What age to make him hold for fetch?

Virgil · Post by **Virgil** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 4:27 pm

I've watched a lot of videos and read a lot of books, but haven't really seen it addressed.
When do you start to transition from just throwing and fetching to making him wait for the fetch command?
I'm thinking this would be pretty early on, once he has fetching and retrieving to hand down pretty good.
I'm not really sure though.
I honestly don't think that will be a hard part of the training, but just not sure when to start making him hold.

Any help's always appreciated.

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 4:28 pm

I am doing it with my 4 month old. I just sit down and hold him between my legs and throw the ball. Then I say fetch and release him. It is still a work in progress but he is catching on.

Ridge-Point · Post by **Ridge-Point** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 8:02 pm

I like them to just be a solid retriever first. I work on retrieving right when I get home from work and the dogs have been kenneled for a few hours. Then they are all hopped up and it really helps keep the style up. Also don't bore them, 3 or 4 times a week is great, if they start gettin bored back off and give them a week break. While I am doing that I work on stopping the dog with a checkcord and make him stand, I dont say anything to him I just make them stand there, Then I will say thier name as a release command. Once they are just absolutey crazy about retrieving, after a month or two of this I will introdiced the stand before the retrieve and again use thier name as a release command. Works great for me, plus its a great transition into bird work as you just laid the foundation for breaking the dog too..... Works out for me that they are somewhere between 1 and 2 years old and they are fully broke, retrieve and on birds and have all the style in the world.

Just some thoughts

Justin

Justin

Post by **ezzy333** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 8:09 pm

I agree that it is best to hold off for a bit. But I know some people start early. I think you should try to avoid any form of strss while the pup is young and you are still teaching fetch and not wait and fetch. The wait can wait.

Ezzy

Post by **Ayres** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 8:32 pm

Agree with Ezzy. Also, he's gotta already know the "woah" command if he's going to hold while you throw the dummy. "Woah" should be worked on separately until he has it down, then integrated into the field-type situation.

I've heard it said that training a dog is like a puzzle. First you have to lay out all the pieces before you can start putting them together.