Retrieve to HandDog fetches an object and delivers it precisely to your hand
Fetch, refined. The dog does not just bring the object back: they sit in front of you and place it in your hand. The chain is: fetch, return, sit, hold, release to hand. Each link must be solid before chaining.
Also known as: Deliver, Hand Off
At a glance
- Tier
- 4 · Expert
- Time to fluency
- 6–12 weeks
- Practice
- 4× per week, 10 min each
- Equipment
- A variety of objects to retrieve, Small soft treats
Prerequisites
Your dog should know these words first:
How to teach retrieve to hand
Lure
Hold your hand under the dog's chin and cue drop into your palm
- Start from a reliable fetch-and-return
- When the dog returns, cue sit, then hold your palm under their chin
- Cue drop so the object falls into your palm. Mark and reward
- If they drop before your hand is ready, no reward. Try again
Hand Signal
Present an open palm under the dog's chin as the delivery target
- The open palm means 'place it here'
- Build from dropping into the palm to placing gently
- Once the delivery is clean, add distance. Fetch from further away
Verbal Cue
The fetch cue includes the expectation of delivery to hand
- The full chain on one cue: go get it, bring it, sit, deliver to hand
- Reward heavily for the complete chain. This is the hardest part
- Use it practically: have the dog bring your shoes, the mail, a toy
Success criteria
- Unlearned
- Drops the object on the ground nearby instead of delivering to hand
- In progress
- Fetches and delivers to hand on a single verbal cue
- Mastered
- Fetches specific items from another room and delivers gently to hand
Common mistakes
- Accepting ground drops instead of insisting on hand delivery
- Not breaking the chain into individual links first
- Grabbing the object from the dog's mouth instead of waiting for the release
- Skipping the sit, so the dog does a drive-by drop