When I went out to work Sally on force fetch this morning the temperature was already in the 70’s. I thought I was ready for warm weather but maybe not. I let her run while I got the bumpers laid out on the retrieving bench.
Sally
The 3/4 inch pipe with duct tape ball on one end.
A really big bumper.
She jumped onto the retrieving bench and I walked her back and forth. I put the string on her leg and circled her two center toes with a half hitch. I picked up the first bumper in the line, pulled on the string and said, “fetch”. She took the bumper and I walked her down the bench then turned and walked back. She held the bumper as I petted her and told her what a good girl she is.
We went through all of the bumpers. I only had her retrieve each of them two times a piece but she walked down the bench and back with each bumper. She held each of them even the really big one until we were putting them in the basket. I was really bouncy when we were taking them back to the basket and she acted like she was enjoying it.
When we got to the really big bumper she dropped it before we got close to the basket. I pulled on the string and she took the bumper. I walked her on to the basket but didn’t take the bumper. I had her go back to the other end of the bench. She got about half way and dropped the bumper. I pulled on the string and held the bumper in front of her. She took it and we walked to the end of the bench then turned and went to the basket. She held it while I petted her then dropped it in my hand when I said, “give”.
I petted her for a while then set her on the ground. I let her run for a few minutes then took her back to the kennel.
I cleaned pens and fed the dogs and other animals then turned her out to run while I got the bumpers ready. She came in and jumped onto the retrieving bench. It was about 80 degrees and really humid. She was panting hard. I tried to get her to hang on to the bumpers but she was panting too hard.
After about 3 bumpers I knew this wasn’t going to work but I wanted her to carry the bumpers back to the basket. She had no problem with the smaller bumpers and especially the dowel rod bumpers. But when we came to the real big bumper she wasn’t going to carry it. I held it in front of her, pulled on the string and said, “fetch”. She took the bumper and when we started down the bench she spit it out. I pulled on the string, held the bumper in front of her and said, “fetch”. She took the bumper and I hurried her to the basket. She held it while I petted her but I took it pretty quick. She was still panting real hard.
I petted her for a while then set her on the ground. I released her to run then took her back to the kennel. It will be cooler tomorrow and we will try again.
What a difference a day makes. I worked Sally this morning, on force fetch, when the temperature was in the low forties and she did great. I let her run while I got the bumpers ready and she jumped onto the bench when she came back from her run.
The big bumper.
I put the string on her leg with a half hitch around her middle toes. I had nine bumpers on the other end of the bench. I had her take each one then walk to the other end of the bench and back. When we got back I petted her while she held the bumpers. I said, “give” and she dropped the bumper in my hand. I held the bumper with one end on the bench and had her pick it up. As soon as she grabbed it I had her walk to the other end of the bench then back. After the second time with each bumper I put it to the back and had her take another. When we finished all nine I had her carry them to the basket.
The only one she dropped was the real big one and she only dropped it once. The string had come off of her toes but I pulled on the string and she grabbed the bumper and we went to the other end with it. When it came time to take it back to the basket she carried it with no problem.
When we got all of our bumpers back in the basket I put her on the ground. I’ve been working her with coming to me on the tone on the e-collar. As she ran she went off of my property to the west. This area has lots of deer. I let her go for a little while then hit the tone button and called her. I watched the cut where she had gone in and about 15 seconds she bounded into the open in a dead run to me. I knelt down and she was going too fast when she got to me but she circled me and stopped in front. I petted her then released her to run. I took her back to the kennel.
It stayed cool, today, so after feeding and cleaning dog pens and taking care of the other animals I worked Sally on force fetch again. As I was getting the bumpers laid out on the bench a rabbit hopped up right in front of her. She was still chasing the bunny when she went out of sight to the west. I got everything ready then hit the tone button on the electric collar. After about 30 seconds I saw her coming in a dead run. She ran under the retrieving bench then came back around and jumped on top. I petted her for a while to let her quit panting then put the string on her leg.
Sally
After her breathing slowed I held a bumper in front of her and said, “fetch”. She grabbed it and we went to the other end of the bench then back. She dropped it in my hand and I held the bumper on the bench top with my hand still on it and said, “fetch”. She grabbed it and we went to the end of the bench then turned and came back. I petted her and took the bumper from her. I had 10 bumpers out and she retrieved each of them 2 times. The only one that was a problem was the really big one.
When she grabbed that one she spit it out after just a couple of steps. The half hitch had come off her toes and I pulled on the string and she grabbed the bumper. Again, she dropped it after a couple of steps. I put the half hitch around her toes and when I pulled on the string she grabbed the bumper. This time she took it to the end, turned around and came back. I had her hold the bumper while I petted her then took it from her. I held one end on the bench, pulled on the string and said, “fetch”. She grabbed the bumper and we went down the bench. She turned, started back and spit out the bumper. I pulled on the string, held one end of the bumper on the bench and said, “fetch”. She grabbed the bumper. We went to the other end then back. I petted her and took the bumper. I went to another bumper.
After she did all ten bumpers I had her carry them to the basket. She did great until we came to the big bumper. She grabbed it just like she did the others but when she took a step or two she spit the bumper out. I had to put the string back around her toes but when I pulled on the string she grabbed the bumper. She carried it to the basket. All of the rest she carried with no problem. I petted her and set her on the ground.
I released her to run. Again, I let her get out quite away then called her back with the tone on the e-collar. I took her back to the kennel.
She is starting to like to carry the bumpers, I think. All but the big one. Having the big one makes her learn that she must get something whenever I say, “fetch”. We will keep working on this until she is running down the bench, grabbing a bumper then coming back with it.
Sally
Sally
I hate this bumper.