22. Reaching For The Dumbbell While Walking

Having learned to reach for an object from a sitting, a standing and a lying-down position, REACHING FOR THE DUMBBELL WHILE WALKING will not be too difficult. Wad the leash into a ball and carry it in your LEFT hand. Hold the dumbbell in your RIGHT. WHILE WALKING, place the dumbbell close to your dog's muzzle, and give a quiet command of "Take it!" Follow with a series of short tugs on the leash with the LEFT hand, while you keep say­ing "Good Girl!" Continue walking until the dog takes the dumbbell, either because she reached for it, or because you slipped it in her mouth. When she is holding, come to a halt, or take the dumbbell while still in motion, and give the dog an extra pat with praise.

The instinct to chase a moving object may give your dog the neces­sary incentive to grab for the dumbbell, especially if you encourage her. If she does grab for it, lower the dumbbell a little each time, until she is almost taking it from the floor. If the urge to chase things is lacking, the series of tugs on the collar must be increasingly sharper, until the dog will reach on command to take things while in motion.

When working with a small dog, it is easier to practice from a kneeling or squatting position. By circling to your right, you can keep the dumbbell moving ahead of the dog with a minimum of effort. At the same time, the training is brought down to the eye-level of the dog.

For practice, walk backward while the dog follows, facing you. Hold the dumbbell in the RIGHT hand above the leash, which comes from under the dog's chin. As you back up, say "Take it!" then give a series of tugs on the collar with the left hand, with generous praise. If your dog reaches for the dumbbell, halt, make her sit, pat her, then take the dumbbell. If she still doesn't reach, pry open her mouth, slip the dumbbell in, halt, then pat her.

Whether working in a circle or walking forward, gradually lower the dumbbell until one end is almost touching the floor or the ground. Finally, drag one end on the ground.

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