never been able to make much progress with getting even a 1/2sec hold with that route on either Vito or Lance. So I'm trying to decide if I should just keep trying to click early and so what if he levitates, eventually the law of laziness (there some name for this, but I can never remember so I make up my own name) will lead Vito to do less and less of a lift off. The downside being obviously that laziness might not take over and since what you reinforce is what you get....
He does look cute though!
(see
The Dogs Are Really In Charge: He Levitates!?! for some pictures of levitation)
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