I have a 9 month old male lab named legend that I have trained and worked myself. This was my first lab and my first hunting dog so I have had my issues in training.

I got with Wade at south texas gun dogs during a training day at the local club and since then he has helped me a few times In the evening with my dog on issues I am having.

I worked him last night and he was not liking the feathers in his mouth so he would not return the birds, he is also a little out of shape so he was getting tired.

Wade suggested Force Fetch and will be keeping my pup for 2 weeks or so to condition, ff and work a little bit.

It is not the same without him around the house and the drive home was tough!

Has anyone here sent their dog off for force fetch?

About to send my first lab off to training in Sept. She will be 6 months. I have been working her everyday with bumpers etc... I think it will be hard knowing how close you get so fast. Good luck with your dog.

I've sent two off. First took to it great, second one is taking longer, fighting every step of the way, but she'll come around.

It is defiantly tough without him around, I had to explain to my 3 year old daughter that he was at 'camp".

To the people that have send their dogs off, how do they transition out of the training to you? Has force fetch been a wonderful thing for you guys?

Now this just might be me...but ffing always seems to be something that will make them turn a corner in training and start to mature. Its like a lightbulb comes on. Could just be me

I actually sent my dog off for more than FF. I was truly amazed when I would go visit he would run to my truck instead of the dog trailer. It was like he never forgot.

I had my male force fetched.
He could be hard headed at times, and it improved his overall demeanor.

That is making me feel better, Legend is a very hard headed dog. He has amazing drive but does not want to carry the bird.

Ffing will handle it

That'll fix it but never heard of a trainer that would FF in 2 weeks.

Neither have I, my first one took 5 weeks, my second is going on 7 weeks.

2 weeks was a minimum, hopefully its 2 weeks but we will see. I waited too long in the game to take him for ff. I have read many articles on ff and I did not know what to do. Some trainers preach ff and some do not.

9 months is not too late for ff at all.

Trust me, you won't regret having the dog force fetched. I was going to wait until someone else said it but I agree that I would have my doubts on the two week time frame. I would plan on him being gone for at least a month.

I don't wanna be the guy that says yeah I was thinking that too after everyone else said it but my dog has spent more than 2 weeks on the table doing the ear pinch stage. He's still young and they are going slow but definitely plan on more than 2weeks I'd say.

So I will be getting my own dove in sept!

Its a good possibility but you never know. Depends on if he is going through walking fetch and FTP with the dog. I personally consider all of that a part of FF and don't consider a dog done until they are through with those skills. If we are just talking about ear pinch to the ground then two weeks is possible but wouldn't really consider the command conditioned at that point.

I did 100% of my dogs training myself. And honestly the only thing I did not do perfect was force fetch. It has only come back to bite me once, but it was during a very important breed test that I was in first up to the very last bird. Then I was disqualified.

FF is probably the only training I would consider having someone else do for me.

I agree with Tony. Until the commands have been transferred over to the ecollar and have force to pile been completed, its not finished. Once FF is started you need to let him keep the dog until its past this stage.

Couldn't agree more. To really get a dog 100%, more or less, considering all of the steps, fetch on the table, hold on the table, walking on the table, all with a dowel, to table retrieve, to bird retrieve, then taking it all to the ground and going thru the steps again. There's just no way to get a dog fully and consistently force broke in 2 weeks. Maybe by working the dog 10 times a day with lots of pain. "happying the dog up" is so important and he ain't gonna be happy if he dreads sessions and can only look forward to pinches!!

I am going to visit him today and I will check on progress.

I just came back from the trainers place, I went and hung out with my pup for a hour or so. Wade at South Texas Gun dogs is a miracle worker, Legend has been there since Tuesday night and I just watched him hold a wooden dowel at sit, and while heeling for about 2 minutes.

Sounds like he is getting "hold" down. 2 weeks is not enough time to force fetch a dog. you could take a break and hunt him that weekend if you desire, but it'll take longer than 2 weeks to complete force on land, much less water force.

Robby

Don't rush it...you are building the foundation for everything in the future with this dog. If it isn't done in 2 weeks (which I highly doubt) let him keep the dog. No reason to hunt the dog halfway through the process. You need to prepare for 6 - 8 weeks.

I FF mine and I won't do the next one. It was hard on her but harder on me. I just didn't like doing it and won't another one.

As a comparison;
I Went and checked on mine today, He is at the 4 week mark with the trainer and about 2 1/2 weeks into FF at this point. He is doing well on the dowel has retrieve and hold till release down on the table, transitioned to bumper yesterday and I watched him with the dowel half way down the table and bumper all the way down at the same time while he retrieved the dowel, released it on command then return and retrieve the bumper.

I started him a bit early as I am uncertain of his exact age (looks like he is just now 6 months) and I am very pleased with where he is at.

3 months to go with the trainer but I hope to get him on Dove this season so he can experience field work.

Good luck with yours.