Advanced Teamwork - Object Pickup and Placement

One of the new non-regular classes in AKC is the Advanced Teamwork class. For those who like training challenges and something new, this class is for you.

Every AT class will include heeling - and the heeling is supposed to be challenging. Then the judge will pick 4 more exercises from among the following:
Object Pickup and Placement
Send Away
Scent Work
Seek Back
Moving Stand, Sit, or Down
Baseball Glove Retrieve
Distance Control
Heeling


I'd like to look at each exercise over the next few days and discuss possible training plans and what I'm finding with my own dogs as I train for it. Let's start with Object Pickup and Placement. Here are some of my notes on key parts I need to remember for this exercise.



1. Principal parts: Dog goes to object, picks it up, stops on command, places the object as directed and returns to front.
2. Orders: Throw it. Send your dog. Right or Left. Finish.
3. Object does not have to be dumbbell. Squeakers/noise makers have to be removed.
4. Two cones placed where utility jumps would be placed.
5. Judge tells you where to stand – does not have to be centered between cones.
6. Throw object at least 30 feet.
7. Immediately after dog picks up object, command them to sit.
8. Judge will tell you which cone to send your dog to.
9. Command and/or signal to the correct cone. May stop and redirect the dog with penalties.
10. When dog gets to cone, have them drop dumbbell within 2 feet of base.
11. Command or signal dog to come. Handler does NOT turn to face dog.

There are so many individual parts to train for this exercise.  Only after the individual parts are solid can you put them together.

First you have to have a retrieve.
You have to make sure your dog can sit when told at a distance while still holding the dumbbell (my dogs seemed to think that "sit" meant drop the dumbbell before planting their butts on the ground).
They have to know how to get to a cone on command.
They have to be able to drop their retrieve object at a distance.
They have to know how to line up for front when coming at an angle.

Just for fun, I took Bella out just to see how she would handle this without further training.  She went out to pick up the dumbbell.  When told to sit, she dropped the dumbbell first.  I had to do several "Take it, sit, take it, sit, take it, sit" before she would sit while holding it.  I was able to direct her to either cone using a directed jumping signal and her "wrap" command (which means to wrap around the cone).  Drop it that far away was hard - she usually dropped it more than 2 feet away from the cone.  She's better at getting in front when coming from the right than coming from the left.

So now, I'm breaking this down.
For the retrieve portion we're only working on her taking it then sitting on command.  Sometimes I have her sit, sometimes I have her come to front.  I don't want her to think every retrieve is going to involve a sit.  If I don't say anything, get it to me.  If I tell you to sit, then sit while still holding it.

Separately I'm working on her going to the cone and setting her paw on the base.  She got this very quickly, so I'm handing her the dumbbell at my side and sending her to place.

In other sessions I'm working on distance drops.  I have her stand, take the dumbbell from my hand, then I walk varying distances, turn, and ask her to drop.

And in yet other sessions, we work on getting into front - I'm working it at 90 degree angles right now.  Again, she has trouble coming from the left - she sits in between heel position and front position, so I'm working the left side more.

I will be interested to see if they modify the regs to make touching the cone a penalty.  But until then, I like this training plan.  The puppies are learning the various parts, but moving much slower when it comes to new concepts and distances.  Zane could sit while holding the dumbbell, and he could drop at greater distances.  Otter is not retrieving yet, so he is just learning to touch the cone.