I didn’t work Sally on force fetch Sunday. It snowed Sunday really hard for a little while. It’s April but I guess no one told Mother Nature. I had between one and two inches of snow. I spent the morning getting feed for the pigeons then worked Sally on force fetch in the afternoon, when it warmed a little.
Sally with plastic pipe.
Sally with a wooden dowel.
Sally with another wooden bumper.
I had left my piggin’ string at the house and I didn’t want to take time to get it so I brought Sally out with no leash or anything. That confused her. She finally walked beside me but she was never sure if she was doing the right thing. I whoaed her then tapped her head to release her. That she understood.
I stood by the retrieving bench until she came close then called her to me. She jumped onto the bench. Since I didn’t work her yesterday I started with the usual bumper. The plastic 1 1/2 inch pipe with duct tape on it. I had to pull on the string to get her to take it but she opened up with just a slight pull. After she took the bumper 5 or 6 times I changed to another bumper.
Now, she’s picking the bumper up pretty well from the bench but she’s wanting to turn away from me. Once I take the bumper from her she looks away or looks into the basket I have the bumpers in but she’s quick to turn back when I say, “fetch”. She’s starting to learn to get something in her mouth.
When I had her do several of the bumpers I decided to take the string off. My intention was to put her on the ground but then I thought it would be good to have her carry the bumper up and down the table. I grabbed a bumper and said, “fetch”. She tried to ignore me. I took her foot that I put the string on in my hand and squeezed it. Not even hard. She grabbed the bumper. I walked her down and back a couple of times then said, “give”. She dropped it in my hand. I immediately said, “fetch” and reached for her foot. This time all I had to do was take her foot in my hand. She grabbed the bumper. I walked her back and forth then put her on the ground. After she ran for a while I took her back to the kennel.
I cleaned pens and fed the dogs and my other animals then took Sally from her kennel with the piggin’ string. I heeled her a little way with the piggin’ string then dropped it over her back and had her continue to heel. After a few yards I whoaed her then tapped her head to release her.
While she was running I pulled 7 bumpers from the basket on the retrieving bench and laid them in a row on the other end of the bench. When she came back she jumped onto the bench and then had to check out the bumpers. I took her to the other end and put the string on her foot.
I took each of the bumpers one at a time and had her fetch and hold them. She still wants to drop one every once in a while. She took one of the plastic bumpers with knots on it by the end. I started tapping on the long end and she started to drop it. I told her to hold and continued to tap on it. She tightened her grip on the bumper.
Sally took one of the bumpers with the square ends on it and as I tapped on it she opened her mouth and let it drop. I pulled on the string and slowly picked up the bumper. When I got it in front of her she grabbed it. I tapped on the ends and she hung on.
There is 6 and Sally has the big one.
As we went through the bumpers I laid them back on the retrieving bench. After we had used each bumper several times I took the string from Sally’s foot. Again, I had forgotten to have her walk on the bench carrying a bumper. I called her down where the bumpers were and held one in front of her and said, “fetch”. She grabbed the bumper and we started toward the basket. I could tell she enjoyed carrying the bumper and I took it and threw it in the basket.
Sally was bouncy on the way back to the line of bumpers so I made a game of it. I held one in front of her and said, “fetch” and when she took it I made a big deal out of going toward the basket. When we got close she dropped it when I said, “give”. Out of the seven bumpers I had to grab her foot one time and then I just held her foot. I didn’t have to squeeze.
She liked the game with the bumpers and I hope she continues to like it. I will continue to do the game. Getting her to like to carry and give to me is what this whole exercise is supposed to do.
I had some stuff to do this morning so it was about 2:00 pm when I made it out to work Sally on force fetch. She’s always ready to go. I put the e-collar on her and led her out with the piggin’ string. I dropped the piggin’ string across her back and continued to heel her. I whoaed her and took the piggin’ string off. I tapped her head to release her.
As I got some bumpers out and laid them on the bench Sally jumped onto it. She ran back and forth smelling the bumpers. I hooked her to the chain on the pulley system and put the string around her leg and toes. I petted her for a few seconds while she settled down.
I took the bumper made from 1 1/2 inch plastic pipe and held it in front of her. She knew what I wanted but I had to pull on the string to get her to take the bumper. I tapped on the bumper and she let it drop. I pulled on the string and slowly reached for the bumper. When I got in front of her she grabbed it. I tapped on it and she held on. I said, “give” and she dropped it in my hand. I had her take it several times then laid it down.
Sally with the big one.
The next bumper was the big one. She opened with just a tug on the string. I tapped on the end and she dropped the bumper. I pulled on the string and slowly reached for the bumper. When I got close she took the bumper. I tapped on it but she held on. I had her fetch and hold several times then went to another bumper.
The bumpers made from dowel rods are her favorites. I think because they are small and light. I held the one with the square blocks on the end in front of her and she took it with no pull on the string. I had her take it several times then changed to the dowel rod with the exes on the end. She took it with no pull on the string. After a few retrieves we went to a small Styrofoam bumper. She did it just fine although I had to tug on the string a time or two.
Then I went to the one she hates. The 3/4 inch pipe with the duct tape ball on one end. I had to pull on the string to get her to open. She took the pipe close to the ball and held it correctly. I had her take it several times. She held it just fine.
I’m trying to make a game out of putting the bumpers back in the basket. I get’em out she brings’em back. Yesterday she seemed to really like it. Today she tolerated me.
I held the plastic pipe in front of her and said, “fetch”. She took it and I was really animated as we went toward the basket. Next we got the great big one. No problem. A couple of dowels were next. She was starting to like it. She was getting lots of petting. The little Styrofoam bumper I had to squeeze her foot to get her to take. Happy at the end near the basket. Then it was time for the 3/4 inch pipe. I held it in front of her and took her foot in my hand. With just a light squeeze she took the pipe. We started toward the basket and she almost stepped off the bench. The pipe went sailing. I just picked it up and when I held it in front of her she took it and carried it back to the basket. I petted her before I took it and after. She was pretty pumped by then.
The dreaded pipe.
I set her on the ground then released her to run. We went toward the back then back to the kennel.
After I cleaned pens and fed the dogs and other animals I brought Sally back out for session two. I let her run while I put 7 bumpers on the retrieving bench. When she came close and saw me getting the bumpers out she jumped onto the bench. She smelled them all. I put the string on her leg with a half hitch around her toes.
I held the 1 1/2 inch plastic bumper in front of her and said, “fetch” as I pulled on the string. She grabbed the bumper. I petted her and as I tapped on the bumper she dropped it. I pulled on the string and slowly picked up the bumper. When I came close to her nose she grabbed the bumper. I petted her and when I tapped on the bumper she dropped it. We went through this 4 times. Finally, she held it while I petted her and tapped on the bumper.
As we went through the 7 bumpers that I had on the retrieving bench she did the dropping thing with the real big bumper, also. I held the large bumper out and said, “fetch” as I pulled on the string. She took the bumper and as I petted her and tapped on the bumper she opened her mouth and let it fall. I pulled on the string and slowly picked up the bumper. She laid down but when I got close she grabbed the bumper. I petted her and when I tapped on the bumper she opened her mouth and dropped it. I pulled on the string and slowly picked up the bumper. She only did this 3 times.
After she was holding this bumper I took the string off and had her carry it to the basket I keep the bumpers in. We went back after another one and we made a game of taking them back. A couple of times she didn’t want to take the bumper and I had to squeeze her foot but I didn’t have to put much pressure. We got them all back in the basket and I set her on the ground to run.
Sally is trying to figure out what she can get by with. Not unlike a kid. Every time she spits a bumper out and I make her take it, it reinforces the retrieve, without dropping what ever I have her retrieve. We will continue until she does this without dropping or chewing on the bumpers. Then I will have her retrieve from the other end of the bench. Then we will go to the ground and start over. Hopefully, when we go to the ground it will not take as long.
When she holds it this close to the ball she will not drop it.
Sally
A really big bumper.