1. Should FF and Hold be taught as one command (i.e. "Fetch" means fetch and hold) or two dinstinct commands ("Fetch" and "Hold").
2. The area my dog needs improvement is much more in holding the game without meneuvering it in his mouth while bringing it back as well as the bringing the game to hand. I have yet to throw a bumper without him going to retrieve it. I have tried to tire him out to the point he doesn't want to go after it, but I have not been able to. I have thrown bumpers both in woods, open areas, water (on the same session) for a long time; probably in the area of 25 to 30 retrieves and he has never flinched. How can I teach FF to a dog that has wanted to retrieve everything?
I'm inclined to think that I could work on "hold" with him and in the event he tells me to "f" off on a retrieve, then I could FF him.
Age of dog?
Breed of dog?
What training program are you following? (I don't know of any training program that would advise you to throw that many retrieves).
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Ignorance can sometimes be cured, but stupid is forever.
Doc E &
HR UH MHR WR SR Black Forest Casey &
HRCH HR UH Sauk River Friar Tucker (titled at 12.5 months)
If you are running JGHV tests with this dog, take note that the rules have changed. You cannot tell a dog "hold" if it is mouthing a bird on a retrieve...if you do you fail. The dog must be trained so that any animal it finds must be retrieved to hand with one command only.
I would FF, throughly. Also, don't try to do it "lab style". The amount of pressure that they put on labs during FF is not necessary for most continental breeds, and is in fact, too much. Slow and steady with just enough pressure to get your point across is all it takes.
AM - you've nailed into my dilemna. My PP is from Cedarwoods, so JGHV testing is not an option. Given that, I'm trying to decide which approach would be better for my situation. I am trying to decide if it would be better to use one command out of ease and possibly less confusion to dog ("Fetch", "Good boy", "Here", "Hold", etc...); but at the same time am wondering if using two commands would enable me to address the specific issue for correction at anytime more precisely, whether it were a fetch issue or a hold issue.
I have another week or so solidifying him up on heel. We're just about to start without a lead, so keep the comments coming.
I'm really hoping I can get him through FF by the spring so that most of the summer can be spent getting into the fun stuff.
Are you saying you only teach your dogs how to hold and don't go through Force Fetch? Or are you saying you use only one command, in this example, "hold"?
FF vs Hold...
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