Starting the Trained Retrieve

Ranger and I are starting down the path to the trained retrieve together. He's such a good boy that I constantly have to remind myself that I haven't formally trained him, and I shouldn't just jump to the finish line without teaching him the skills needed along the way.

This all started when my young huntin' dawg, refused to pick up either a dokken training dummy or a well and truly dead bird in a training session. Apparently in his mind appropriate fetching objects are live shot flyers, and tennis balls, nothing else. Anyway, we're going back to basics and working on heel, sit, here, and lots of hold its. When he's steady on the walking hold we'll move to the next step.

I've never really done a force fetch before, so I'm now armed with Evan Graham's "Smart Fetch" DVD and Book and I've called Web Parton in Arizona who kindly talked with me for a long time and offered some great advice as well. I'm buying his book to add to my collection. I've also consulted friends who are familiar with the process for their advice. Hopefully, if I can just follow directions, Ranger and I will make it through this.

In the mean time the girls are both jealous of all of the attention that Ranger has been getting and are both begging to be trained as well. I'm hoping that their work in Open Obedience will improve with this new motivation to work.