In keeping with my training plan to force break my latest pup after her NA we began force fetch recently. First session was so so but upon some reflection and advice from a mentor we got things going in the right direction and her understanding that she needs to hold that object until I command out. She's just starting to open her mouth a bit on her own as I put the paint roller in and say Fetch and she's holding it nicely and responding to the Out command too. I even have her moving along the table with it. I jumped ahead and tried to walk her down and around and she dropped it though but today I got her to walk down the ramp with it and then gave her the Out, ended the session on that note with a lot of praise. I will begin having her hold different objects now just so she has that down too before we get to far forward. We also start each session off with some heeling work too.
Between lousy weather and my dad in the hospital for several days with sepsis the number of sessions each day wasn't consistent initially but it should be better moving forward now. I'm hoping to make a lot of progress between now and the end of September. I'm even putting my 6yr old dog back thru it too. So much less anxiety for me this time around, with both dogs. I feel better prepared.