Command to Hold Birds? Force Fetch?

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snakelander
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Command to Hold Birds? Force Fetch?

Post by snakelander » Sun Jul 15, 2012 10:14 am

I have a two year old GWP who has never been force fetched. I am a little reluctant to do so because I am a first time dog trainer and I don't want to mess with his insane desire to retrieve with my novice training. I don't have any issues with my dog wanting to retrieve, he has never failed me. I hunt a lot of waterfowl with him and sometimes he drops the bird at the waters edge to shake. I lost a crippled diver when he did this last year. I want him to hold the birds in his mouth until told to release, but i'm not sure the trained retrieve (force fetch) is my best option.

Is there another way to get my dog to hold the bird until given my release command without going through force fetching?

Recommendations?

Thanks in advance,

Jake

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birddog1968
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Re: Command to Hold Birds? Force Fetch?

Post by birddog1968 » Sun Jul 15, 2012 11:08 am

you could work hard at hold and here/heel command....I say have him forced, you will love the results.

Where are you located roughly ?
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snakelander
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Re: Command to Hold Birds? Force Fetch?

Post by snakelander » Sun Jul 15, 2012 8:52 pm

Thanks for the advice. I live in SW Washington.

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Re: Command to Hold Birds? Force Fetch?

Post by RayGubernat » Mon Jul 16, 2012 9:03 am

Snakelander -

Just a thought...

If the dog only has a problem with holding the bird...why not work on just that?

Seems to me you could get a buck, put the dog at sit and do a fetch and hold drill. Then when the dog is holding the buck until you tell it to give, do the same drill with the dog standing. Then, you can take a step or two back and do a fetch...here...give.

Might be all the dog needs to get it to do what you need... and since you are doing it in the yard, it should have minimal negative impact on field performance.

RayG

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Re: Command to Hold Birds? Force Fetch?

Post by Meller » Mon Jul 16, 2012 9:47 am

If he picks the bird back up after shaking the water offand finish's the retrieve; why not reinforce the "Here or Come" command no shaking or peeing or stoping till after you get back to me.

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jlowery
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Re: Command to Hold Birds? Force Fetch?

Post by jlowery » Mon Jul 16, 2012 10:13 am

I would def advise the FF, but understand the novice worry of the all dreaded FF... Its really not that bad...

My recommedation to dropping the duck at shore to shake off, is Meet the dog at the shore, if you have to wade in a little, do so, grab the dog by the collar and do not allow the shake off until you have recieved the bird in hand, you can then give a command of OK, or whatever you use... to allow the shake off... Few times of that he will get the idea... But research the force fetch... Its worth the work... And you had said that the dog had great desire, makes it even better...

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Re: Command to Hold Birds? Force Fetch?

Post by birddog1968 » Mon Jul 16, 2012 1:30 pm

Not forced- you can try and fix this till your blue in the face....
Image


Forced- ahhhhhh :lol:

Image

Image

Image

Image
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bumper52
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Re: Command to Hold Birds? Force Fetch?

Post by bumper52 » Mon Jul 16, 2012 10:49 pm

If you don't force fetch, you will never have the "tools" to correct your dog for an error in retrieving (in your case dropping a bird). I look at it this way: in your case you can devote 4 to weeks of a thorough ff program to insure a lifetime of proper retrieves. Also, ff is way more than teaching a trained retrieve. If done properly, you will amazed at the results, as far as overall attitude. I can understand your reluctance (being a first timer) but there is so much info. on the subject out there...in my opinion I would jump in. Get with a proven program, take your time, don't skip any steps, and you will have a dog that is envied by all your buddies. You could work merely on hold, as others suggested, but that, to me, is just a quick fix...not a long term solution.

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Re: Command to Hold Birds? Force Fetch?

Post by jlowery » Tue Jul 17, 2012 8:19 am

bumper52 wrote:If you don't force fetch, you will never have the "tools" to correct your dog for an error in retrieving (in your case dropping a bird). I look at it this way: in your case you can devote 4 to weeks of a thorough ff program to insure a lifetime of proper retrieves. Also, ff is way more than teaching a trained retrieve. If done properly, you will amazed at the results, as far as overall attitude. I can understand your reluctance (being a first timer) but there is so much info. on the subject out there...in my opinion I would jump in. Get with a proven program, take your time, don't skip any steps, and you will have a dog that is envied by all your buddies. You could work merely on hold, as others suggested, but that, to me, is just a quick fix...not a long term solution.
+1 Agreed... Those pics say it all.... And, IMO the summer is a great time to FF, you can start inside in the Cool A/C... :D

Also Ear pinch is my preferred method... good for a first timer... JMO
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snakelander
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Re: Command to Hold Birds? Force Fetch?

Post by snakelander » Sat Jul 21, 2012 2:46 pm

Thanks again everyone, I'll let you know how it went come September!

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