The Reality:

First of all, force fetch is more than just one thing. It is a definable process with clear goals. But within the process are several steps or phases. Those steps will be laid out later, but first let's examine the goals.

To establish a standard for acceptable mouth habits

To provide the trainer with a tool to maintain those habits

To provide the trainer with a tool to assure compliance with the command to retrieve

To form the foundation for impetus (momentum)

Mouth habits include such important items as fetching on command, even when your dog may be distracted, or moody, or any number of things that might interfere with compliance. Sure, you may get away for years without having such problems, but being smart and being lucky are not the same thing. Force fetch gives you a tool to handle this when it comes up, plus some insurance that it is less likely to come up due to this training.

Along with compulsion issues we need to mention a proper hold, and delivery on command. If my pheasant is punctured I want it to be from pellets, not teeth. That actually covers some ground in all of the first three categories.

--excerpt from SmartFetch