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It should be
stated here that the following applies to ALL hunting and retrieving breeds.
The instinct to retrieve objects for his/her owner is a valued and inherited
trait that is as strong in the DD as in any of the retrieving breeds. While
the majority
of all hunting dogs are specialist at their designated task, the Deutsch
Drahthaar is required to perform multiple tasks under widely varied
conditions. With any breed, reliable and consistent performance can only be accomplished with
the proper training
of a DEDICATED OWNER.
In today's
world of "political correctness" and "non-accountability" it is tempting to
call our companions NATURAL RETRIEVERS. But, be honest with yourself. How
many times have you been afield or in a
duck blind, only to see a dog refuse to complete a retrieve or, worse yet,
refuse to go out? How many times have you heard a dog owner say, "well, he
just wants to keep hunting" or "that's the first time he's ever done that"?
Often times, these so called NATURAL RETRIEVERS are needlessly subjected to
barrages of verbal and physical abuse when they fail to NATURALLY RETRIEVE
in front of their owner's hunting buddies. Hunting with a NATURAL RETRIEVER
can be likened to making a major business transaction without a signed
contract....without it, you have no recourse.
Situations,
such as these, can be prevented by a process called FORCED TRAINING TO
RETRIEVE or FORCE BREAKING, as it more commonly known. Force breaking may
not be for those that are less than DEDICATED to a hunting dog's use
as an efficient conservation tool. By relying on NATURAL RETRIEVING, you are
bypassing training that insures the RELIABLE RETRIEVAL and humane dispatch
of wounded game. Training for 10-15 minutes per day, 5 days per week, for 2
months, will give you an impressive and efficient hunting partner that has a
full understanding of his duties. It may not be one of the more enjoyable
aspects of training, but it is certainly the most responsible and rewarding.
Proper force breaking is a signed contract between you and your dog.
The preceding
snippets of opinions, advice, and experience have been observed and passed on
by those much more knowledgeable than I. For detailed information on Force Training visit:
The Hows and
Whys of the Forced Retrieve
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