Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2009 8:37 pm Post subject: Hudson holding. What is he doing?
We've been spending time practicing hold. For two reasons really - Pasco just dumps a dummy at my feet so that needed addressed. Second, Hudson is always in a big hurry to get rid of a dummy and he and I have managed very nicely (tyvm) with our wee system of him shoving it my way and me grabbing it! However my OH is now handling Hudson so we have to come up with a more reliable method than me just knowing to get it off him ASAP!
So, I've noticed that Huds finds it irresistible to squeeze the dummy in his mouth. I've taken some video of it. Sometimes its barely noticeable - I can just see his lips kind of twitching. But sometimes he is actually chewing it (more noticeable with the rugby ball shaped dummy). I've really only noticed him doing this since we have been asking him to hold properly. If he is running back from a retrieve - out in the open, then he may adjust the position just once, but doesn't seem to chew on it in the same way.
Whats going on? And... should I take measures to stop it... if so... what??
Oh and bonus teachers pet Pasco who holds it like a swot. I love my wee Pasco pup!
Well, when I clicked the link, I got a Utube vid of a racing car- is Huds driving it?! If so, then to drive a racing car whilst chewing a dummy is pretty neat, in my mind! I wouldn't change a thing about him...infact I'd promote his talents!!!
The vid worked fine for me and I'm now panicking that you've been swotting and will show me up big time when we start grade 1 on Sun. I've been too busy fretting that Bracken may or may not be coming into season and having weird obsessions about wiping her nether regions! I need to practice the hold too. She'll hold a ball until the end of the world, but dummy? Not a chance!
From what I remember, the rugby ball shaped dummy felt kinda hollow? Maybe that's why he's tempted to have a wee chomp? Maybe a real pheasant would feel a bit firmer and he wouldn't chew... so perhaps nowt to worry about?
Fee do you always make Huds hold it that long.....to be honest i think even i would start chewing/re-adjusting after that long lol
I understand and have read your post above saying you have been trying to get him to hang on to it a tad longer..nice hold too....but just a teeney bit long and then goes the other way and makes Huds want to drop it.
I wasn't doing advice anymore Fi, but I'll make a special exception just for you
Some dogs simply don't like holding things in their mouths for any longer than is necessary - from looking at your vid, I think this might be the case with Hudson. I wouldn't think the "chewing" was a major problem, but it depends how hard he is doing it, and that is something I can't tell from the video, afterall you aren't going to be asking him to hold onto things for a considerable length of time. I can't hear anything on the vid, but I am assuming you are giving him a "hold" command? I just added that onto the retrieve, so when Jake was nearing me I started telling him to "hold, hold" and this method worked for us, he now sits up in front of me and presents the dummy - its just a case of practice, practice, practice. I wouldn't bother doing really long holds in the house, by all means re-enforce the hold command, but shorten the time he is holding it and this should reduce the mouthing. This is all assuming the mouthing/chewing isn't doing damage to the dummy...
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If so, then to drive a racing car whilst chewing a dummy is pretty neat, in my mind! I wouldn't change a thing about him...infact I'd promote his talents!!! 
