Force Fetch
This is an old article on one way to teach the the forced fetch. It’s from one of my old websites and I’ve copied it over to this blog. This isn’t the way I teach the retrieve now (we incorporate a lot more positive reinforcement now, and offer options for enforcement pressure besides the ear pinch), but it’s still a useful guide and a few people used it successfully to prepare their dogs for hunt tests such as the NAVHDA Utility and JGHV HZP tests last year.
— Nate
Last weekend I did a presentation on force fetch for the Potomac Chapter of NAVHDA. I am sharing the text of the document I provided to the group below on the process I learned which comes from, “The Koehler Method of Open Obedience.”
I put together a video series of all the steps in this process and have included those lessons in this post.
Prerequisites
Before you start this work, your dog should have a reasonably solid stationary behavior (sit/hup, or stand/whoa). They should understand the concept that they can turn off pressure and access rewards by performing the correct behavior. Finally, if you are going to use e-collar at any point for retrieving, they should have completed a 3 action introduction (go, come, stop) before the e-collar is applied to the retrieve. We teach heeling and stationary behaviors on the left side of the handler. So all instructions below assume the dog is at your left side while working.
Begin with the end in mind
Anybody who tells your force fetch guarantees your dog will never fail a retrieve again is lying to you. Force conditioning, in any training exercise or behavior, simply gives you a way to enforce your requirements when your dog is being willfully disobedient. It gives you a way to “push” your dog to do something they don’t want to do. Remember that you want your dog to like retrieving, and to like you. With that in mind, remember that your dog might start out disliking a step in the process, but you shouldn’t move forward until they are showing confidence in the current step.
Overview
The force fetch is taught in three parts: the fetch (reaching for the object), the hold and carry (holding the object in the mouth, and moving around while holding), and combining the fetch and hold and carry together for a complete retrieve. There are many different ways to complete this training but the method I use is found in the book, “The Koehler Method of Open Obedience for Ring, Home, and Field.” This process teaches the fetch first, then the hold and carry, and then combines the two. Since the hold and the fetch are taught as separate exercises at first, an industrious trainer can teach both of those pieces, in separate training sessions, concurrently. And then combine them when both are well known by the dog.
For our application of pressure (the force in “force fetch”) we use the ear pinch. I prefer the ear pinch because it gives me better control over the dog’s head and mouth. Once all the mechanics are taught, we transition to the electronic collar as a means of applying force. This is particularly helpful for the distance work performed after the force fetch is complete. It is likely that your dog will not enjoy the early sessions of any phase in training where it is most likely they will encounter force. Do not worry about their unconditioned response to that force. But do concern yourself with your dog’s clear understanding of how to turn off that pressure, and work until pressure is not needed at each phase before moving on to the next. Treating each objective as its own goal in this way will ensure you do not push your dog faster than they are able to progress, and that you are being a good teacher.
We will use one object throughout the entire teaching process. That object should be something you don’t plan on requiring the dog to retrieve later on. So we do not use bumpers or game during the teaching process. The reason for this is so that if we make any mistakes, misapply pressure, or otherwise cause the dog to form a negative association with the training object, that attitude remains isolated to that object. I suggest using a wooden dowel or retrieving dumbbell for this process.
Understand your equipment and your process before you start. Assume problems are due to lack of understanding rather than lack of motivation. This means your default response to trouble should be to be more clear, not be more forceful.
Remember… Hope is not a strategy. Stubborn dogs are built, not born. And you want your dog to like retrieving and like you, so having them hate the entire training process is not a great way to achieve those goals.
Note: Bolded items below indicate typical places where dogs have trouble in the process. Expect to spend additional time at these steps, and focus on coaching your dog through rather than simply applying more pressure. They are often confused, not obstinate.
Teaching Fetch
Accept the object on command
Always start from stationary behavior
Step on the leash or have dog tied off by collar to table/post.
Say Fetch when placing the object in the mouth, and Give when removing it
Give the dog a short release/walk after each rep
Pinch the lips against the teeth just behind the canines until the dog opens their mouth enough that you can slip the object into their mouth. Move the lips out of the way so they are not pinched.
Gently cage the dog’s mouth with the right hand while petting with the left hand.
Only praise (or mark, if you are using markers) while the dumbbell is in the dog’s mouth.
Take the object out of the dog’s mouth the moment they relax and stop trying to chew or spit it out.
Do 2 sessions of 10 placements each, at least two hours between sessions
Suggested minimum of one week
Cinch the dog’s collar high up on the neck and tighten it, holding it with your left hand. Hold the object up against the dog’s lips and command “fetch”. Wait until the dog takes the object into their mouth without you having to open their mouth for them. This is required before moving forward.
Ear Pinch
You will set up the ear pinch every rep of every session from this point until instructed to do otherwise. “Set up” means having the ear in your hand between your thumb and the collar. It does not mean you are pinching the ear on every rep. We are only applying ear pinch pressure when the dog does not move to take the object when we command, “Fetch.”
Start in a stationary behavior, or tied off to a post, and set up the ear pinch.
Press object against dog’s lips and give command to “fetch”.
Release ear pinch and praise while dog holds the object.
Command “give” after two seconds of holding.
One inch reach
When the dog starts moving to take the object without the ear needing to be pinched, begin work on 1 inch fetch. Remember, the dog’s head moves to the object. The object does not move to your dog’s head.
Do not go further than 1 inch, and end each session on a successful rep.
Six inch reach
Review 1 inch reach a few times.
Hold object 6 inches away, command Fetch, when dog is holding, cage the mouth with your hands.
Praise for a few seconds.
Work this session until your dog responds 10x (total, not back to back) without correction.
Every session after that, review 1” retrieve, then get 10x six inch reaches without correction (total).
Work dog between two distractions that are 4 feet apart. Work until you get five consecutive fetches without correction.
Arm’s length reach
Every day, review the 6 inch reach first.
Ten arms length reaches per session. They do not have to be correction free.
Five arms length reaches, correction free, back to back, without distractions.
Five arms length reaches, correction free, back to back, with distractions.
Teaching hold and carry
Hold
Back to mouth placement. Command “hold” while the object is in the dog’s mouth.
Cage mouth briefly until the dog settles. And take the object before the dog drops it. Only praise while the object is in the mouth. Command “give” when you remove the object.
Continue placements, commanding “hold”, but instead of caging the mouth, set up thumb correction under chin.
Work at this level, gradually increasing hold time, until the dog will hold for one minute.
Carry
Begin asking the dog to hold while you lean into the leash to get them to move. Cage mouth to ensure success the first few reps. We only need one or two steps at first.
Continue hold and carry without caging the mouth. Move over small obstacles and around distractions, increasing difficulty little by little.
You will not use the under chin cuff correction again after this phase.
Combining Fetch, Hold & Carry
Leave my side and return to me
Be sure to set up the ear pinch each time. Give the “Fetch” command.
When dog takes the object at arms length, use the leash to turn dog to face you.
Say “Give” and take the object from the dog.
We are not working on final presentation, so do not worry about sitting or coming to heel yet.
Pick up off the ground
Each time you ask the dog to “Fetch,” lower the object closer to the ground.
Angle the object with one side on the ground and the other side elevated in your hand.
Place object on the ground but keep your finger on it. Use enough pressure to make the dog have to pull the object off the ground and out from under your finger.
Place object on ground without your hand on it. Restrain the dog a bit as you have them retrieve.
Take object as soon as the dog lifts it from the ground.
Use the ear pinch to force the dog to pick up if they quit at any point along the way. Remember that pressure only turns off when the object is in the dog’s mouth and off the ground.
When you dog is consistently successful picking up off the ground, add the turn/return to you back in.
This is the point in our process where remote training collar conditioning for the retrieve can begin.
Leash length retrieve
Place dog in a stationary behavior.
Set up ear pinch and command “fetch”.
When dog moves, release ear pinch.
If dog stops at any point prior to picking up the object, tighten the leash to stop any more forward progress, pinch ear all the way until the object is picked up.
Work to get the retrieve from a placement of a leash length away but no further.
Do five reps per session, in as many sessions as you can get in throughout the day.
Formalizing the pattern
Days 1 - 4
Work dog in at least 3 different areas minimum.
Perform the leash length retrieve between compelling distractions.
We are no longer setting up the ear pinch.
If dog drops the object, hold the dog back and ear pinch all the way to the object.
2 sessions of 8 reps each, per day.
Days 5 - 6
Follow the same procedure as above but make 3 changes in your handling of your dog:
Correct for any anticipation, meaning you are adding steadiness before the send.
Send the dog for the retrieve without setting up the ear pinch. If the dog stops at any point prior to picking up the object, tighten the leash to stop any more forward progress, pinch ear and correct.
Handle your dog like you would in the test/hunting scenario. Refine sits, heeling and any other adjacent behaviors.
Continuing work
Slowly add distance until dog is working on the retrieve at full check cord distance of 20 - 30 feet.
Now is the time to work out all of your problems, not when you are off leash.
At each level, work until the dog can’t get it wrong.
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