Help with fetch

Post by **grant** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 9:33 pm

I've got Bell SWS again. I've also got her trained to fetch with a tap on the head or when I say fetch. Saying Fetch really helped last week when we where in the thick stuff and I could just say fetch and I wouldn’t have to get to her to give a tap....

Anyway, here's my problem. I'm worried how Bell will react when another handler says Fetch in the MH test. So today I worked on getting her to remain steady while I said fetch in different tones and volumes and in my regular fetch voice. Then I let her fetch when I said "BELL, FETCH". I was just emphasizing Bell. In about 15 min, she caught on. I could say "Fetch FETCH fetch" she'd stay, then "Bell Fetch" and off she'd go.

Should I continue down this road or just come up with a different fetch command? One of my thoughts was if I could get my 2 pups to recognize "Their Name Fetch" vs "Fetch" I could control them better in the field while hunting.

Gregory · Post by **Gregory** » Thu Mar 03, 2005 5:06 am

I think you are right for being concerned as it will hapen .. Your dog will have to back the pointing dog and stay on a backing mode till the other dog completed the retrieve in a MH test.
I think the only true safe guard is to train your dog to where she understands and excepts her place and what her job requirement is in that particular situation.

If you want to train for that, you will need to place her in a situation where she has to back and wait for the pointing dog to retrieve,rather than rely on what the verbal commands are from the other dogs handler . A command is a very thin thread to rely on between success or failure,when you stop and think how powerful a dogs prey drive is to a dog.You'll loose every time when you need to win...
Probaly botched up what I'm trying to get across

Best, Greg.

snip · Post by **snip** » Thu Mar 03, 2005 6:58 am

I agree with Greg. You need tofind someone to work with to accustome Belle standing thru another dogs retrieve. I don`t know if I would do all that voice changing stuff. You can come up and work her with one of our dogs if you don`t have anyone to train with. (providing we can get some birds.)

Post by **grant** » Thu Mar 03, 2005 7:38 am

Thanks for the help y'all. What you said make good since. I was a bit uneasy about the way I was going about it. B, I'll take you up on that. Have you tried Red Hill Quail Farm. The last bunch of birds I had from them were good. I started catching pigeons at Ladds Farm supply today. I should be able to get a TON of birds to shoot. I can give you some if needed.

Thanks again y'all.

snip · Post by **snip** » Thu Mar 03, 2005 8:21 am

Not to change the subject, but both our quail sources ran out this week. We are getting ready to tear our barn down and put in a quail pen that will hold 1000+ birds, and I think we have the birds pinned down. Hard to tell about these bird breeders. One day they tell you you can have all they own, the next they sold them out from under you. I think all quail growers have a set of rules they get when they get in the business, "how to stick it to you the best". We`ll see. We can always use pigeons, but I don`t need any more until this pen is finished.

mountaindogs · Post by **mountaindogs** » Fri Mar 04, 2005 9:41 pm

grant wrote: I started catching pigeons at Ladds Farm supply today. I should be able to get a TON of birds to shoot. I can give you some if needed.

Thanks again y'all.

Pigeons?!?
I have been looking for pigeons. Could I buy some?

Post by **grant** » Fri Mar 04, 2005 9:53 pm

See this post:
http://www.gundogforum.com/forum/viewto ... ns&start=0

You can catch them easy....

If I catch enough, you can have some =)