Apport: retrieving, training, obedience work and canine sport

TheApport, or retrieve exercise (to retrieve). It is a canine sport exercise included in regulations such asIPO/IGP, and it can also be useful in everyday education.

When we work on picking up and delivering an object, different dogs may respond in very different ways. A sensitive dog may be reluctant to play or may interpret the object as belonging to the handler and therefore find it difficult to hold it calmly until asked to release. Other dogs may discover that dropping it nearby makes us throw it again and can become caught in a repetitive loop. Others may simply refuse to let go.

Thisobedience and canine-sport gameasks the dog to do something that is not entirely natural: pick up the object, hold it calmly in front of the handler without chewing and not release it until the handler gives the cue.

One tip, is to begin at the end of the exercise. First teach the dog to sit in front and tolerate holding the object. A ball on a rope can be useful, keeping a little tension until the dog understands the position and can release on cue, followed immediately by a reward.

If you are starting out in dog training or obedience, or if you want to improve your skills.