Labman
New member
Hey
I am in the middle of force fetch with my just now 11 month old black lab puppy. I have been for the last 5 weeks or more. I started with the glove in mouth, that went well. Then went to Hold, he holds really well on the table and off of the table, also used ear pinch. The big step I cannot get past is he will not move from the sit position with the training dummy or bumper in his mouth. He immediately jerks his head away and spits it out. I am not able to hold it in his mouth to even take a step. I've used a leash to pull him towards me, he just freezes up/spits it out the second I give a little pull. The reason I am trying to force fetch him is because when he retrieves, he mouths the bumpers constantly and will drop it when he heels to my side. And I know force fetch is the foundation for everything I want him to do.
He is an excellent retriever, very obedient, quarters well in the field, does everything well, and this is driving me nuts that he won't hold the bumper and move or walk with it. His father is a Grand Champion and Mother is in the process of going for the Grand Championship. If I could get by this step, I believe he would do well with the rest of force fetch. I'm at the point of giving up.
Does anybody have any suggestions? I am not able to afford a to take him to a Pro trainer. I love this dog though, he's a pleasure to have, and I want to run him in hunt tests, and take this dog pheasant/duck hunting for the next 12 years. He won his first Started Hunt Test last September at 6 months old, and I'd like to continue with him. I do belong to a retriever club, but I really have no help coming from anybody in the club. I've gotten some advice but everyone seems so busy these days.
Sorry for the long winded post!
I am in the middle of force fetch with my just now 11 month old black lab puppy. I have been for the last 5 weeks or more. I started with the glove in mouth, that went well. Then went to Hold, he holds really well on the table and off of the table, also used ear pinch. The big step I cannot get past is he will not move from the sit position with the training dummy or bumper in his mouth. He immediately jerks his head away and spits it out. I am not able to hold it in his mouth to even take a step. I've used a leash to pull him towards me, he just freezes up/spits it out the second I give a little pull. The reason I am trying to force fetch him is because when he retrieves, he mouths the bumpers constantly and will drop it when he heels to my side. And I know force fetch is the foundation for everything I want him to do.
He is an excellent retriever, very obedient, quarters well in the field, does everything well, and this is driving me nuts that he won't hold the bumper and move or walk with it. His father is a Grand Champion and Mother is in the process of going for the Grand Championship. If I could get by this step, I believe he would do well with the rest of force fetch. I'm at the point of giving up.
Does anybody have any suggestions? I am not able to afford a to take him to a Pro trainer. I love this dog though, he's a pleasure to have, and I want to run him in hunt tests, and take this dog pheasant/duck hunting for the next 12 years. He won his first Started Hunt Test last September at 6 months old, and I'd like to continue with him. I do belong to a retriever club, but I really have no help coming from anybody in the club. I've gotten some advice but everyone seems so busy these days.
Sorry for the long winded post!