To force break a dog or not

[rainy_day]

Thanks for the advice...It looks like if you want a hard working gun dog force him. If you want a good dog to help you find down birds don't force..What would be the best age to start force fetching,

[meathauler]

I think you said it is 6 mos old. That usually is a good age. Make sure his baby teeth have fallen out. He will bobble the dummy in his mouth and fight the hold if not. You should be safe at 6 mos. Remember forcing is the hardest part IMO since you have to read the dog to know when to put more pressure and when to back off. But several books or just hire someone to just force him and go watch as much as possible. He will give you pointers on what to do next with signals and all.

[Feesherman]

Originally Posted by rainy_day

Thanks for the advice...It looks like if you want a hard working gun dog force him. If you want a good dog to help you find down birds don't force..What would be the best age to start force fetching,

At least 8 months. You cannot start force until all their adult teeth have come in.