I had a busy day so I was only able to work Sally, on force fetch, one time today. I cleaned pens and fed dogs and the other animals then led Sally out with the piggin’ string.
I think I have 9 different retrieving devices on the bench.
When she drops the bumper and the stress gets to her she lies down.
Back to the basket.
I brought her out with the piggin’ string and she had an e-collar around her neck. I heeled her a ways then whoaed her, put the piggin’ string across her back and had her heel through several turns and a few 180 degree turns. I whoaed her, took the piggin’ string off and tapped her on the head to release her.
While she ran I put 7 different bumpers on the end of the retrieving bench. When she got close she jumped onto the bench to check the bumpers out. I put the string around her leg with a half hitch around two toes.
We went to the other end where the bumpers were and I held one in front of her and said, “fetch”. She didn’t open her mouth until I pulled on the string. After she took the bumper I stroked her head and tapped on the bumper. She held it until I said, “give” and she dropped it in my hand. After several retrieves with the first one I changed to another.
Not the next one but the third one she would hold it until I tapped on it then open her mouth and let it drop. I pulled on the string and slowly picked the bumper up and when I got close she would grab it. She would hold it for a few seconds then when I started tapping on the bumper she would open her mouth and drop it. I pulled on the string and slowly picked the bumper up. About the fourth time she quit dropping the bumper.
The next few bumpers she did real well then we got to the big one. I held it in front of her but with one end touching the bench top. I pulled on the string and said, “fetch”. She grabbed the bumper. I petted her and tapped on the bumper and she dropped it. She dropped it 4 or 5 times. She finally held it when I tapped on it and I was getting frustrated, so we quit.
But before we quit I took the string off and tried to get her to retrieve the bumpers that were lying on the bench. I held one in front of her and said, “fetch”. She acted like she had never heard the word before. I put the string back on her and we started over. I pulled on the string and said, “fetch”. She grabbed the bumper and I walked her to the basket. She dropped it in my hand and I dropped it in the basket. I decided that was letting her get off too easy so the rest of the bumpers I made her walk to the basket then to the other end then back to the basket. She carried them real well until we got to the big bumper. She held it and walked to the basket then to the other end then back toward the basket. Just before she got to the basket she dropped the bumper. I pulled on the string, slowly picked up the bumper and held it in front of her. She grabbed it. I walked her to the other end of the bench then back to the basket. I tapped on the bumper and she held on. I said, “give” and she dropped it in my hand. I petted her and put her on the ground.
I released her to run. She has dropped bumpers before and I know we will get through this but today I got frustrated with her. When I get frustrated I quit. No reason to do something that might keep her from ever retrieving. All dogs are different on how they learn and how long it will take. She is showing more of a stubborn streak than I thought she had. I put her back in the kennel.
We started with the usual.
It’s nice to go out without a coat. I went out about 9:00 am to work Sally on force fetch. After thinking about her dropping the bumper I decided to try something a little different than what I had been doing. She was standing still when she dropped the bumper. I was going to try having her fetch then walk her down the retrieving bench.
I brought Sally out with the piggin’ string and an e-collar around her neck. I heeled her with the piggin’ string lying on her back. After about 50 yards I whoaed her and released her to run.
While she ran I placed 9 bumpers on the other end of the retrieving bench. When I was ready for her to return I pushed the tone button on her e-collar and called her. I was about ready to hit the e-collar again when I saw her coming in a dead run. She must have been a long way toward the west. I knelt down when she got close but she jumped onto the retrieving bench.
She walked up and down the bench with me petting her every few feet. I put the string around her leg with a half hitch around the middle two toes. I took a bumper, held it in front of her and said, “fetch”. She didn’t try to take it until I pulled on the string. As soon as she took it I walked her to the end of the bench then back. She held it. I petted her then said, “give” and she dropped the bumper.
I went through all of the bumpers and had her take each one several times. As long as she was walking she held the bumper. A couple of times she dropped it but usually it was when she stopped. Each time she dropped the bumper I pulled on the string and slowly picked up the bumper. When I got close to her she would grab the bumper.
Sally
Usually, when I’m having a problem with a dog it’s my fault for not trying a different way to figure out what I should be doing instead of what I’m doing. I think, making her move as soon as she takes the bumper, keeps her from dropping the bumper, as often as she was. It also keeps me from getting frustrated with her.
We made a game out of putting all of the bumpers in the basket then I set her on the ground and let her run. I took her back to the kennel.
My afternoon was full so before lunch I went back and worked her again. After a little heeling work I turned her loose to run. I put the bumpers on the retrieving bench and called her back. She jumped onto the bench.
It was warm and she was panting pretty hard when we started. I shouldn’t have let her run until we were through but she enjoys the run. I put the string on her leg and toes after walking her back and forth on the bench.
I still have to pull on the string to get her to take the bumpers but it doesn’t take very much. As soon as she took the bumper I walked her to the other end of the bench then back. Even panting like she was she only dropped the bumper a couple of times. I think walking her on the bench is working.
We went through all nine bumpers then made a game out of taking them back to the basket. I petted her for a while then set her on the ground and released her to run. I took her back to the kennel.
This is the second week of force fetch and she’s picking the bumper up from the table, as long as I have my hand on it, and she will take a bumper above her eye level. With enough repetitions she will get through force fetch. And hopefully I will too.
The dreaded pipe.
Sally with the big one.
Sally with another wooden bumper.