Retrieving issue

joachimt

New member
I have a 5 year old GSP who I have force fetched. In the last year or so she has started to not release bumpers, birds when I command her to release. Instead she will shake and then bite down really hard so I cant remove it from her mouth. She may even start pulling away from me. she goes out and brings it to me perfect though. It has gradually gotten worse. Iam wondering what i should do in this situation? How can i get her to open her mouth? is there a technique i can use? thanks
 
Perhaps you can describe what you mean by "force fetch." It can mean different things to different handlers.

Sounds like you need to start over with fetch. A hard mouth can be very difficult to correct...
 
JonnyB is correct. Very hard to break. The old timer way is wrap a pheasant or quail cape around some sweet gum balls. The little spiky fruit that sweet gum trees drop. Or put a bunch of em in a sock and do the fetch work with that as your dummy. They wont bite down too hard on that. But that can also detour fetching all together. Depends on how diligent the dog is at bringing stuff back. I had that problem with a dog. I would let them hang on to the dummy for a while. Walk around with it. Until they start acting like they wanna drop it. Then I go get it from them. I dont take the bird right away either. I make em hold it when they get to me. If the dog is breathing hard its eventually gonna want to breathe through its mouth and will let go of whatever it has. I used to hunt with a guy that would blow in his dogs ear to get it to drop it. Also seen guys get bit that way.
 
Not sure about the blow job in the ear, however, I have. on occasion, held the dogs ear tip and the bird, at the same time...no give and he gets a little pressure on the ear.

My current dog drops the bird immediately, when the ear is pressed.
 
In my dogs' worlds "fetch" and "give" are both commands and they are both enforced by an ear pinch. They have NEVER had the option to refuse a command because it will be enforced come hell or high water.
 
If you reach over the back of the dog and grab or grab and twist the flap of skin inside their back leg they will drop it.
 
If you could tell us what force fetch program you put the dog through we could then weigh in on helping you. Like Johnny said force fetch means different things to different people so there is no way of helping you unless we knew what the dog has been through.
 
I've never had to inflict any kind of pain on my dog to get them to retrieve. Just takes a little more patience.
 
If you reach down in front of the back leg and lift up where the flap of skin is, the dog will drop the bird.

Give the command to drop the bird act accordingly.
 
I would bite his ear. Be careful, if you're not the boss he may bite back
 
In my dogs' worlds "fetch" and "give" are both commands and they are both enforced by an ear pinch. They have NEVER had the option to refuse a command because it will be enforced come hell or high water.

An ear pinch would be an example of inflicting pain or uncomfort to your dog.
 
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