# Metal? Big whoop.



## Michelle Reusser (Mar 29, 2008)

What other less than appealing things do you all have your dog put in their mouths? I have been working on EVERYTHING I can think of and came upon a mess some asswhipe left at the park I train/excersize my dogs at daily. Soapy sponge, country crock plastic container and a buttload of oranges. After cussing and wondering who's unnatended brat did this, I took advantage of it and made my dog bring each item to me. Of course the oranges where the only issue, he spit it out a few times but kept going back to it, he eventually put it in my hand. Today I used an orange again and he only spit it out once and handled it much quicker and with less disgust on his face.

I'm pleased my dog is so willing to go threw this torture for my amusement. Looking for more ideas, what are some things dogs may not want to pick up but could be important in an emergency?


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## Kadi Thingvall (Jan 22, 2007)

That's where a little force in the retrieve would have come in handy with my dogs, because they would have picked up the oranges, but then they would have run off with them to eat them. LOL No problem with the pick-up, but maybe the "bring".

I like to have the dogs retrieve oddly shaped items. A shovel, cardboard box, tarp, penny, cap of a pen, milk jug full of water (less mess if they puncture it then actual milk), etc. None of these have an "ick" factor to the dog, but they do make them have to think about how they are going it pick it up.

Another one is edible items they would like to eat. Dog biscuit, hotdog, etc.

If you want "ick factor" try putting some mouthwash on an item and getting them to retrieve it.


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## Michelle Reusser (Mar 29, 2008)

So far I have focused on oddly shaped or feeling things for him to pick up. When I saw his brother pick up and spit out the orange pieces several times, I got the idea for the bad tasting things. His brother is a dog that will put anything in his mouth and actually eat it. The orange was the first thing I have ever seen him not go ahead and eat. 

Not sure that my dog could manage the penny. I imagine he would dig at it until his feet bled. How do your dogs do with that?


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## Mark Baldassarre (Apr 28, 2009)

_I'm pleased my dog is so willing to go threw this torture for my amusement. Looking for more ideas, what are some things dogs may not want to pick up but could be important in an emergency?[/quote]_

9mm stainless semiauto

http://www.youtube.com/user/markbf#p/u/29/aBugOpaKM0g

Most dogs don't like metal objects that are this heavy. Many will carry lighter metal objects w/o objection but when they have to dig into something they cant dig into... they don't dig it,lol.


car tire

http://www.youtube.com/user/markbf#p/u/28/whd6xASaC9o

The tire isn't important to pick up in an emergency,lol...but it is worthwhile in proofing the FF and offers the dog a sense of accomplishment as well as building confidence in retrieves.


Metal trash cans, full length shovels, sledge hammers all can throw a dog off. A running weed whacker is always fun, just make sure there's no string in it. No limits other than one's imagination, really.

People would be amazed how many dogs who will readily fetch ducks, won't even touch a goose.


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## mike suttle (Feb 19, 2008)

I sold a female malinois to US Customs on the last contract that would retrieve a bicycle (as best as she could). I could hold her by the collar and push the bike until it fell over, then send her and she would go and try like hell to retrieve it. She would also bite my refridgerator and washer in the kennel training room if I kicked it first and told her to get it.........crazy dog!


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Michelle Kehoe said:


> Not sure that my dog could manage the penny. I imagine he would dig at it until his feet bled. How do your dogs do with that?


Because of the zinc toxicity, I wouldn't try it with coins, pennies in particular...


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## Nicole Stark (Jul 22, 2009)

Yesterday it was a 10 lb weight. Course at some point later she threw it up in the air and when it landed it dented my floor. Didn't think that all the way through I guess...


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## Michelle Reusser (Mar 29, 2008)

Hmm the gun sounds like the most important object my dog may have to bring me. I'll have to try this inside because I'm not about to have my pistols rolling around in the mud/dirt. The bike sounds interesting, I can see my boy dragging that back to me. Now the weedwacker...he wants all yard implements to die, last week he almost got a face full of chainsaw, thankfully it didn't stay running on the first pull. He already tries to pull the lawn mower out of the shed without my asking. 

I think I will try the weedeater, just to see if I can get him to stop trying to kill it long enough,to bring it to me. I'm going to bust out my old cell phone too, so he doesn't slobber up the one I use. May be handy to have him retrieve that. I'll put a word on that one too.

1. gun
2. phone

How many of your dogs will pick up an item already laying around (not thrown)?Easier for me to get them to get something I throw but he will pick up stuff already out there I point at. I started all of this because he would pick up my shoes off the back steps and I got sick of walking on wet grass to get them. That was the hardest retrieve to teach because he had it beat into his head NOT to touch them of course. LOL I used alot of yes and no to get him to do it but once I "threw a party" for picking it up, it got easier and easier.

Dang, I might just move him inside sooner than thought, so I can get him bringing me diapers, wipes and bottles. If that ain't a working dog, I don't know what is?


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## Nicole Stark (Jul 22, 2009)

Michelle Kehoe said:


> How many of your dogs will pick up an item already laying around (not thrown)?


It's the primary way my dog works her retrieve. I've not named any of her objects yet, haven't considered it but I like the idea of that particularly since she's becoming more oriented to locating and retrieving specific hidden objects. I could see how something like combining the two could be useful.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

When I was active in ob training with a AKC cllub we had fun days which often consisted of retrieving hot dogs. 
Picking up dimes was another trick that some could do, some couldn't. Some dogs werent allowed to do
it because of their enthusiasm. (dimes swallowed) :-o


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## Tanith Wheeler (Jun 5, 2009)

Try a phone that is ringing - i.e. vibrating in the dogs mouth, blaring loud noise and flashing lights. That freaks out a lot of dogs.


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## Khoi Pham (Apr 17, 2006)

mike suttle said:


> I sold a female malinois to US Customs on the last contract that would retrieve a bicycle (as best as she could). I could hold her by the collar and push the bike until it fell over, then send her and she would go and try like hell to retrieve it. She would also bite my refridgerator and washer in the kennel training room if I kicked it first and told her to get it.........crazy dog!


Mike, I know you are big on metal,and my next pup will be probably from you, and they should be able to do this http://www.vimeo.com/8615816
no problem right?(-:


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## Khoi Pham (Apr 17, 2006)

Tanith Wheeler said:


> Try a phone that is ringing - i.e. vibrating in the dogs mouth, blaring loud noise and flashing lights. That freaks out a lot of dogs.


That is a good idea, I will try that.


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## Michelle Reusser (Mar 29, 2008)

Tanith Wheeler said:


> Try a phone that is ringing - i.e. vibrating in the dogs mouth, blaring loud noise and flashing lights. That freaks out a lot of dogs.


 
Wouldn't be a problem. I have tones of kids toys I have had him retrieve, the ones with batteries, turned on. The first was a coffee pot that when tipped over sounds like it's pouring, he looked at it funny but he came back with it. I like the tumbler balls with knobs all over, they vibrate kinda violently, he loved that! Kinda hard to get his mouth around and too hard to crush.


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## Kadi Thingvall (Jan 22, 2007)

A number of years ago I went to an MR trial in the PNW, I think it was one of the first ones in the US. I had a housefire shortly before the trial, mainly tons of smoke damage, so I took a bunch of stuff with me to help decorate the field, which happened to be a camping theme. One of the things I took was a stuffed dinosaur my son had that "roared" when squeezed. The judge selected that as the retrieve object. I think of the dogs there, 2 retrieved it correctly and one of them was my dog that was doing dog in white and was used to those types of toys. The other dogs had 1 of 2 reactions. Some freaked about the smell/sound and either wouldn't pick it up or dropped it as soon as it made noise, the others said "YAHOO" and started racing around playing with it.


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## mike suttle (Feb 19, 2008)

Khoi Pham said:


> Mike, I know you are big on metal,and my next pup will be probably from you, and they should be able to do this http://www.vimeo.com/8615816
> no problem right?(-:


Hi Khoi, I am very glad that you posted this video. this is a perfect example of what I try to explain to people about the difference between a dog that is trained to retrieve metal, and a dog who does it because he wants to. Your dog will likely retrieve anything that you TELL him to retrieve. The type of dog that I want is the one who choses to go out and play with that chain on his own just because he WANTS to retrieve it.......even when you are not around.
Any dog can be forced to retrieve almost anything, that is not what I look for. Watch the stress leave your dog the instant you tell him that he can drop it. I want the type of dog that does not want to let it go when he must let it go, but is happy to pick it up. Does that make sense? I am not good at all about explaining my point in text, but hopefully you get the idea.


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

Quote: Because of the zinc toxicity, I wouldn't try it with coins, pennies in particular...

Maren, I had a cattle dog that retrieved pennies every day for years. My roomates used to snap them at her. Friends would come over and spend the evening drinking and snapping pennies at her.

In her spare time, she would chew them in half.


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## Khoi Pham (Apr 17, 2006)

mike suttle said:


> Hi Khoi, I am very glad that you posted this video. this is a perfect example of what I try to explain to people about the difference between a dog that is trained to retrieve metal, and a dog who does it because he wants to. Your dog will likely retrieve anything that you TELL him to retrieve. The type of dog that I want is the one who choses to go out and play with that chain on his own just because he WANTS to retrieve it.......even when you are not around.
> Any dog can be forced to retrieve almost anything, that is not what I look for. Watch the stress leave your dog the instant you tell him that he can drop it. I want the type of dog that does not want to let it go when he must let it go, but is happy to pick it up. Does that make sense? I am not good at all about explaining my point in text, but hopefully you get the idea.


Oh yeah I know what you mean, for sure my dog does not go out on his own and pick up metal and play with it, he is not that type like your line of dogs, and yes my dog will retrieve anything but not from force retrieve training, I have never trained forced retrieved, he works for the ball, you can see that he is happy going out and coming back with tail wagging at his own pace, the stress came from having to hold the heavy chain and could not lift his head up looking at me cuz that was what he was trained for (sch. retrieved).


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Maren Bell Jones said:


> Because of the zinc toxicity, I wouldn't try it with coins, pennies in particular...




Do you remember where that autopsy photo you posted is?

Pennies = bad.


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## Denise Picicci (Sep 9, 2007)

I have an 8 1/2 m GSD that is physco for the pinch/fur saver, keys and he will toss it around still in his mouth like a paper doll, the sounds that come out of him are bizzare. To him it is all play and all done on his own since I got him at 3mo old. If you let him he will tug on it like ball, need to be careful not to break teeth. After reading this post I wanted to see what he would do with a hammer and he tossed that around like a chew toy. He loves the game and to him it is just that a game. He also does not want to bring stuff like this back and as soon as I go near him he takes off. I swear the taste of metal turns him on. Would love to try other stuff just to see what he does, crazy dog.


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## mike suttle (Feb 19, 2008)

Denise Picicci said:


> I have an 8 1/2 m GSD that is physco for the pinch/fur saver, keys and he will toss it around still in his mouth like a paper doll, the sounds that come out of him are bizzare. To him it is all play and all done on his own since I got him at 3mo old. If you let him he will tug on it like ball, need to be careful not to break teeth. After reading this post I wanted to see what he would do with a hammer and he tossed that around like a chew toy. He loves the game and to him it is just that a game. He also does not want to bring stuff like this back and as soon as I go near him he takes off. I swear the taste of metal turns him on. Would love to try other stuff just to see what he does, crazy dog.


Let me know when you want to sell him.


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## Anna Kasho (Jan 16, 2008)

Jeff Oehlsen said:


> Maren, I had a cattle dog that retrieved pennies every day for years. My roomates used to snap them at her. Friends would come over and spend the evening drinking and snapping pennies at her.
> 
> In her spare time, she would chew them in half.


Was this before 1982 or after? Pennies used to be copper, but after 1982 they became copper over a zinc core. My friend's pet turkey ate several coins and died of Zinc poisoning about 3 months later, getting sicker and sicker gradually. Never had a dog eat any coins, that I know of, so I can't say if your experience was typical...


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## Michelle Reusser (Mar 29, 2008)

3rd time with the orange, he carried it all the way home, even after I told him to leave it. Wierdo!


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

When I first started square searches in schutzhund working trials, I had my dog retrieve and metal was one of the items, as well as in the obedience retrieve in the higher class. No problem actually but with temperatures below zero, not so easy!! Afterwards I resorted to indicating in working trials. IPO (no metal).

Good thread, must try these GSDs out as to what they'll pick up and retrieve. The Briard would retrieve everything, pencils, torches, phones even beer bottles. Opening the fridge door was a bit difficult to train............

One of our dogs used to like carrying shoes out into the garden. We we're watching one of them from the lounge window, when Toni called out "Gill, he's got one of your shoes!" I looked as he placed it on the ground and calmly peed all over it and heard an agonised voice next to me say say "Yuk, it's one of mine".


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## Tanith Wheeler (Jun 5, 2009)

We've been playing retrieve the snowball.
He broke the first one but got the idea of carrying gently.


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## Michelle Reusser (Mar 29, 2008)

Gillian Schuler said:


> When I first started square searches in schutzhund working trials, I had my dog retrieve and metal was one of the items, as well as in the obedience retrieve in the higher class. No problem actually but with temperatures below zero, not so easy!! Afterwards I resorted to indicating in working trials. IPO (no metal).
> 
> Good thread, must try these GSDs out as to what they'll pick up and retrieve. The Briard would retrieve everything, pencils, torches, phones even beer bottles. Opening the fridge door was a bit difficult to train............
> 
> One of our dogs used to like carrying shoes out into the garden. We we're watching one of them from the lounge window, when Toni called out "Gill, he's got one of your shoes!" I looked as he placed it on the ground and calmly peed all over it and heard an agonised voice next to me say say "Yuk, it's one of mine".


 
Gillian, my dog sounds like your Briard, he comes home from walks with plastic water bottles, soda cans, beer bottles or whatever he finds along the way, he just likes to carry stuff in his mouth. Unfortunatly I end up having to throw his collections away.


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

Michelle,

The Briard picked up everything on command "retrieve" otherwise he didn't carry things home!! I might have been rich otherwise!!! Pencils and cell phones, not often found in the forest lol.

My Landseer used to carry branches home, small, medium, large. Once he picked up a small stick and I took it off him and threw it away and handed him a large branch. When I looked back, he'd discarded the larger piece of wood and picked up the original. 

We were at a lake, camping, and early morning on the strand, we watched him, sniff at driftwood, discard some, and pick up others only to disappear into the woods behind us. When we left, we went to the woods to see what he'd collected and saw a heap of driftwood. I'd mightily love to know what his motives were???


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## todd pavlus (Apr 30, 2008)

Gillian Schuler;162240
We were at a lake said:


> Sure beats collecting fire wood yourself


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Jeff Oehlsen said:


> Quote: Because of the zinc toxicity, I wouldn't try it with coins, pennies in particular...
> 
> Maren, I had a cattle dog that retrieved pennies every day for years. My roomates used to snap them at her. Friends would come over and spend the evening drinking and snapping pennies at her.
> 
> In her spare time, she would chew them in half.


I remember we talked about this quite a while back, but when was this? I think it is the post 1982 pennies that are the problem (copper coated pennies, but with zinc in the middle). There's plenty of examples of just a few can give dogs, smaller dogs in particular, fatal hemolytic anemia, so I wouldn't try it. Besides, why pick up pennies? The big bills is where it's at. :-D A dog cross trained on drugs would probably do well with the bigger bills as supposedly like 90% have cocaine residue on them.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/08/14/cocaine.traces.money/index.html

Edit: whoops! Anne said the same thing. Need to read the rest of the way...


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## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

Connie Sutherland said:


> Do you remember where that autopsy photo you posted is?
> 
> Pennies = bad.


Here's the link: http://www.workingdogforum.com/vBulletin/f25/zinc-poisoning-8633/


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