[Guest]

My 1 yeard old yellow lab Molly is good at retrieving bumpers, dummies....So on but when it comes to a live bird she just kinda holds it their, well the other weekend when we were at a reserve she caught a rooster on the ground that wouldnt fly, She didnt bring it to me she just held it their.

So i decided to use it for a little training, So i through the rooster out into the grass and she ran up to it and sniffed and it kinda bit it....So i through it again and again and each time she would bight it more and start bring it 5 feet, welll finnaly she was doing some full retrives but they were sorda sloppy but not bad at all!

Question is: i need some tips on how to relate retrieving that bird to me while we are hunting, she picks up fast on EVERYTHING except this...
I was thinking of buying a blank pistol and getting another bird and firing while its coming to drop on the ground. Any other tips?

 

[moscowitz]

Heard the word "force fetch"!!!

 

[Guest]

ah, yea but i dont think that is really necesarry if she is bringing it back somewhat

 

[KwickLabs]

These are pictures of a young dog that has been force fetched. The first is a telephoto snapshot of her properly picking up a crippled rooster, and the second shows the result of removing "somewhat" from the equation. 8)

 

[mjh345]

Think again kevink!

 

[Colonel Blimp]

Kevin,

Force fetch isn't necessary merely to introduce game to your girl. If she is willing on bumpers all she needs is to be shown what you want her to do with birds.

The simplest way to introduce her to game is to tie a few pheasant feathers on to the bumper then progressively over time a wing, then two wings, then use a cold dead bird.

If you hunt birds other than pheasants you might use the same dodge to introduce them to her; snipe and woodcock for instance seem to smell a bit odd to some dogs.

If as I suspect you are new to dog training I'd recommend that you join a local training group, then such mysteries as force fetch may become clear.

And don't for Petes sake fire shots over her without having a plan and structure in mind, you could ruin her....hie thee unto the training group first!

Kind Regards
Eug

 

[Guest]

thanx guys, i will have to consider force fetch i know qite a few trainers and i am going to have them help me with it.

Colonel Blimp,

yes i am very new to dog training only 1 year. Shes been introduced befor by game many many times younger.

 

[huntingrdr]

I would also consider FF...

 

[Brad B]

I would also consider FF...

I would also consider spell check.

 

[okvet]

Force Fetch should clean that up. Have you used many live birds or frozen birds during training? If not you might try to get your hands on some pigeons and get her used to birds. I would really think hard about getting her forced fetch--you don't hunt bumpers.

good luck with your pup
todd

 

[HuntinDawg]

Kevin K., I've never heard anyone say they regretted putting their dog through force fetch. If you don't have the stomach for it, pay a pro to do it IMO. If you are going to do it yourself, I would by SmartFetch by Evan Graham and I would supplement that with his DVD on FF. I haven't seen the DVD, but I've read good things about it.

Good luck!

 

[Clark Mason]

I'm in the middle of the same dilemma but have refrained from FF to fix a sloppy hold that I've let my dog develop.

At the risk of putting words into someone else's mouth, I think Mr. Graham would disagree with the recommendations that FF will clean up bad mouth habits. I've read his book a few times and I think I remember him posting on occasion about it. FF is the foundation for his training method, not for correcting mouth problems.

I'm really interested in what can be done to correct this, so thanks for posting the original question and all the replies.

 

[Duckhunter_]

Brad B,

You may not need spell check. Rudeness check is what you need.
Pm the guy and explain in a polite manner if you feel spelling is that important.

:evil: Otherwise just keep it to yourself.

 

[FOM]

I'd also recommend tieing some wings to the bumpers since the dog is willing to pick those up - let the dog associate the smell/taste of bird wings via something it is comfortable with. It should help with the transition to real birds down the road.

FOM

 

[HuntinDawg]

I'm in the middle of the same dilemma but have refrained from FF to fix a sloppy hold that I've let my dog develop.

At the risk of putting words into someone else's mouth, I think Mr. Graham would disagree with the recommendations that FF will clean up bad mouth habits. I've read his book a few times and I think I remember him posting on occasion about it. FF is the foundation for his training method, not for correcting mouth problems.

I'm really interested in what can be done to correct this, so thanks for posting the original question and all the replies.

The reason for FF is greater than just cleaning up mouth problems, in that it teaches the dog to understand force and how to get out of it (thus the foundation for any force based program), BUT cleaning up mouth habits is very definitely a byproduct of FF.

You aren't doing yourself or your dog any favors by trying to keep from putting him/her through force fetch.

 

[Dan&Guinness]

Off the topic but KwickLabs - whio is that pretty pup out of?

 

[elmer fencl]

be careful with pheasents. sometimes bird breeders use a lice killer. i have seen ff dogs refuse on such birds.
also be careful with ff to live bird , if ff is not sound dog may think he is being punished for going after the live bird.
get him going on dead pheasents, then get a live one 90% dead and see what he does. then increase the life of the cripple. until reliable.
good luck and best wishes with your good hunting dog.

 

[elmer fencl]

be careful with pheasents. sometimes bird breeders use a lice killer. i have seen ff dogs refuse on such birds.
also be careful with ff to live bird , if ff is not sound dog may think he is being punished for going after the live bird.
get him going on dead pheasents, then get a live one 90% dead and see what he does. then increase the life of the cripple. until reliable.
good luck and best wishes with your good hunting dog.

 

[elmer fencl]

sorry about the double post . i just came into the 21st century :?

 

[Jerry]

ah, yea but i dont think that is really necesarry if she is bringing it back somewhat

Well Kevin, thinking that is a big time mistake!!!!!

"Force Fetch" is just a step in the entire "Trained Retrieve" (i.e. FORCE) Program. It will serve you and your dog well for years to come if it's done PROPERLY.

I'm assuming that you do not know how to do it properly so find someone close that knows how and learn.

Respectfully,

Jerry