Memory retrieves: an introduction

Why it matters

Memory retrieves ask a dog to hold a picture in its head rather than being sent straightaway. This is a genuinely different skill from a simple mark and is worth building carefully from the start.

Set up

• Have the dog sit and watch a single dummy thrown a short distance.
• Have a short walk or a simple distraction ready to fill the delay.

Run the drill

1. 1Throw the dummy and let the dog watch it land.
2. 2Walk the dog a short distance away, or wait quietly for ten to fifteen seconds.
3. 3Return to roughly the original spot and send the dog to collect the remembered dummy.

Make it harder

• Increase the delay between the throw and the send.
• Walk the dog in a different direction before returning to send it.
• Add a very easy second, fresh retrieve during the delay to test the memory holds under a small distraction.

Common mistakes

• Making the delay too long too soon: build up gradually in small increments.
• Sending from a very different spot to where the dog last saw you: keep your position consistent while the skill is new.
• Choosing throws that are too far or too hidden for a first memory retrieve: keep early marks short and visible.