The time allowed for the Retrieve of the Object is 15 seconds.

The object will be chosen by a drawing or chosen by the judge prior to the start of the trial from a list given to the Judge (dumbbell, ninepin, cylinder, plastic bottle, solid bottles if they contain water are ok, small bag, stroller wheel, etc.).

The dog must be able to hold it in his mouth, and the maximum weight is 1 kg. All glass or metal objects are forbidden.

No other object can be within 5 m because it would turn the exercise into an identification one; also no food nearby.

The handler cannot move his feet as long as he/she does not have the object in their hands.

The rules say one object yet a pair of shoes tied together is OK as long as it is reasonable.

The dog has three changes to hold the object in the mouth before chewing points are deducted.

• On the Judge’s signal, the object must be thrown at least 5m.
• After the Judge’s signal, the handler may command the dog to search for the object.
  Only one recall retrieve command is allowed.
• The handler will wait for the horn at the end of the exercise before leaving his place.
• A brief command to ask the dog to release the object is allowed – e.g. ‘give’.

The Retrieve is one of the exercises that includes a requirement that the handler NOT speak after the retrieve command is given. Until the item is returned to the handler, nothing can be said. Degree of difficulty of the actual item selected by the judge varies from level to level. Handler may have to throw the item and send dog from a standing or seated position. Retrieve item may be thrown OVER an object that blocks view of dog, ie, barrels of obstacle, etc.

Note that for the Retrieve Exercise, the judge must be provided with six items to select from. It is preferable that the items relate to the theme of the trial. It is also expected that the items will not have been used prior to the trial. As a judge, I can tell you that if the items presented to me look ‘used’, I will magically come up with something that is not from the selection being presented.

Examples of items that have been used in recent trials:
Small stick with a balloon attached, multiple variations of fuzzy or squeaky animals, a plastic rake with balloon attached, a broom, water bottles (full), pair of sneakers tied together, string of bottles tied together, a large disc of plastic cheese (European style), watering can…