The Retrieve – FAQs

You can take this online course on your laptop, pad or smartphone. When you sign up, you will receive an email to log in. It is very user friendly and straight forward! The course includes a combination of video presentations, training demonstrations, written materials and links to relevant websites. The last lesson includes an “open book” quiz (needed if you would like CEUs) which you can take multiple times.

This course covers the step by step process of training a controlled service dog retrieve and also numerous strategies to troubleshoot this challenging skill. The course outline:

1. Introduction
   • Why is the retrieve such an essential task?
   • Components of the retrieve
   • Service dog tasks based on retrieve components
   • Retrieve training process
   • Play retrieve vs. Trained retrieve
2. Training Take
   • Best materials to begin with
   • Training process
   • Troubleshooting
   • Conditioned Emotional Responses
3. Training Hold
   • Training process
   • 5 important troubleshooting strategies
4. Training Carry and Give
   • Training carry
     • Process
     • Troubleshooting strategies for carry
   • Training give
     • Process
     • Troubleshooting strategies for give
     • Training give to another person (transfer items)
5. Training Pick-Up and Putting it All Together
   • Training pick-up from counter process
   • Training pick-up of vertical items without knocking them over
   • Complex behavior chains
   • Generalization

This course can be completed in about 4 hours. However, you have access to the course for a full 90 days. Handouts are included in PDF form so you can print and refer back to them for your personal use.

You will need to be comfortable using a computer, the internet and email. You will need access to an internet connection.

You will receive a certificate of completion that you can download or print. You also can earn CEUs from the CCPDT, IAABC and KPA.