Lab Training: Force Fetch and Hand Casting

[Storm]

Very good advice here.

That's why I said small pinch and release.

[huntinfool]

Get the book water dog.
I guided for 8 years, never force fetched my dogs,but they always retrieved with a soft mouth. I used a stiff bristle brush, no hard mouth. I used the book and trained mine and never had an issue. Good luck.

[RiverRat00]

Yes

Get the book water dog.
I guided for 8 years, never force fetched my dogs,but they always retrieved with a soft mouth. I used a stiff bristle brush, no hard mouth. I used the book and trained mine and never had an issue. Good luck.

I borrowed this book from SToRM but really doesn't elaborate on the FF.. The problem with my dog is not necessarily a hard mouth but he tends not to deliver to hand when tired. He starts dropping them on ground and short of me.

[RiverRat00]

Ttt

[Bonesplitter]

For force fetch do the following get a leather collar adjust it to where your fits under it palm up (this is for lack of better word your control hand) the dog is allways at sit when FF flip the near side ear up and hold it there with your thumb. For the first week use no pressure to the ear but say hold and open up the moth and roll a bumper into his mouth he may try to spit it out you just have to teach him to hold it, he will figure it out. The second week hold the bumper to his mouth and say hold and give a small pinch and release to the ear this part they pick up fast. You will notice that he will start getting faster when you do this so now you can change the word to Fetch and then say hold when it is in his mouth. Your not finished by a long shot you now have to teach fetch from his muzzle to the ground in increasing distances. this is the best I can explain it to you without being there to help you out . If he has problems figuring something out go back to a previous lesson and refresh on that depending on his drive and desire Force Fetch may take 6 - 8 weeks to complete.

I did something similar except I used a spent shotgun shell and pinched her ear with the lip on the brass. I would lay bumpers out in a line 10 yards apart. Walk the dog at heel and stop and hit the whistle at every bumper. The dog sit's, I tell her fetch it up, if she didnt, I pinched her ear until she wimpered and opened her mouth, as soon as I shoved the bumper in her mouth I let off and told her to hold. It didnt take long and it was a done deal. I could jog her at heel, hit the whistle, she stopped and grabbed that dummy with a quickness. Never would drop a bird. If she dropped the dummy she got another ear pinching. Good luck, they get to a rebellious period that will make you want to pull your hair out.

[Bonesplitter]

For the casting part, I set up bumpers in a baseball diamond configuration. I set the dog at the pitchers mound and backed off to home plate. i would cast her right, back and then left. The very second the dog look's the wrong direction and make's a move the wrong way, hit the whistle and yell sit. It's important to stop her at the very instant she makes the wrong move. Run her clockwise and counterclockwise so she never work's from memory. This has to be done after she is sitting on the whistle every single time. Once she get's it down start working the bumpers out farther and then out of line of sight so she has to work blinds. Try to always send the dog a little downwind of the bumper on a blind retrieve from your side. A birdy dog can wind a bird from a long ways down wind.

[RiverRat00]

TTT, Need more advise please. So far so good. I just want to hear more opinions.

[Playa]

For the casting part, I set up bumpers in a baseball diamond configuration. I set the dog at the pitchers mound and backed off to home plate. i would cast her right, back and then left. The very second the dog look's the wrong direction and make's a move the wrong way, hit the whistle and yell sit. It's important to stop her at the very instant she makes the wrong move. Run her clockwise and counterclockwise so she never work's from memory. This has to be done after she is sitting on the whistle every single time. Once she get's it down start working the bumpers out farther and then out of line of sight so she has to work blinds. Try to always send the dog a little downwind of the bumper on a blind retrieve from your side. A birdy dog can wind a bird from a long ways down wind.

This. I began with dog treat and 1 base at a time until the dog understands the hand command. Then moved to dummies and multiple bases.

Riverrat, there is a copy of Smartworks for sale in the classifies of txwaterfowler.com if you are interested.

[lab man]

Danny Farmer and Bill Hillman both have good DVDs on force fetch.

[Wildman]

I second Water Dog and please, please PLEASE learn the force fetch tech. before you "practice" on your dog. It is a means to get the dog to react and should it be done wrong, you WILL ruin a dog.

My advise is to start about 7 months ago with a good training book with that dog. And yes, I realize they can't read, but they are like kids. They love to be read too. LOL

And yes, my dogs will hunt.

[Berretta Man]

Force fetching is best done on a table. I used 2 sheets of plywood[ 16 feet in length. I secured a cable down the middle to secure the dog. As far as the ear pinching if the dog does not comply that's backwards. You give the command and start the pressure. The proper response stops the pressure. Up on a table makes it easier on your back and gets the dog away from distractions. But all of this is very hard and best left to people with experience. They will get signs you miss. Plus its hard to put a lot of pressure, sometimes needed, on your loving companion. As stated above, a lot of dogs do just fine without it.

[Rockjock]

http://www.dobbsdogs.com/library/index.html

Lots to read.

[txdukklr]

I would pay for someone to FF

tired and won't deliver to hand is the thing of the past . . . . but its well worth it to have a reputable and seasoned trainer do that for you.

[Mud Shark]

TTT, Need more advise please. So far so good. I just want to hear more opinions.

Look into the books suggested. Bill Hillman, Evan Graham and Mike Lardy are all really good options. I believe all of them also have video. Make the investment if you really want to learn how to train a dog. You'll need the video/book for transition phase anyway or else you'll be coming back to the GS for advise in 6 weeks(and there's nothing wrong with the GS). If you just want to get the dog to do something so you can move on, watch a youtube video. The professionals have great ways of describing and explaining what you're looking for, much better than the majority of us on here. They're much more in depth and have more experience.

Also, look into a local retriever training club. Most are full of great folks with a ton of knowledge that are willing to help. One hands on training session with them will give you a ton more info that you can imagine. Oh yea, they were once where you are know.

[Maxlab]

Force fetching is best done on a table. I used 2 sheets of plywood[ 16 feet in length. I secured a cable down the middle to secure the dog. As far as the ear pinching if the dog does not comply that's backwards. You give the command and start the pressure. The proper response stops the pressure. Up on a table makes it easier on your back and gets the dog away from distractions. But all of this is very hard and best left to people with experience. They will get signs you miss. Plus its hard to put a lot of pressure, sometimes needed, on your loving companion. As stated above, a lot of dogs do just fine without it.

X2. You can also use a rope tied to there toes that pinch the toes, instead of ear pinching.
Ear pinching is good to use when you have them off the table when they know th e command to fetch but dont do it. If you are going to use a table I would use the rope to toe method less chance if you being bit by the dog. Every dog is diffrent some take to it naturally and others you will battle with them. Also its not a over night process. Just get a professional trainer to FF him.