|
The Training Ring
Force Fetch
The words "force fetch"
congers up all sorts of
different meanings for
people. If you have been
around retriever trainers at
all, you most likely have
overheard the discussion
about the value of teaching
a dog to "force fetch." Some
trainers prefer the Amish
method - which is working
with the dog's natural
desire to retrieve to mold
them into a finished
retriever. Others, me
included feel that in order
to have a reliable retriever
it is necessary to force
fetch your dog. Before I get
too far along I want to add
that if you are planning to
run your dog in an HZP test
you will significantly
increase the odds in your
favor of successfully
passing the test if you take
the time to force fetch your
dog.
Now you might be asking,
"Exactly what is force
fetch?" Amy Dahl (author of
The Ten Minute
Retriever) defines
force fetch as, "The process
of making a dog absolutely
reliable in its bird/dummy
handling and delivery. It
converts retrieving from a
matter of play to a matter
of obedience. It provides a
foundation of confidence for
advanced training--no matter
how confusing or stressful a
situation, the dog knows
that going when sent is the
right thing to do. This
confidence is the basis of
greater style and intensity
than is possible in any
play-retrieve."
It is a training process
that teaches your dog to
retrieve on command, not
because the dog wants to or
feels like it. "Fetch" will
be another command in your
vocabulary like sit, come,
heel, kennel, etc.
Evan Graham (author of
SmartFetch) believes that
force fetch is more than
just one thing. In his
opinion it is a definable
process with clear cut
goals:
* Establishes a standard for
acceptable mouth habits.
* Provides the trainer with
a tool to maintain those
habits.
* Provides the trainer with
a tool to assure compliance
with the command to
retrieve.
* Forms the foundation for
impetus (momentum).
When I force fetched Inga
(my first Drahthaar) there
was very little information
available to me and I did
not personally know anyone
that had any experience with
this process. My option was
to jump in and tackle it
myself or send Inga to a
professional trainer. I
decided to take on the job
myself and started reading
all I could about how to
train a dog to force fetch.
Luckily with the advent of
the Internet there is a
wealth of training
information available to
you. Another resource is
North American Versatile
Hunting Dog Association (NAVHDA)
chapters. These chapters
have individuals experienced
with this process and are
more than willing to help
you train. To find a NAVHDA
chapter near you go to
http://www.navhda.org
and
double click on local
chapters and contacts. If
you do not have a NAVHDA
chapter nearby, please let
me know and I can hopefully
put you in contact with
someone who might be able to
get together with you for
some hands-on-training.
I want to list some of the
resources that are available
to you to help you with this
process.
These include
books, videos, and articles
found on the Internet.
Books:
Smart Fetch by
Evan Graham - You can
purchase this book through
the mail or from one of his
online distributors, go to
Evan's web site at
http://www.rushcreekpress.com.
The book is easy to read and
comprehend and Evan has
included great pictures and
diagrams. I have recommended
this book to a number of
individuals and they all
agree that it is well worth
the investment.
Tri-Tronics Retriever Book
by Jim and Phyllis Dobbs -
You can purchase this book
from Gun Dog Supply at
http://www.gundogsupply.com.
There are sections on how
to select a pup with good
working potential and how to
get started early with
"puppy head start" training
that awakens the pup's
desire to learn. The reader
is then carefully
educated on the proper
introduction of the Tri-Tronics
collar. The collar
introduction program
utilizes Jim and Phyllis'
highly successful techniques
for teaching reliable
responses to commands, while
not impairing the dog's
enthusiasm and style.
The 10 Minute Retriever
-
How to Make an Obedient and
Enthusiastic Gun Dog in 10
Minutes a Day by Amy Dahl -
This book can also be
purchased from Gun Dog
Supply. I have this book in
my library and find it a
great reference book to the
others I have listed. It is
easy to use for the absolute
beginner and yet informative
for the serious student of
retriever training. The
text has the information
first time retriever
trainers' need. The
emphasis of this training
method is on obtaining
necessary control and good
manners while maximizing the
dog's enthusiasm by
establishing training
situations where the dog
desires to cooperate.
Primary importance is placed
on developing and enhancing
the desire to retrieve, from
early puppyhood onward.
Videos:
The following tapes listed
can be purchased from Gun
Dog Supply (http://www.gundogsupply.com)
Tri-Tronics Part I Hold
(Video) and Tri-Tronics Part
II Fetch (Video) or you can
purchase Tri-Tronics Part I
& II Hold & Fetch as a Video
Set by Jim Dobbs - These
tapes are geared toward
teaching typically
non-retrieving breeds
(spaniels and pointers) to
retrieve. While the tapes
include the use of an
electronic collar, the steps
outlined in the tape can be
utilized without an
electronic collar. These
tapes are a companion aid to
the Tri-Tronics Retriever
Book.
Gun Dog: The Trained
Retrieve by Bob West and
Roger Sparks - This tape
covers proven table training
techniques, then moves to
ground training. Also
prevents problems like
hard-mouth before it begins
and you will get a
dependable delivery to hand.
Internet Information:
There are a number of web
sites that offer informative
articles on the force fetch
process.
I have listed a
few of my favorites below.
http://www.oakhillkennel.com/library/index.html- This site contains an
very good assortment of
retrieving training articles
put together by John and Amy
Dahl. Articles include
training retrievers and
training puppies. The
information is available to
you for free so be sure to
check it out.
http://www.dobbsdogs.com
- This web site is hosted
by Jim and Phyllis Dobbs,
formerly associated with
Tri-Tronics. Their training
library contains excellent
articles for pointers,
retrievers, and general
obedience.
http://www.totalretriever.com
- This is the web site for
Mike Lardy, one of the most
successful professional
retriever trainers around.
His web site has training
tips and information
available for sale,
including video tapes and
training manuals.
When I talk to people about
force fetch they immediately
get intimidated and psyche
themselves out. The purpose
of this article is not
intended to outline the
entire force fetch process,
but rather give you an idea
of what the process
entails. I do not begin the
force fetch process until my
dogs are at least 7 months
old and they have their
permanent teeth. I also
evaluate the young pup's
mental stability as I want
to make sure it will be able
to take the pressure and
stress of force fetch. To
make things easier on both
you and your dog, the early
stages of force fetch should
be done on a training
table.
I have briefly outlined the
various steps that I use in
teaching my dogs to force
fetch below. I developed and
refined my force fetch
program over many years and
it is a process that works
for me. I do not expect any
of you to take these
abbreviated steps and begin
training your puppy. But I
did want to give you an idea
of what the process entails.
|
1. |
Introduce the
pup to the
training table
|
|
2. |
Introduce the
pup to gloved
hand by having
it hold hand
|
|
3. |
Have pup hold
gloved hand
while walking
back and forth
on the training
table
|
|
4. |
Introduce pup to
various other
retrieving
bumpers by
holding each
item
|
|
5. |
Have pup hold
the retrieving
items while
walking back and
forth on the
training table
|
|
6. |
Have pup jump on
and off the
training table
while holding a
retrieving item.
If it is
dropped, place
it back in the
mouth and tell
pup to "fetch"
|
|
7. |
Secure the pup
to a post on the
training table
and introduce
the ear pinch.
Hold gloved hand
in front of the
dog, say "fetch"
and at the exact
same time pinch
the pup's ear.
When the pup's
mouth opens up
immediately
place r gloved
hand in the
mouth. THE SPLIT
SECOND THE
GLOVED HAND IS
IN THE MOUTH
STOP THE EAR
PINCH! The pup
learns that the
pain ceases when
the item is in
the mouth. The
timing of this
step is very
critical.
|
|
8. |
Hold gloved hand
in front of the
dog and give one
fetch command.
If the dog does
not make an
attempt to grab
the hand, pinch
the ear. Again,
once the hand is
in the dog's
mouth
immediately stop
the ear pinch.
The goal is to
eventually see
the dog start to
grab for the
gloved hand when
held in front of
it.
|
|
9. |
Once the dog is
starting to grab
the hand on
command, start
holding it a bit
farther away so
that the dog has
to lean a bit to
take it. If
there is any
hesitancy, pinch
the ear. The dog
should now know
that an ear
pinch will
follow if it
does not
retrieve the
item.
|
|
10. |
Switch
from the gloved
hand to
retrieving
bumpers.
Remember; do not
select an item
too heavy at
this point,
knobby bumpers
are the best.
|
|
11. |
Hold the item in
front of the dog
a bit farther
away so that the
dog has to take
a step to take
the item.
|
|
12. |
Hold the item in
front of the dog
so that the dog
has to take
multiple steps
to take the
item. |
|
13. |
Eventually get
to the point
where the item
is held in front
of the dog and
make it walk the
entire length of
the training
table to take
the item.
Remember it will
take a lot of
smaller steps
(figuratively
not literally)
to get to this
point.
|
|
14. |
Start holding
the retrieving
right in front
of the dog, but
lower it each
session.
Ultimately want
to place the
training dummy
on the table and
have the dog
retrieve it from
there. This will
take a few
sessions. To
help the dog
learn how to
pick up the
bumper off the
table place the
ends of the
bumper on
bricks. This
will hold the
bumper off the
table and permit
the dog to pick
it up. If the
dog seems
confused when
the bumper is
placed on the
table, place one
finger on one
end of the
bumper.
|
|
15. |
Once the dog is
picking up the
bumper off the
table right in
front of it,
start moving the
bumper a bit
farther so that
the dog has to
now start taking
a step to
retrieve it.
Remember, only
give the fetch
command once and
if the dog does
not comply,
pinch the ear.
|
|
16. |
Ultimately place
the bumper at
the end of the
table, give a
fetch command,
have the dog
walk to the end
and pick it up,
and return
|
|
17. |
If using an
electronic
collar, now is
the time to
transition from
the ear pinch to
the electronic
collar to rein
force the
"fetch" command.
Have pup fetch a
piece of
1/2-inch PVC
plastic pipe
from your hand.
If there is any
hesitancy on the
dog's part,
pinch the ear.
Now slide a
piece of PVC
plastic pipe on
the antenna of
the transmitter.
Hold it in front
of the dog and
command "fetch."
At the same time
the ear is
pinched give low
level
stimulation
(probably a
level 2) to the
pup. The level
of stimulation
was determined
when the dog
went through the
Three Part
Introduction to
the Electronic
Collar. The
minute the pup
takes the
plastic pipe
stop the ear
pinch and
stimulation.
Pull the
transmitter away
so that the pup
is now holding
onto the PVC
pipe. After
three or four
times the ear
pinch should be
discontinued and
only use
stimulate with
the collar to
reinforce the
fetch command.
Eventually the
dog will grab
for an item upon
command without
any stimulation.
This is the
goal, to only
use the collar
to reinforce a
known command
similar to how
the pup was
taught in the
Three Part
Introduction.
|
|
18. |
Repeat the steps
whereby the pup
walks and takes
the dummy from
your hand
(farther and
father each
time) and the
steps to get the
pup to take the
dummy from the
table. Should be
able to more
fairly quickly
through these
steps as you are
now just
reinforcing the
fetch command
with the
electronic
collar (if
necessary).
|
|
19. |
Now move to the
ground and
repeat the
process. Should
be able to move
fairly quickly
through these
steps, using the
collar to
reinforce the
"fetch" command.
|
I can not give you a firm
timetable on how long it
will take you to get your
dog through the force fetch
process, that depends on a
number of factors. However,
I believe if you follow the
process outlined by Evan
Graham in SmartFetch
you will be able to train
your dog to be a reliable
retriever. The key is not to
skip any steps and use
plenty of praise.
A Word of Warning –
As you already know there
are numerous Internet
discussion lists and forums
out there in cyberspace. I
realize there will be a real
temptation to get on a forum
and ask questions regarding
force fetch training. I can
assure you that if you ask a
question you will get more
than one response, sometimes
with conflicting information
and/or recommendations.
Remember, just because
someone replies to your
question and offers advance
does not mean that he/she is
an expert. If you do post to
a training forum, you will
most likely have to spend
time sifting through the
various replies in order to
find someone that really
does have the experience you
are looking for. If you run
into any problems in your
force fetch training, please
do not hesitate to contact
me. I might be able to find
someone close by to help
mentor you.
Remember get a good book
and/or video for reference,
take your time, and do not
forget the praise! GOOD
LUCK!!!
Click
here for plans for
constructing a training
table. |
