I don’t like to force fetch my dogs but it is necessary. I put Sally on the bench last year and taught her to hold and give. It taught her to give the bird up but not to fetch. After the season was over I guided some guys who killed approximately 140 birds over her and part of the time with Dolly and in the afternoon with 2 German short hairs, that would retrieve. She really learned to mark. Most of the time she would beat the short hairs to the bird. When she did they would go back to hunting and I had to walk to her to get the bird. Some of the time she would start toward me with it but drop it before she got close and sometimes she would just guard it until I got there. But teaching the “give” command made her drop the bird with no issues.
Sally holding a bumper.
I used an old collar through a turn buckle to keep her in one place.
The toe hitch.
Teaching her to hold and give before I started the actual force breaking made it much easier, I think. The first day I put her on the bench I just worked her on hold and give. I opened her mouth and put the bumper behind her canines. She remembered how to do it. When I worked her last year I had also made her hold and give on the ground so I set her on the ground, placed the bumper behind her canines and we started back to the kennel. After we had gone about 50 yards she dropped the bumper. I pinched her lips against her teeth, lightly, and replaced the bumper in her mouth. When we got to the kennel she thought she was done. As she went through the gate she dropped the bumper. I stopped her, pinched her lips against her teeth, lightly. I replaced the bumper. When we got inside her kennel I had her jump on her house with the bumper still in her mouth. When she hit the top of her house she spit the bumper out. I picked it up and put it back in her mouth. Jumping with the bumper is new so I didn’t pinch her lips against her teeth. I told her to give and took the bumper.
This morning I started with the toe pinch. We practiced the hold and give for a few minutes then I ran an old collar through a turn buckle then around the pulley system on the bench so she couldn’t run away. I had a string with a loop in one end that I placed around her leg above the tarsal joint (first joint above the foot) then a half hitch around two toes on her left front foot.
I let her get used to being restrained for a few minutes. Then I opened her mouth, put the bumper behind her canines and told her to hold. I left it for a few seconds then said, “give”. She dropped it in my hand.
Now it was time for the part I hate to do but it’s very necessary. I pulled on the string and it tightened around her toes. I held the bumper in front of her mouth. She tried to turn her head away but the bumper followed. I continued to pull. She tried to pull her foot back and I just kept my hand still. Finally, she opened her mouth and I put the bumper in her mouth and let off the pressure on her toes. She has “hold” down so we had no issues with her holding the bumper. I let her hold it for a few seconds then said, “give”. She dropped it in my hand.
Sally
I petted her and told her what a good girl she is. I had also petted her while she was holding the bumper. Petting and petting a lot is a big part of this. I held the bumper in front of her and said, “fetch”. I pulled the string and she locked her jaws. I kept a constant pressure on the string and she finally opened her mouth. I put the bumper behind her canines. I petted her and groomed her ears. Each time I make sure that her teeth aren’t biting her lips. After a few seconds I took the bumper from her.
I held the bumper in front of her, said, “fetch” and pulled on the string. She opened her mouth. This didn’t happen the third time but after a few tries. I made a big deal out of it. After a few seconds I took the bumper from her.
Sometimes she opened before I could pull but most of the time she didn’t but she did really well for the first time. Finally, she took it one time with out me even pulling on the string. I figured that was good place to stop. The first session was about 15 minutes long. I let her run for a few minutes before going back to the kennel.
Tur Bo
I left her in the kennel for about an hour and a half then we went back to the bench. I tied her to the cable running down my retrieving bench so she couldn’t move around. I put the string around her left front foot. I pulled on the string and said, “fetch” while holding the bumper in front of her. She resisted but not for very long. She is learning that if she takes the bumper the pain goes away. After she held the bumper for a few seconds I said, “give”. Now she’s not as ready to give as she was. This will come.
Pretty soon she was opening her mouth as soon as the string got tight. With the toe hitch it causes their head to go down. I started holding the bumper a few inches below her head so she had to reach. Then I started holding it at eye level. She would reach for it. I still have to pull on the string most of the time but she’s learning really fast. Normally, force fetch doesn’t go very fast so I will hit a problem down the line, probably.
I haven’t seen the sun in I don’t know how long and today was no different. It never got out of the low 40’s and then started to rain. I was going to work Sally four times today but that didn’t work out. But I did work her the third time after I took care of my animals, this evening.
I heeled her out of the kennel then let her run for a few minutes. As I stood by the retrieving bench she came close. I called her to me and she jumped onto the bench. I walked her up and down then hooked her to the chain on the pulley system.
I held the bumper in front of her and pulled on the string around her toes. She didn’t take the bumper right away but she only resisted for a few seconds. I held pressure on the toes until she took the bumper. I took the bumper from her after petting her for a few seconds. I held the bumper where she had to reach above her head then the next time had her reach for it a little lower than where her head was.
Luke pointing quail.
I started saying, “fetch” then pulling on the string. If she took the bumper before I pulled on the string I didn’t pull. With enough repetitions she will learn that when I say “fetch” she needs to get something in her mouth. I had her take the bumper, probably, 15 or 20 times then took the string off. I walked her down the bench with the bumper in her mouth. We got to the end of the bench and she dropped the bumper. I had another bumper and pinched her lips against her teeth and put the bumper back in her mouth. I made her hold the bumper while I walked around the bench. I took the bumper from her and set her on the ground.
I never let the dogs jump off the bench. It’s hard on their joints to hit the ground that hard but the biggest reason is I don’t want them to decide when they get off the bench. If I set them on the ground we do it when I want to.
I let her run toward the back then we went on back to the kennel. I let her run before we start and after so she can shake the pressure off. I worked her three times but neither time was over fifteen minutes. As long as the weather stays about half way decent I’ll work her several times most days. I’ll still give her each Sunday off. We all need a day off.
Sally with a bumper.
Sally walking down the bench.
Sally