Retriever Force Fetching Tips
Force Fetching IThe term Force Fetch is the term I like to use for training a dog to shut down pressure by fetching what ever item it is told to fetch. Some people call it a trained retrieve. Some folks don’t like force fetching for the fact that it can be a traumatic experience for a young dog to go through. Just how traumatic will depend on the dog’s temperament. Some dogs go through it very quickly and with little pressure and others take a lot of pressure and it can take weeks.
Through the years I have had many retrievers and seen many other retrievers that have been and have not been forced fetched. One of the greatest gun dogs I have ever shot birds over was my own golden retriever Junior. (You can see a tribute to him at the bottom of my retriever page.) Junior was not forced fetched and ever so often an occasion would arise where he would refuse to retrieve. Because I had not gone through the force fetching process I had no recourse to make him complete his retrieve.
The moral here is that force fetching will make a good retriever great and reliable. It also teaches the dog how to shut down pressure by fetching. Once this training is done many other types of training can continue. Force fetching leads into training for whistle and hand signals (baseball) and swim by training.
The basic way to force fetch a dog is to have a table ready where the dog can be placed up on it. I like to have a rope run from the ceiling so I can leash the dog up so they can’t lie down. The first step is to teach the dog to jump up on the table and become relaxed there. The next step is to teach the dog to hold. I like to start with an item that I have not thrown for the dog as a retrieval object. That way I don’t get a refusal when throwing marks for the dog. I place the item in the dog’s mouth saying fetch and then once the item is in I command hold and physically hold the dog’s mouth around the object. I do not let the dog spit the object out until I take the object and say mine or what ever release command you wish to use. (The object can be a fetching dumb bell, stick, etc.)
Once the dog understands the hold command then it is time to move to the forced retrieve. Then ear pinch method works best for my training needs. I place my thumb inside the dog’s ear place the thumb nail on the sensitive part of the inside of the ear. I then pinch down and cause the dog discomfort. When the dog opens its mouth to whine I place the object inside, command fetch and immediately release the pinch pressure. The process is repeated. The dog will understand quickly that when given the command fetch that it can shut the pinching pressure down by reaching and putting the retrieval object in its mouth. Once the dog is taking the object from your hand then you can hold it further away from the dog causing the dog to have to move towards the object to complete a fetch. You can also start moving the object towards the table as well. Now that your dog is fetching off of the table you can take the ear pinch pressure and transfer it over to the collar. You may have to back up to just having the dog take the object from your hand and then go forward again.
Remember to take this training very slowly and watch for signs of stress in you dog. You dog will tell you when it is ready to move to the next step. Once this training is done it usually never has to be repeated. If you have never force fetched a dog please consult a professional trainer to help you through this type of training. If this training is done wrong it can ruin a good dog.
Force fetching training
Force fetching training
Force fetching training
Force fetching training
Force fetching training
Force Fetching II
I covered tips and why retrievers should be force fetched above. In this article I want to cover moving the from the force fetch table to the ground and then to pile work which will then led into base ball drills or hand signals.
Once you have your dog fetching objects from the table on the collar then you are ready to go to the ground. Now, for the person it doesn’t seem like this would be such a big deal but dogs are place oriented. The ground or floor will be a whole different ball game for the dog. Place you dog on a 6 foot leash. With the dog in a heeling position drop the bumper right in front of the dog and then command fetch. You want it close enough so that the dog only has to reach down and pick it up. The dog may fetch it or it may balk. If the dog resists the command apply collar pressure. Remember start as light as possible and then work up to stronger settings if needed. You may even have to push the dog’s head down with your hand place under the collar, but only if necessary.
Once the dog will pick up the bumper that was dropped right in front of it then you can start increasing the distance. When you have reached the length of your 6 foot leash you can move to a longer check cord or a retractable leash. The dog must comply with your command to fetch immediately. If it doesn’t apply pressure until the retrieval object is in the dog’s mouth. Then release the pressure immediately.
Also while the dog is returning to you after it has made a retrieve you must enforce your obedience commands. Require the dog to come into a heeling position sit and then hold the bumper until you command it to release the bumper into your hand. If the dog drops the bumper at any time during this apply collar pressure until the dog fetches the bumper back up. I would also recommend that this be done inside of a building or room so that the dog is not looking for an escape route. But if this is not possible the leash will also give you the same reassurance and control over the dog.
Keep this training up until the dog goes without hesitation and completes the retrieve returns heels sits and presents the bumper to you as the handler without any pressure at least 85% of the time. Remember these are living breathing creatures and they have bad days just like people.
Force fetching training
Force fetching training
Force fetching training
Force fetching training
Walking Fetch is the next step after forcing to the ground. It is fairly simple training. Take out 6 white retrieving bumpers and place them about 10 to 15 yards apart on the ground in a straight line. Then place your dog on leash in a heeling position and walk towards the first bumper. At the first bumper command the dog to fetch. Your dog should reach down and pick up the bumper. If the dog balks apply pressure until the dog completes the retrieve. After the dog has the bumper in its mouth command the dog to sit in a heeling position. Then give your release command and take the bumper and drop it behind you. Then move on to the next bumper. Repeat this process until you’ve picked up all 6 bumpers. Then turn around and go through all 6 bumpers again until the dog has made 18 retrieves. Continue this training until the dog can complete all 18 retrieves perfectly without pressure at least 85% of the time.
Walking fetch training
Walking fetch training
Walking fetch training
Walking fetch training
Walking fetch training
Once the dog is at this level of training you might have to back up and use real birds. Hopefully you have introduced your puppy to birds at an early age and this will not be necessary. But if your dog refuses to pick up birds you can back up to forcing to the ground and instead of bumpers use dead birds. I like to start with a frozen dove. It is small and because it is frozen the dog can’t mouth it and tear it up. The same principles apply here as with bumpers. If the dog balks then apply pressure until the retrieve is completed. Once the dog can handle doves move up to a pigeon or a teal, then a wood duck, mallard, and lastly a goose. This will ensure that your pup has been exposed to all types of fowl that it might encounter during a hunting trip.
Prior to forcing on birds I would recommend that you tease and temp your pup with the birds first. Then toss them and encourage your dog to pick them up. Forcing on birds should be done as a last result.
Forcing to the Pile IForcing to the pile is the next step after walking fetch. I like to use a white bucket set on top of an electric fencing post as a sight tool for the dog. I take my stake and bucket and place them out and then I drop 6 white training bumpers in front of it. (The white bucket gives the dog something to visually key in on.)
I like to start right at the pile so all the dog has to do is reach down. I like to take my hand and place it just above the dog’s head and I softly talk to the dog saying dead, or dead bird, or watch out there. (You can use which ever you like.) These phrases will turn into commands over time by the dog learning through association. As soon as the dog looks towards the bucket and pile of bumpers I command fetch and the dog reaches down and picks up a bumper. Make sure your dog gets back into a heeling position and presents the bumper to you. Also use those words ever time just before you send the dog to teach them to look in a certain direction. Repeat this until the dog has picked up all 6 bumpers.
Once the dog is doing this reliably then you can start to increase the distance. I do this by commanding fetch, when the dog goes to retrieve I take one step back. I like to go through all 6 bumpers at least 3 times giving me a total of 18 retrieves. As the dog gets better at it you can making your starting distance longer there for making all subsequent retrieves longer as well, as you take steps back away from the pile of bumpers.
Once your dog understands the fetch command while forcing to the pile it is time to switch that command over to the word back. I do this by commanding fetch and then immediately saying back. After a few times I switch to saying back then fetch. After a short while later I simply stop saying fetch and only use the command back. Now, you can still command fetch but save that until when you really need to get the dog’s attention and make it complete a retrieve or if it drops a bumper or bird command fetch for the dog to pick it back up.
Forcing to the Pile IIOnce your dog is running this drill out to say 100 yards it is time to move to the next step. That step is to get the dog to sit at the pile. Now hopefully when you were teaching your puppy to sit back during its obedience training you blew 1 whistle blast every time you told the dog to sit. If not then back up and do that training prior to this step.
Make your distance from the pile about 20 to 30 yards. Then do the same steps as forcing the dog to the pile of bumpers. When the dog gets to the pile and gets a bumper in its mouth blow the sit whistle. If the dog does not sit blow the whistle again and add in a firm voice command to sit. If the dog still doesn’t understand decrease the distance moves towards the dog as you give the commands. You can also use a mild nick with the collar as you give the sit command either by whistle, voice, or both. Keep working at this until the dog understands that when it gets to the pile and fetches it is now required to sit.
Now that your dog knows to sit at the pile when it is making its return to you about half way back give another sit command. Once the dog stops and sits command stay if needed and walk forward and take the bumper from the dog. Repeat these steps until the dog has picked up all 18 bumpers.
Forcing to the Pile IIIAfter all the steps above are completed it is time to start teaching the dog the right and left back hand signals. I do this by placing the dog facing the pile while I step off a few steps to the side of the dog. Then get the dog to look at me holding my right hand straight up above my head, taking a side step to the right I give the command back. Now, at this point your dog may be confused and run to your side and then take off towards the pile. If this happens decrease the distance to the pile and repeat the step. If the dog balks apply pressure until the retrieve is completed. If you have to decrease your distance to the pile remember that once the dog is doing the work well you can increase your distance.
I like to do the dog with 9 retrieves on the right side and then repeat the same steps above with 9 retrieves on the left side. As the dog gets better you can slowly start to turn your dog around facing you. Then start turning the dog away from the pile. You continue to turn the dog until you are facing the pile with the dog facing you with its back to the pile.
This is the beginning stage of the base ball drill. You are standing at home plate. The dog is on the pitcher’s mound and the pile of bumpers is at second plate. You cast the dog by using your hand signal and commanding the word back. The dog makes the retrieve and you then command it to sit at second base. Then call the dog back to the pitcher’s mound with three blasts from your whistle and command the dog to sit by using one blast from your whistle. Then walk out take that bumper and put it away and repeat this only sending the dog to the other side.
At this stage you can also stand just to the left or right of the dog to entice the dog to turn the correct direction you command it to go. After repeating the drill you should be able to stand in front of your dog and give it a left or right back hand signal and the dog should spin in the direction you’ve commanded and make a retrieve at the pile and then sit when commanded. I would recommend 18 retrieves 9 to the right and then 9 to the left. It does not matter which one you start with first that is personal preference. Then start mixing it up to make sure the dog is really paying attention to you and not anticipating the commands.