How to retrieve something from their mouth?

[creative coats]

I have a two year old rotty "Shelby" and she's always chewing on things she shouldn't be and every time I try to take it away from her, she clamps her teeth down on it as tight as a clam and growls at me. Sometimes I can bribe her with a treat, But I feel like I'm sending her mixed feelings about rewarding her for doing a no no. So lately, I've been spraying bitter apple between her teeth until she releases. But I don't always have bitter apple on hand, like when we're on walks. Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE her with all my heart, I just thought we'd be past this chewing stage by now.:( :( :( Can anyone help me? Please!
Jude aka Creative Coats.

[Judi W]

Well, treats or trades are used to teach the "out". If you haven't taught it, then she certainly will not know it as a command. If she is two you will have to spend quite a bit of time breaking old habits and replacing them with new ones. You will not do this by fighting with her, but by rather telling her how clever she is to have found such a treasure, can you see it? Here is a treat to say thank you, here you can have it back now, or I'm going to keep it but here is your reward. This should not just be practiced when she has something you don't think she should, but with a toy or a ball as well initially that you can admire and then toss for further games. Always start your teaching with a positive action.

[danyp1]

What worked for me when we play tug I have some high value treats in my pockets. Like liver treats or hot dogs. Once she is really into it pulling and tugging I kinda stop pulling and tell her name and the command "aus" and I used to tangle the treat in front of her or other item like a different toy. Now all I have to do is say "aus" and she will release it. So now when she has something in her mouth and I call her tell her to sit and aus. Sometimes with treat sometimes without or I exchange it for a toy she can have.

But as judy said I have practiced this for a long time ever since the pup came home on objects she can have when we where playing like ball throwing and retrieving and releasing. Or when playing tugg which we do every day and so we practice it every day.

[fbkeays]

Your girl sounds too old to do what I ended up doing to my first rottweiler. I had started to teach her to "Drop it", but hubby thought it was cute how she stole things and kept them. So Misty was hit and miss on how well she responded to the command. His method of getting her to drop things was to pick her up and point her head down until she dropped the object. I kept on telling my husband what was he going to do when she weighted 50+ pounds?
One day, when she WAS 50 pounds we were on a walk on a flexi. She came across a dead bird and wouldn't drop it. I was near hystartics. I didn't want to touch it and she really didn't want to let it go. A few times she would drop it, but by the time I got control of the flexi again, she picked it up.
I ended up picking her 50+ pounds up and holding her head down until she dropped it. I then carried her a few feet away so she couldn't grab it again. She has since has a very good drop it.:D

[Gracie H.]

I have a two year old rotty "Shelby" and she's always chewing on things she shouldn't be

My Rotti is also 2.
Does Shelby have lots of things she CAN chew on?
Addy needs lots of her 'own' things to chew - Balls, Kongs, marrow bones,etc. etc.. and plenty of other toys to play with. Addy is very puppy like.
She is a pretty good 'giver' ... but at times she likes to 'test' me to see if I really want that ball back. And my answer is always YES! "Give."
I've only had Addy for 2 months -- but this was a really important command to me -- just in case she ever decided to pick up that pesky poodle in the neighborhood ... so I came to Rott.net to learn it and much much more!!

Ewwww!! And hopefully we never come across a dead bird! Addy is over 100 ... she'd BETTER drop it! Cuz' I think I'd drop her trying to lift her! ;)

It won't take long, Jude -- follow the advice from the previous posters and Shelby will be dropping, giving or ausing in no time!

:D :D :D

[creative coats]

Wow Hurray to you. I would never adopt a rotty unless it was a puppy and I was the one raising it from the begining. "Shelby" is doing much better. We have this thing that we do every morning, while she's out side going potty, I hide treats through out the house and when she comes in I make this OIT noise and she knows to go around and look for them. So now, When she has something in her mouth that she shouln't have, I say OIT and she drops it to go look for her treat & so I toss one down the hallway. Hey, It works!!!!! Ijust love dogs! Ya know, a cute thing I do & I think every dog should love this, is sometimes if I know I'm gonna be gone from the house for a long time, I'll put a treat on the counter by the answering machine and call her when I'm away, so she hears my voice and goes to it and gets a treat. Too cute. :) :) I love these smilies. Jude.

[Gracie H.]

No hurrays needed here, Jude ... I saw her and fell in love! She was pretty scruffy & stinky from being in the kennel for so long. But those eyes! Love at first sight! After lotsa' brushing, a good bath and good food she is shiny and soft! I love the idea of hiding treats! I've never done that! We are always looking for new games to play! I work at home so we are together all day 'n the poor girl has to look at me all day! ;) I just got a recipe from a really nice 'poster' for some treats! I think I'll make 'em and hide 'em!! FUN!! :D By the way - we're kind of neighbors - Vikings/Packers girls!! (never mind the last game!) ;)

[creative coats]

I work out of my home too, How weird is that! I'm a dog groomer and I do it out of the back room of my house. But oh I tell ya, you're gonna get a bang out of the hiding the treats things. Ya know and if Shelby can't find one, I sort-of direct her telling her if she's getting hot or cold. Believe me, she caught on fast. Rotty's are sooo smart and love to learn new things all the time. Their minds are like little sponges. I hope she likes your cooking!:D :D

[Patty1231]

My dog knows the "drop it" command but there have been times he would not let go of something - probably due to my poor reaction to what he had in his mouth. In cases of emergency, you can stick your fingers in the back corners of their mouths - they will open up. Certainly, teaching "out" or "drop it" is a much better solution - and reacting calmly to the situation.

[Muckdogs]

Is it jsut me or did everyone miss the fact that the OP mentioned that the dog growled at her when she was trying to get teh object back? This is a problem that needs attention. At two years your dog should know far, far better than that than to growl at you over an object. The dog needs to be properly corrected, not bribed, begged, cajoled, sung lullabye's to, fed, or whatever else, it needs to be corrected. The correction needs to be timed for the growling, not refusing to release the object, as it has not been taught to out on command. The out and the object possessiveness are two completely separate issues and must be dealtwith accordingly.

[Gracie H.]

Is it jsut me or did everyone miss the fact that the OP mentioned that the dog growled at her when she was trying to get teh object back?

You are right, Muck. :o
That really should be the first thing addressed.

My dog has growled at me once. That's all it took for me to look for help from a pro. Sorry, Jude. It seems I missed the obvious & most important part of your OP. Do you practice NILIF with Shelby?

Hopefully one of the experienced Rotti owners will jump in with good suggestions!

Rotty's are sooo smart and love to learn new things all the time.

I know Addy really keeps me hoppin' creating new ways to keep her interested! I've taught her 'stupid animal tricks'. Am teaching her some 'jobs' around the house (she needs a way to earn an allowance too!) ;) . ... 'Hot & Cold' sounds more fun! :D

:: off to obedience class! ::

[creative coats]

What do you mean by NILIF? I'm new to this forum.

[Gracie H.]

What do you mean by NILIF? I'm new to this forum.

I'm sorry, Jude, I'm new here too.
NILIF is Nothing In Life Is Free.
Try this link. It has helped me A LOT.
www.k9deb.com/nilif.htm
If you have a problem linking -- PM me or PM anyway! :) ...
Also you can do a search in the forum for more advice on growling.
Growling is not something that is irreversible. It just takes some time and work. Hang in there with me, Jude. :)