Adventures Outdoors'
In Wisconsin
The Forced Retrieve
By Rick Spoerl
|
|
The pheasant exploded from the brush two inches in front of the retriever’s nose, my partner turned and “bang” the rooster started heading down. It landed about a hundred yards away, the dog far behind but gaining on the spot the bird landed. We were walking quickly but still out of range when the dog arrived at the bird. “No problem” my buddy said, “The dogs got it”. Sure enough the dog did have it, well kind of. The rooster obviously wasn’t hurt as bad as we thought and was flapping madly in the dog’s grips. It finely flapped free and bingo, it took to the air like it had never been hit. The bird got away; we figured the bird was definitely hit but not enough to break a wing. It probably died later. The trainer had never force trained the dog.
The beautiful sunny woods atmosphere was broken by the sound of a flock of woodies “tweet, tweet, tweet”, seconds later three big drakes came screaming down the river, “bang, bang, bang”. A single bird fell back into the woods a good fifty yards behind us. My hunting partner sent his retriever and after a good long hunt had the bird in his mouth. The drake was still alive and half way back the dog happened to be a little thirsty and “oh no” set the bird down to take a drink, he certainly deserved it after that fine hunt. Well the bird also saw the river and “ploop” went in, and under, never to be seen again. Boy that would of looked nice on the wall. You guessed it, not forced trained.
I’ve seen dogs sit on the other side of a river, and decide to eat the duck, dogs that came up on nasty ducks that have been sitting all day at a hunt test and not pick them up and dogs that haven’t had many flyers or haven’t had that species of bird before not pick them up. All of them either weren’t forced trained or weren’t forced trained properly.
The forced retrieve, force training, forced fetch, or whatever you call it is a must for all dogs used for hunting, field trials or hunt tests. Some people seem to really freak out on the thought of force training. Well believe me, it’s no big deal. If done properly it doesn’t take months or even weeks to accomplish. I’ve force trained the softness of dogs as well as the hottest and the procedure I use has always produced dogs that love their work, are happy, with a high desire to retrieve and most important they don’t drop the bird.
The force retrieving procedure not only will be a special bonding time with you and your dog but it’ll also provide the needed repetition on all obedience commands you’ve taught him. The commands “Sit, Stay, Fetch, Hold, Give, Heel, Here, Good, Leave it, No bird and of coarse No” will all be enforced. The dog will become a happy retriever and the desire to retrieve will not only really come out, but he’ll be taught to do it properly.
If at all possible do this yourself. This is a special time with you and your dog. But if there’s simply no way you can find the time then by all means send the dog to a pro to have it done. The point is, it has to be done, and once started it should be finished.
The time limits I use are most important. I divide the sessions up evenly throughout the day usually with 4 sessions a day. I accomplish this in 20 to 25 sessions of 30 to 45 minutes. With every dog I’ve force fetched, I’ve been in the field with live flyers by the 20th or 21st session which most of the time is in 4, 5, or 6 days not weeks or months. If done properly, this crash coarse will build huge building blocks and plant needed seeds for future training.
These same sessions can be done 3 a day or even 2, although I certainly don’t recommend it because it could take sometime to get finished. Some of us may have to take a couple of days off work or simply do all 4 sessions in the evening or whenever we’re home.
Although I’m not totally against more then 4 sessions a day I don’t have experience with this much of an accelerated program and think it’s probably too hard on the dog as well as the handler. I’ve heard of trainers doing a one-hour on, one hour off procedure and with the right dog it certainly could be effective but I prefer the 4 sessions per day approach. Read all figures 1 thru 6 on the procedure. Read the figure fully for the session you’re on before using it on your dog.
You’re going to need a means of restraint. I use a 4-foot by 4-foot platform built with 2 by 4’s. I use plywood for the floor and although it’s only a couple of inches off the ground I staple carpet and use padding for my knees. I like being on the ground nice and close to the dog, this way if the pup wants to wrestle, then I can control them a little better than if they’re up on a table as some trainers use.
I install a u-bolt through the middle of the platform so I can hook a short piece of rope from it to the choker collar of the dog. This way the pup can’t jump up or get away. I also hang another piece of rope from a rafter on the ceiling and connect it to the pup’s choker to prevent him from lying down. Now I have complete control. He can’t move very far up or down.
You will need a bucket of fresh water to give him a drink when you take a break, and a supply of treats. I start out giving the pup pieces of treats every time he holds the object and slowly just reward with praise than stop giving the treats altogether.
Every dog I’ve force trained has run on to the platform with desire after I let them in the garage. They just can’t wait for the session to begin.
Although the figures 1 thru 6 outline exactly what to do, I will briefly outline the procedure here. Basically you’re teaching the pup through repetition (repeating several times) and correction (ear pinch) to pick up and hold properly anything you ask of him, for as long as you would like and give it to you willingly.
When were performing the procedure we abandon all other training. We don’t throw marks for the pup or any other obedience training. We want the pup’s complete attention on the force training procedure.
Never begin the force training until the pup is at least six months old and has all his adult teeth. Pups lose their puppy teeth at 4-6 months and the experience can create some discomfort. We want as little discomfort as possible during the procedure. The pup must know the commands sit, stay, come (here), and heel before you force train. These commands will be highly enforced and we don’t want to turn the force training into an obedience training session. Believe me, if you haven’t obedience trained your pup, you need to concentrate on that first.
The procedure shouldn’t be started until the pup has had many retrieves. From the time the pup is 10 or 12 weeks old you should have thrown play dummies for him (teasing him with the dummy until you throw it and he brings it back). After awhile you’ll begin to hand throw puppy dummies farther and farther away. Then have someone else throw for you to the same spot you have thrown for him and begin sending him farther and farther. You can introduce more retrieving objects as you go, like large dummies, canvas as well as plastic, frozen birds, freshly killed birds, and of coarse live flyers.
The point is this; the pup must know what a retrieve is, and now instead of requesting him to retrieve, you’re going to demand it with the force training procedure. The pup must be having lots of fun retrieving and love it with a passion. This will make the procedure a lot easier and keep the desire while enhancing it. If you haven’t found a way to make the pup have fun retrieving you may have been trying to hard, or he may not be ready. Some fine dogs have taken a while to develop the desire to retrieve but all of a sudden one day it just kind of pops up.
If the pup doesn’t want to retrieve then the forced fetch procedure should be put on hold until his desire comes along. Some dogs might not ever develop the desire, but with a good pedigree this would be quite rare. You may be putting to much pressure on him. Just keep playing with him and working on building the desire. Maybe he would bring it back, but drops it on the ground a few feet from you. That’s ok, as long as he returns to the general area. Good timing and a quick hand will get it across to the dog that you’d like it delivered to you. You may have to run away from him to get him to chase you while bringing it back. Regardless of his delivery in the past things are about to change.
Before you begin the sessions you should make your pup somewhat familiar with the platform in the garage or wherever you do your sessions. I like to do the procedure in the garage with the door closed with little or no distractions. A basement or shed will work too. Trying to accomplish this in the backyard or front yard probably isn’t the best place. Later when you get to the point of heeling with the object in the mouth, you can move outside.
The platform is a good place to train the pup “stay” or “place”. Every time you let the pup on the platform tell him “place”, then say “good” and give him a treat. This will come in handy later in training.
If you’ve got a platform in the pups kennel, prior to feeding him you should tell him “place”, put him on the platform then tell him “stay”. When you have him sitting and staying on the platform wait a couple seconds then release him to eat by his name. If you have your pup in the house, make the “place” a throw rug or piece of carpet. Later when running him on retrieves you can lay a mat or carpet down, tell him “place” and you’ll be simulating what happens at a hunt test or field trial. Also when your hunting, you can throw a burlap bag or decoy bag on the ground, tell the dog “place” and the dog will have an area to stay on, if he gets off before being told, you can correct him and the understanding will be there that if he moves off this “place” you won’t be happy.
A day or two before you begin the forced retrieve sessions let the dog on the platform and praise him several times. Making the platform familiar will make the first couple sessions a little easier.
You should have a clock handy to see how long it’s been since a break, how long the session has lasted, and in some instances how long the pup has been holding the object. I like to take short (5 minute) breaks about halfway through to give the pup some water and rest my knees. Taking breaks more often maybe necessary if the weather is hot. The sessions should last 45 minutes in length, I know this seems like a long time but the repetition the pup needs is the critical factor in force training.
A pair of cow or deerskin gloves is a requirement since sometimes we tend to get our hands to close to their teeth. If a dog gets overly aggressive constantly trying to bite you or growling and becoming mean, this maybe an indication he won’t be suitable for training. Occasionally a dog may bite or nip at you. If this happens you must correct the dog and make him know this aggressive behavior will not be tolerated. If you stop the procedure after he gets aggressive you will be enforcing this on the dog and he’ll certainly try it again. If the dog does become aggressive and you’re unsure if he can be trained, consult a professional for advice. This type of behavior is very rare and most trainers don’t have this problem but it should be mentioned. You will have to have the left hand glove off when you are applying the ear pinch.
Roofer’s kneepads or a rolled up towel or blanket is nice to preserve our knees. And if you haven’t obtained several different types of retrieving objects, you will need to before you start. Large and small retriever dummies in canvas and plastic will be needed as well as a couple frozen chukars or pigeons. Live pigeons or chukars and ducks should be either purchased and kept in a holding pen or purchased when needed, but definite arrangements should be made to obtain live birds before you begin. Other objects such as dokken dead fowl training dummies or other retrieving objects you may use should also be obtained.
The first retrieving object most trainers tend to use is a wood dowel approximately 1 inch in diameter for easy holding, with the ends wrapped up with tape at 3 or 4 inches of wrapping for ease of pickup off the ground. Some trainers believe that if they use this object first they’ll get the “bad” stuff out of the way with an object that later will be replaced with a more desirable one. I started with it because of its small size diameter. It’s a little easier to get into a pups mouth then a large dummy, but a small (puppy) dummy is just as easy. I don’t take much stock in the wooden dowel theory anymore since I have trained with the small (puppy) canvas. The first 6 dogs I forced trained, I used the wooden dowel. I simply think it’s not needed. Once I force trained a female and went through 5 wooden dowels. She was chewing and rolling the dowel in her mouth because it was hard, and when I would tap her under the chin to get a better hold on it she would just continue to chew. I simply had to hold her jaws closed for long periods of time to finally get it through to her. Although she turned out good, I think if I would have used a dummy she would have understood sooner. Now I just use a small canvas dummy to begin with. They’re usually holding it on their own by the second session.
The first two sessions I don’t pinch the ear of the pup at all, I just simply put the dummy in their mouth hold their mouth closed saying “hold, hold, hold”. Then I say, “give”, take it out of their mouth and praise them. Don’t forget lots of praise and treats. While they have it in their mouth you want to tell them their doing good and pet them.
Following the figures 1 thru 6 will guide you through the entire procedure. You will see how to go from hold to fetch and through all the different training objects. You will start out putting it in the pups mouth then inserting it in the pups mouth during ear pinch, then holding it a couple inches away demanding the pup to grab it while ear pinching, then holding the dummy farther and farther away until the pup is fetching it up off the ground.
All the while you’ll be showing the pup how to hold it by positioning it in his mouth and holding his lower jaw shut. You’ll demand a good hold by tapping it out of the mouth if the pup isn’t holding it properly then repeating, “Fetch” with an ear pinch. You will heel the pup after he’s picking it up off the ground then making the pup hold it while you walk away and call him to you without dropping it. And at last lining up all different objects on the ground and walking him up to them having him fetch and hold each one. All of this can be achieved in 5 or 6 days if done at 45-minute intervals 4 times a day.
Obviously we have to enforce this in the field after were done with the sessions at home. Don’t think that when the sessions are done you can slack off a couple of weeks. That would undo a lot of training.
You don’t have to force in the field 4 sessions a day but you should begin with some simple marks the pup has had before and let the pup hold it 10 or 15 seconds before delivery. Have him hold the last bird he will retrieve in the test and walk back to the truck at heel with bird in mouth. Keep a high standard on the hold.
It’s also a good idea to keep the pup on a 50-foot rope while he’s retrieving until stick fetch and collar conditioning is complete. After that you can go to a short 1-foot lead for control at the line. The pup should be getting marks thrown at least every other day to instill his previous training. The sessions of 4 a day are over but the corrections with ear pinch must be consistent if he drops it or fails to retrieve (fetch).
The “Leave it” command can also be taught after the primary force fetch procedure is accomplished. Some trainers teach there dogs to drop the bird on the ground. I don’t ever want the dog to do that for the simple fact it’s not necessary. The dog could get confused and drop a bird on the ground that’s wounded plus the fact that we’ve been teaching him not to drop it through force fetch. Still there are some trainers that think it’s necessary.
Teach the “Leave it” command so the dog doesn’t grab birds in a pile while hunting or at a hunt test is a great idea. Just simply drop the bird on the ground after he’s delivered the bird to you and give a tug on the lead saying “No bird”, “Leave it”. Tell the dog “Heel” and walk away from the bird leaving it behind. Than after a few repetitions you can just say “Leave it”. The dog should accept the fact that some birds are meant to be left alone.
The “No bird” command is reserved mostly for times when the dog watches a bird fall that he’s not to retrieve (someone else shot it) or watches a non-game bird fly by. You can plant the seed now and communicate to the dog he’s not going to retrieve it. Later when honoring or doing poison birds in a hunt test or field trial the dog should respond well to both commands.
Force Fetch Figure 1
|
DAY 1 Session 1 Time Limit = 15 minutes Step 1. Restrain Pup with chock collar and short rope. Step 2. Tell Pup to "Sit" and Stay", reward with treat. Step 3. Place Object (training dowel or dummy) in Pup’s mouth. Step 4. Hold Pup’s mouth closed while saying, "Hold, Hold". Step 5. Tell Pup "Good, Good" while it’s in his mouth. Step 6. Leave object in mouth for short period (5-10 seconds) Step 7. Say "Give"; take object out of mouth, reward with treat. Step 8. Wait 10-15 seconds and repeat exercise. Result = Pup should be able to be controlled for short periods of time with the object in mouth. Pup is getting used to hearing "Hold" and "Give". No Ear Pinching Yet!
Session 2 Time Limit = 30 minutes Step 1. Restrain Pup, tell him to "Sit, Stay". Step 2. Open Pup’s mouth and insert object. Step 3. Hold Pup’s mouth closed lightly around object saying, "Hold, Hold". Step 4. Tell the Pup, "Good, Good" when he’s holding it. Step 5. Leave object in Pup’s mouth now for 10-20 seconds. Step 6. Say, "Give" and release mouth while taking object. Give treat. Step 7. Wait 10-15 seconds and repeat exercise. Result = Pup is now realizing what you want but is probably still unwilling to hold it on his own. No ear pinching yet! |
Force Fetch Day 2
|
Session 3 Time Limit = 30 minutes Step 1. Restrain Pup, tell him "Sit, Stay" Step 2. Say "Fetch", open his mouth insert object. Step 3. Say, "Hold, Hold", while object is in his mouth. Step 4. Remember to alternate the command "Hold" with "Good". Step 5. Leave object in his mouth for 20-30 seconds. Step 6. Say "Give", take object out and give treat and praise. Step 7. Repeat in 20-30 seconds. Step 8. Begin lightly pinching the Pup’s left ear about halfway through the session, while saying "Fetch", as soon as object gets in the mouth stop pinching the ear and begin saying "Hold, Hold". Result = Pup should really begin understanding "Hold" and occasionally holding the object by himself. Trainer now should begin barely holding the object in the Pup’s mouth. Pup is now learning "Fetch", but certainly not reaching for it. As soon as you begin the pinch, insert object and stop pinching. Session 4 Time Limit = 30 minutes Step 1. Restrain Pup; tell him "Sit, Stay, Fetch". Step 2. Begin pinching the ear and inserting object in Pup’s mouth. Step 3. Stop pinching and begin saying, "Hold, Hold". "Good, Good". Step 4. Slowly let go of mouth and object. If Pup drops object repeat above steps. Step 5. Make Pup hold object 20-30 seconds. Step 6. Say "Give" and take object from him, reward with treat and lots of praise. Step 7. Repeat in 20-30 seconds. Step 8. About halfway through the session you can pinch the ear harder then previously. Result = By the end of this session the Pup should be holding the object on his own but probably not reaching for it. If the pup starts dropping his head while holding you must hold his head up with the choker, tap your chest, or snap your fingers to get him to look up. The Pup is now learning "Fetch" but still is unwilling to respond on his own, you will still have to place it in his mouth. Session 5 Time Limit = 30 minutes Step 1. Restrain Pup; say, "Sit, Stay, Fetch, Fetch (pinch ear). Step 2. Insert object, stop pinching ear, say, "Hold, Hold". Step 3. Say "Good, Good" while Pup is holding object. Step 4. Slowly let go of object repeating command "Hold". If object is dropped repeat above steps. Step 5. Make Pup hold object for 30 seconds. Step 5. Say "Give" and take object from Pup. Give lots of praise and a treat. Step 6. Rest 30 seconds then repeat. Result = By the end of this session the Pup should be holding the object for 30 seconds, although you are still putting it in his mouth the pinch of the ear should be 1 or 2 seconds before you insert it in the mouth. The Pup should open his mouth while you’re pinching. Halfway through this session you can begin lightly tapping the object on both sided of it to enforce the hold. If the object moves while tapping it, hold the pup’s mouth down while saying, "Hold". If the pup looks away while holding it snap your fingers so the Pup’s head is turned towards you. A proper hold must now be enforced. Session 6 Time Limit = 45 minutes Step 1. Restrain Pup; say, "Sit, Stay, (pinch ear), Fetch, (insert object), stop pinching, "Hold, Hold", "Good", Good". Step 2. Let go of object. Repeat, "Hold, Good, Hold, Good". If Pup moves repeat, "Sit, Stay". If Pup drops it repeat above procedure. Step 3. When hold is good wait 30 seconds then say, "Give", take object and reward with treat and praise. Step 4. Rest 30 seconds and repeat. Result = Pup should now really begin to start to understand this concept, but you still will have to place the object in the mouth, "Give" should really start to be emphasized, don’t let him throw the object out of his mouth. You should be able to pull it fairly hard without him letting go of it. Make sure the pup understands "Fetch, Hold, and Give". A lot of trainers think at this point that the pup knows "Give", but really the pup is just absorbing the opportunity to give it up. To test this say "Give" without your hand by his mouth, if he drops it, he understands the command, if not he’s probably unsure. Figure 2 |
Force Fetch Day 3
| Session 7 Time Limit = 45 minutes
Step 1. Restrain Pup; tell him "Sit, Stay, (pinch ear), Fetch, (insert object), (stop pinching), Hold, Hold, Good, Good". Step 2. If you’re holding the pup, let go of him commanding, "Stay, Good". Step 3. Slowly move away from Pup giving all commands. Make him sit and stay while holding. If he drops it repeat above steps. Step 4. Begin walking slowly away from him and back to him at least 10 feet. Step 5. Walk around room making him sit, stay, and hold. If he drops it repeat above steps. Step 6. Tap object while saying "Hold" and pull on object lightly saying, "Hold". If he drops it repeat. Step 7. Say "Give" and remove object. If he doesn’t want to let go on the "Give" command, push his lip against his tooth to get him to release. Reward him with praise and a treat. Step 8. Rest 10-20 seconds and repeat. Result = Now you are beginning to walk away from him while he’s holding, teaching him a remote hold that’s needed later during yard work. The Pup should be at least opening his mouth when you pinch the ear and some dogs may begin reaching for it. The pup should be holding the object on his own but occasionally he will need help holding properly. Don’t let him get sloppy. If you need to take a step back, do it. Session 8 Time Limit = 45 minutes Step 1. Restrain Pup; tell him "Sit, Stay, (pinch ear), Fetch, (insert object), (stop pinching), Hold, Good". Step 2. Let go of Pup and walk around room repeating commands. Step 3. Tap and pull object commanding, "Hold". Step 4. Command, "Give" and take object. Reward with praise. Step 5. Repeat every 30 seconds. Result = The Pup should be reaching for the object when the ear pinch is started. He will fall off every now and then and it may be a wrestling match at times but be persistent and consistent. Start holding the object farther away from him when you start the ear pinch as to make him reach for it. A slight rap under the chin might improve a droopy hold. Hold his chin up and when it’s in the proper position tell him "Good, Good". Session 9 Time Limit = 45 minutes Step 1. Restrain Pup; tell him "Sit, Stay, Fetch (pinch ear), (insert object) or (make him reach for it), (stop pinching), Hold, Good". Step 2. After 5 seconds say, "Give" and take object. Step 3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 every 5 seconds about 10 times. Step 4. Repeat step 1. Step 5. Walk around room repeating all commands. Step 6. Tap and pull on object repeating, "Hold, Hold". Step 7. Say "Give" and remove object. Reward with praise. Step 8. Repeat every 1-minute. Result = Now your sometimes taking the object quickly and sometimes making him hold it longer. He should be reaching 12 or more inches to grab it and holding it on his own. Again, he will forget or disobey at times and you may be taking a step back for every step forward. Stick with a high standard on the hold (object in the middle, hold tight, no chewing on it. Head held up). Session 10 Time Limit = 45 minutes Step 1. Restrain Pup; tell him "Sit, Stay, Fetch, (pinch ear), (insert object after he reaches for it), (stop pinching), Hold, Good". Step 2. After 10 or 15 seconds say, "Give" take object and wait 10 to 15 seconds then repeat. Step 3. After repeating above steps 10 times, install leash, unhook restraint and heel dog 10 feet. Say "Sit", turn Pup around and heel back to platform, say "Place", when dog gets on the platform tap and pull on object saying "Hold" then say "Give", take object and repeat 10 times. Step 4. Alternate from on the platform to the heeling drill. Result = The pup should be reaching for it but probably not off the ground yet. You should start out the session holding the object close to his mouth then gradually holding it farther away making him reach to the ground. When you start heeling him with the object in his mouth he will probably be dropping it a lot, you must repeat procedure and be patient. Figure 3 |
Force Fetch Day 4
|
Day 4 Session 11 Time Limit = 45 minutes Step 1. Restrain Pup; tell him "Sit, Stay, Fetch, (pinch ear), (hold object almost on floor), (insert object or let him grab it), (stop pinching), Hold, Good". Step 2. After 10 or 15 seconds tap on object and pull it slightly while saying, "Hold", then say "Give" and take object and reward with praise and an occasional treat. Step 3. Repeat every 10 or 15 seconds about 10 times. Step 4. Repeat step 1 then install leash remove restraint and heel pup saying "Heel, Hold" for about 10 yards. Say, "Sit, Good, Hold", turn around and return to platform saying "Place, Sit, Hold, Good". Step 5. Tap on object and pull slightly saying, "Hold". Say "Give" and take object. Step 6. Alternate both above procedures. Result = Pup is probably reaching for it all the way to the ground but probably still needs a little assistance getting it is his mouth. The Pup is starting to get the idea that when he is heeling he still must hold the object. He probably is still dropping it a lot while heeling, this is a big step. Make sure you are still walking away from him occasionally when he is on the platform, this will enforce stay later. Session 12 Time Limit = 45 minutes Step 1. Repeat all steps in session 11. Result = Pup is now in a repetitious mode and should be getting a little better then the last session but probably not much. The Pup is taking in a lot of information now and it will take time to absorb this. Keep using the same object, its still a little to early to go to other objects. After the sit hold and the heel hold we are going to go to remote stay and here (or come) hold. After that we will begin to use the other objects. Session 13 Time Limit = 45 minutes Step 1. Restrain Pup; tell him "Sit, Stay, Fetch, (pinch ear), (put object on floor), (you may have to help him get it into his mouth), (stop pinching), Hold, Good". Step 2. After 10 seconds tap on object slightly pull saying, "Hold", then say "Give" and take object. Reward with praise and an occasional treat. Step 3. Repeat step 1. Only this time walk away saying "Stay, Hold". Walk away 10 – 20 feet stop and wait a couple of seconds then walk back, tap on object and pull object saying "Hold", then say "Give" and take object. Step 4. Repeat step 1. 2., and 3 several times. Step 5. Repeat step 3. Only now instead of heeling you’re going to put the leash on him unhook him from restraint and slowly walk away from him saying, "Hold, Stay". If he moves he probably wasn’t taught stay well enough and you will have to wrap a lead through a U-bolt on the platform to hold him there. Step 6. When you get about 10 feet away stop wait a couple of seconds then call him to you. You may really have to coax him to come. Step 7. Tell him "Sit, Stay". Walk back to the platform and call him saying "Place". Step 8. When he is on the platform say "Sit, Hold, (pull and tap on object), Give, (take object). Reward with praise. Step 9. Repeat all steps. Result = The Pup should be holding fairly well but still will need your help with placement in his mouth. The Pup should be reaching all the way to the ground but still may need your help with insertion of the object. The Pup should be holding good while you are at a remote position but occasionally he still may drop it. The Pup should be heeling with the object good and only dropping it occasionally. The Pup should be delivering the object from a remote location fairly well. The Pups usually have very little problems with the delivery. All drops should be corrected with an ear pinch saying "Fetch" then "Hold". Session 14 Time Limit = 45 minutes Step 1. Repeat all steps in session 13. Step 2. Repeat all steps in session 13, only if you’re using a training dowel now use a small (puppy) canvas dummy. Step 3. Repeat session 13 with original object. Step 4. Repeat session 13 alternating between original object and small canvas dummy. Step 5. Repeat session 13 with large canvas dummy. Step 6. Repeat session 13 alternating between original object and both canvas dummies. Result = Now that were using dummies the pup is going to probably drop them more and must be re-taught to hold these new objects. But the pup should still be reaching for it either on the ground or nearly to the ground. The hold may get a little sloppy with the dummies just make him hold it right and have patience.
Figure 4 |
Force Fetch Day 5
|
Day 5 Session 15 Time Limit = 45 minutes Step 1. Start out with original object. Restrain Pup; tell him "Sit, Stay, Fetch, (pinch ear), (insert object), (stop pinching), Good, (wait 10 seconds), (tap or pull on object), Give". Reward with praise. Step 2. Put original object on floor. Restrain Pup; tell him "Sit, Stay, Fetch, (pinch ear), (help insertion if needed), (stop pinching), Good, (wait 10 seconds), (tap or pull on object), Give". Reward with praise. Step 3. Use small canvas dummy. Repeat steps 1. And 2. Step 4. Use large canvas dummy. Repeat steps 1. And 2. Step 5. Use small plastic dummy. Repeat steps 1. And 2. Step 6. Use large plastic dummy. Repeat steps 1. And 2. Step 7. Alternate between original object, canvas and plastic dummies, repeating steps 1. And 2. Step 8. Alternating between the canvas and plastic dummies repeat step 2. Then hook lead on to pup, take restraint off and heel pup 10 to 20 feet practicing sit, stay, and heeling. Result = The pup should now be getting the idea that he will have to hold several objects. The original object will not be used after this unless a major falling out would occur. But you should be aware that an ear pinch may not always be necessary if the pup is responding immediately to the command "Fetch". Let the pup beat the ear pinch more and more. The pup should really be speeding up on the fetch but, he'll still need help holding occasionally. Session 16 Time Limit = 45 minutes Step 1. Start out with small canvas dummy. Repeat step 2. Session 15 (if pup is having a hard time picking dummy off floor you will assist). Step 2. Use large canvas dummy. Repeat step 1. Step 3. Use small plastic dummy. Repeat step 1. Step 4. Use large plastic dummy. Repeat step 1. Step 5. Use small frozen bird (pigeon, chukar, or quail). Repeat step 1. Step 6. Alternate using all objects. Repeat step 1. Several times. Step 7. Alternating between objects start heeling pup with dummies and bird in mouth walking 10 to 20 yards and back. Repeat several times. Result = This is basically the same session as the last except we have introduced a frozen bird. You’ll probably have to concentrate more with the frozen bird as this is new to them and the hold is not as desirable. Session 17 Time Limit = 45 minutes Step 1. Start out with large canvas dummy. Put dummy on ground, Say, "Sit, Stay, Fetch, (pinch ear if necessary), Hold, Good, (wait 10 seconds), (tap or pull on dummy), (walk at heel), Sit, Give, (take dummy) Good". Reward with praise and a treat. Step 2. Repeat step 1. With large plastic dummy. Step 3. Repeat step 1. With frozen bird. Step 4. Alternate between all canvas, plastic, and frozen bird. Step 5. Use freshly killed small bird (pigeon, chukar, or quail). Say; "Sit, Stay, Fetch, (pinch ear), (insert freshly killed bird), Hold, Good, (make pup hold it right), (wait 20-30 seconds), Give", (take bird). Reward with praise and treat. Step 6. Alternate between dummies and birds and repeat step 1. Result = Pup should be holding very good and fetching good but now that you’ve introduced the freshly killed bird you may have to help him hold it. Timing is everything and as soon as the pup drops it you must repeat the exercise immediately. Try to end the session on a good note. The hold may not be perfect on the birds but this will start to improve drastically. Session 18 Time Limit = 45 minutes Step 1. Repeat entire session 17. With emphasis on the birds. Result = The hold on the birds should be improving, if not, you may want to really concentrate on the birds. This session is also a good time to get the dog used to any other objects you may have, such as dokens or different types of dummies. If the pup is doing very well you can also use large birds like frozen ducks and pheasants.
Figure 5 |
Force Fetch Day 6
|
Day 6 Session 19 Time Limit = 45 minutes Step 1. Start out with canvas dummy on ground. Say; "Sit, Stay, Fetch, (pinch ear if necessary), (help get dummy in mouth if necessary), Hold, (make him hold it right), (wait 20-30 seconds), (walk on lead), Sit, (tap or pull on dummy), Give, (take dummy), Good". Reward with praise and an occasional treat. Step 2. Repeat step 1. Alternating between all training objects including frozen and dead birds. Step 3. Repeat step 1. Only instead of heeling him make him sit, stay, and walk away from him going as far as you can, then call him make him sit, then make him hold it an additional 10 seconds before you take it from him. Reward with praise. Step 4. Repeat step 3. And alternate between all objects including birds. Result = Remember to use all objects available including canvas dummies (big and small), plastic dummies (big and small), frozen birds (including ducks, pheasants, chukars, pigeons, and quail), fresh dead birds (including ducks, pheasants, pigeons, and quail). Also don’t be in too big of a hurry, if you have to take a step back, do it. It’s better to see the procedure through with him doing it right, then to let him get away with sloppiness just to move on to the next step. If you need to repeat a previous session, do it. Also remember to read your dog and always try and end a session with success. You don’t want to put the pup away after a wrestling match Session 20 Time Limit = 45 minutes Step 1. Repeat session 19. One time. Step 2. Use a live wing clipped small bird (like a pigeon, chukar, or quail); tie their feet together with a bread tie or garbage bag tie. Step 3. Say; Sit, Stay, Fetch, (pinch ear), (assist getting it in the mouth if you have to), Hold, (assist him in the hold if needed), (wait 20-30 seconds), (walk on lead at heel), Sit, (put hand by bird), Hold, Give, (take bird), Good. Reward with praise. Step 4. Repeat step 2. And 3. Several times until you have nearly reached the end of the session. Step 5. Repeat step 1. Until end of session. Result = Pup is probably requiring assistance in the hold with the live birds, and it will take some work to get it, but he’ll get better and better. If the pup doesn’t want to give up the bird squeeze his top lip against his teeth, open his mouth and take bird. Session 21 Time Limit = 45 minutes Step 1. Repeat session 20 once. Step 2. Use a live large wing clipped bird (such as a duck, or pheasant); tie their feet together with a tie. Step 2. Repeat session 20 step 3. Several times. Step 3. Repeat step 2. Only now instead of heeling make him sit, stay and walk away as far as you think you can without him breaking towards you, then call him, make him sit, wait 10 seconds then hold your hand by his mouth without him dropping it say; "Give" and take bird. Step 3. End session on a good note. Result = While walking away from pup when he’s holding the bird make sure you use a long rope attached to the choker so he can’t get away. I prefer to use ducks in this session instead of pheasants because a rooster pheasant can be dangerous to the session by possibly spurring the pup. We certainly don’t want the bird hurting the dog. You can use a hen pheasant if you can’t get any ducks. Also when you call the pup to you from a remote position remember to also "toot, toot" your whistle. The pup is not going to be perfect on the holds with the live birds but should be near perfect on hold and fetch with the dummies. Session 22 Time Limit = 45 minutes Step 1. Make a long line of retrieving objects spaced about 10 yards apart with the wing clipped birds at the end of the line. Step 2. Put the pup on lead and heel him to the first one (don’t sit him) say "Fetch, (assist the fetch and hold if you need to), (pinch ear if you need to), Hold, (wait 5 seconds), Give, (take object), (heel to next object), then repeat through all the objects. Step 3. Turn around and repeat step 2. With the dummies being last. Step 4. Repeat all steps until the end of the session. Result = Really concentrate on the live birds, and although the pup isn’t going to perform perfectly he has an excellent foundation through lots of repetition. Once the pup is doing this exercise fairly well we can move to the field, begin to toss the dummies and birds a short distance with the pup on a 50 foot rope repeat these commands and correct and enforce with the ear pinch. After a short time we will be able to resume marking exercises and normal retrieves. Although the formal FORCED RETRIEVE is now complete we still will have to correct in the field at times. After a week or so of successful short retrieves where the pup is retrieving (fetching), and holding after he brings it back without an ear pinch, then we will begin stick fetch and collar conditioning. Also now is the time to continue with lots of shot flyers for the pup.
Figure 6 |