I am having trouble getting my girl to deliver to hand. Always ends up about a foot short and I am doing the "Junior Dive"! HELP!!!!!!!!!!!! All advise is appreciated.

Force fetch. It doesn't necessarily have to be the pain based method, you can use positive reinforcement, but you have to teach a solid hold.

We were going thru the same thing. My boy and I don't field train but it's no different than 'gloves' in utility obed. He had a flimsy hold of the glove on the return and would drop the glove as he fronts. What I've been doing to break this 'habit' is to break down the exercise. He had to get each component of the exercise down solid before we moved on to the next step. Now he's better. I found that when I made eye contact with him he'd break his hold of the glove and drop it. ERRRR!

Email me and I'll share my trainer's tips.

I found that using the "Take" "Hold" "Give" (or Out) drill helped. I have only had a few that didn't deliver to hand naturally, but this boring drill got the idea across without any pain or pressure. If the retrieve was dropped, then we had about 5 minutes of Take, Hold, Give instead of fun retrieves.

I had one bitch someone sent me that was just terribly obstinate. I always gave her the chance to do it right first, then a special drill for her. She had to take the retrieve object and hold it all through a healing routine. She then had to "give" on command after about 5 minutes of healing and I put her up. No more fun retrieves, but she got to watch the others who did deliver to hand chase bumpers. After about 6 weeks (I said obstinate!) she finally decided to make that "her" way so that she had the fun of the chase and retrieve.

The combination of making her hold on command during an unrelated activity and watching the others do it correctly eventually got through to her. Dogs learn a LOT by observation. If you have a dog that does it the way you want, practice where the other one can watch.

I am in the middle of training a young girl. We have just finished learning "hold". I have found from past experience that I've rushed this stage. Below is my most recent and more successful approach.

I have no idea how much experience you have but here's my way of training:

Be sure to do only 5-10 minutes of each step, ending exercise during a successful period. I do it 2 times a day, morning before eating and evening before eating. Each step will take a few days for most dogs.

1st, start with soft puppy bumper or paint roller, put it in dogs mouth and say "hold". Be sure to gently get lips out of the way. Help dog hold it by putting thumb in soft area under bottom jaw. Pet their noggin and praise. After a few seconds say your "give" or "drop" command and take bumper. Do this for several days. Be sure to give lots of praise and pets!!

2nd, put bumper in, say "hold", remove bottom support, when they drop the bumper, put in again, "No, hold". They may fight you but pleasantly persist with calm insistence and praise. Gradually increase the time they are holding.

3rd, Once they are holding, start adding taps with finger to end of bumper so they solidify the hold. I add different bumper types and even thawed birds at this stage.

4th, start to get them to heel while holding - they will drop it at this stage, just put it in their mouth again saying "hold", you can support their bottom chin for awhile and encourage them to walk. Then remove support. This usually takes about 2 or 3 days until they'll eventually run next to you while holding bumper.

5th, throw free bumpers, say "hold" as they bring it in to you, if they drop the bumper, bring them back to where they left the bumper, put it in their mouth saying "hold" run backward saying "hold" and calling them to you. They'll usually bring it in right to you after 1 or 2 times of you going back to put in the bumper.

6th, when they return, have them sit at heel while still holding, say "hold", put hand on bumper count to 10 before you say your "give" or "drop" command. If they drop it before your command, simply put bumper back in mouth and say "hold" until they get it.

You may never need to do ear pinch force fetch after this with some dogs, others will still need the force fetch to be truly dependable.



All the best!

Unless this is a young puppy, it sounds like it is time to force fetch or at least teach hold. If you plan to go on to advanced work in the field and/or obedience, force fetch will stop a lot of bad habits that will come back to haunt you otherwise and yes that is the voice of experience talking. I have tried numerous methods over the years starting with my first lab thirty years ago and I like Jim Dobbs method the best. Goggle Dobbs Training Center and look in the retriever library for the articles on hold and fetch. The DVD is real good and very reasonable. You do not have to have a training table or use an e collar for this method to work. Feel free to email me privately with questions if you want to. Debbie Darche, DVM