To shap the process of retrieving, break it into tiny increments. Even the dogs who are retrieving fanatics may refuse to pick up certain objects like keys or tools. Teaching your dog to retrieve object using operant conditioning will not only make your dog a reliable retriever, it will also give you a strong base to teach other retrieving tricks. When starting to teach your dog to retrieve object, it's best to use an object that your dog will pick up on his own. If you are not sure what kind of texture appeals to your dog, set out a bunch of objects and see which he chooses to play with. Most dogs don't like to pick up metal and have difficulty to pick up small objects that require them to smoosh their nose into the floor trying to get their mouth around it. Choose something your dog can get his mouth around easily such as a face cloth, an empty box, etc.

Using a novel object will make it more likely that your dog will at least investigate it, giving you a starting point for shaping the retrieve object attitude. Teach the retrieve object trick by breaking it down into the most basic steps. The more specific you are with the steps, the less chance the behaviour will fall apart later.

When teaching your dog to retrieve dummies, start with a novel object which is light weight but is not a toy or a ball. Retrieving dummies are ideal for this purpose. You can find them in pet supply catalog.

The steps to teach your dog to retrieve objects or retrieve dummies are as follow :

1. Put an item on the floor about 3 feet away from your dog.
2. Click and treat him for moving toward it.
3. Click and treat him for touching the object with his nose.
4. Repeat this steps about a dozen of times and then withhold the click.
5. If he mouths the object at all, click and treat.
6. Once your dog is mouthing the object, withhold the click until he picks up the object.
7. Delay the click once more and build the time your dog hold the object.
8. Add distance by putting the object a short distance away at first and gradually increasing it.
9. Label the retrieve object behaviour as 'Take It' as the dog is picking up the object.
10. Label the release of the object as 'Give' or 'Leave It'.

Wait for your dog to get frustrated enough to close his mouth on the object before you click and treat. More than likely he will mouth the object quickly and release it, so be ready to click and give a jackpot.