Trainer’s tip: Let the force be with you

Some dogs are natural retrievers that relish fetching a bird, sometimes with little training.

But even dogs that retrieve efficiently can be improved by “force breaking,” a technique often considered necessary only for dogs that resist retrieving.

Force breaking generally begins with a controlled method of ear-pinching that forces the dog to open its mouth and accept a dummy. This concept is gradually expanded to retrieves until the dog quickly and deliberately fetches and brings back a launched dummy with no hesitation.

“You might have a dog with a lot of natural talent, but force training makes a retriever even better,” said John Gilbert, a member of the Spokane Bird Dog Association who’s trained Labrador retrievers for 17 years.

“Force training calms them down,” he said. “They focus on the job at hand.”

“It’s the difference between asking them to go or telling them to go. A command is more effective than a plea because it will work even in those moments when the dog is distracted or isn’t in the mood.”

Rich Landers