Training questions

[RyeGuy74]

In the order of training, not talking about getting them used to the water, when do you guys normally start hitting the water retrieves? Is that one of the first things? And just out of curiosity, what is the point of force fetch?

 

[Deleted member 20812]

How old is the dog? Introduce it to water when it’s hot out and the dog wants to swim.

i wouldn’t do water retrieves with a very young pup. Keep your initial retrieving work in a confined area where things can’t evolve into a game of grab ass keep away where you get pissed. Check cords are your friend.

Force fetch is for teaching the dog it’s not an optional activity when you send it on a retrieve. Go find it and don’t drop it on the way back. Tons of articles on it. I’m a firm believer in it.

 

[MTLabrador]

I’m not a dog training expert at all, but my lab loved the water immediately. He played in the water and swam a lot, but I didn’t start actually training water retrieves until he had a solid foundation of retrieving on land.

 

[406LIFE]

Last pup I got at 8 weeks. We were in the water at 8 weeks and 30 minutes.

Your training should progress at the rate the dog masters the skill. Water retrieves were not the first thing on the list, but introducing to water and having her come back to you is early on. So set a plan and work it and move to the next item when your dog has it handled.

 

[ccc23454]

Mine learn sit,stay and then they swim but i let them play most part of first time or 2 just to keep it fun. My current dog isnt worth a crap at retrieving so probably shouldnt listen to me... last one was stud! hes a hell good dog loves water with great controllable energy but hes not exactly a retriever more of a flusher, but either way would not trade him. Last season he was young hopefully he gets little more into it this fall been using a soccor ball and it excites him now.

 

[Sask hunter]

Mine was about 5 months old when we went and did fetch in the water and a hot day. He wasn’t a real big fan of water prior to that. and I never had to do force fetch with mine. He will fetch all day

 

[LoveBirdDogs]

I introduce my pups to water after 10 weeks old using a kiddy pool in the back yard. Once they are doing land marks I will start them on water retrieves. I like to have some recall control but retrieving to hand does not need to be perfect.

FF is not as much about retrieving or proper hold as it is a way to teach the dog how to turn off pressure by obeying a command. FF is a prelude to E-collar work.The dog must first under stand the command. Timing is critical. Then the dog is given the command to pickup and hold an item, pressure is applied and immediately released when the dog complies to the command. There are many stages to the program weighted items are used to ensure compliance. The dog will go through a process of healing with the item in their mouth again just another stage of the program. The dog will eventually move on to yard work where it will be healed past items told to leave those items and then randomly commanded to pick up an item while on the move. I ff all my dogs even though I do not use e-collars and it does not matter if they naturally retrieve. Its about compliance. I have seen it many times at retriever hunt test by day two the ducks are stinky and often have their guts hanging out, many dogs fail because they think the retrieve is a choice. I have also seen dogs that sit so slow to a whistle during a blind handle that they end up 20 yards off the line. I typically do not start FF until my pups are steady to flush, shot and fall. If have never been trained to do FF pay a pro to show you how. Done wrong you can mess a dog up pretty bad.

 

[Deleted member 38069]

I introduce my pups to water after 10 weeks old using a kiddy pool in the back yard. Once they are doing land marks I will start them on water retrieves. I like to have some recall control but retrieving to hand does not need to be perfect.

FF is not as much about retrieving or proper hold as it is a way to teach the dog how to turn off pressure by obeying a command. FF is a prelude to E-collar work.The dog must first under stand the command. Timing is critical. Then the dog is given the command to pickup and hold an item, pressure is applied and immediately released when the dog complies to the command. There are many stages to the program weighted items are used to ensure compliance. The dog will go through a process of healing with the item in their mouth again just another stage of the program. The dog will eventually move on to yard work where it will be healed past items told to leave those items and then randomly commanded to pick up an item while on the move. I ff all my dogs even though I do not use e-collars and it does not matter if they naturally retrieve. Its about compliance. I have seen it many times at retriever hunt test by day two the ducks are stinky and often have their guts hanging out, many dogs fail because they think the retrieve is a choice. I have also seen dogs that sit so slow to a whistle during a blind handle that they end up 20 yards off the line. I typically do not start FF until my pups are steady to flush, shot and fall. If have never been trained to do FF pay a pro to show you how. Done wrong you can mess a dog up pretty bad.

You're fitting right in! Thanks for the info.