[bodazafa]

Magnum is almost 3 now and has never really "got" how to play fetch. She runs after the ball and either plops down and chews on it or picks it up and runs past me with it then plops down and chews on it - LOL. So this weekend we played fetch friday and saturday for about an hour each day. I was SOOOO proud of her - she actually BROUGHT ME THE BALL about half the time!! I'm pretty sure it was because I brought treats with me and traded her a little piece of treat for the ball each time. Does anyone else use treats? If so, did you just do it until they understood to bring the ball back and drop it and then you stopped using them or do you always have to use treats?

 

[mindtrip]

I'd like to know also. I can't get Hemi to bring the ball back to me without treats either.

 

[sheila]

I have been playing fetch with Sheila and looking for info everywhere on the same. There are a few tips that have been working for me. One is the treat exchange, now that depends on how much Mag likes the ball. If he likes the ball more than the treat, back to square one. The other thing I have started doing seems to work, I use two balls. toss one she gets it and brings it back, let her chew on it a bit and then just ignore her as I bounce and toss the other ball around. In a few seconds, her ball is not good enough and she wants mine so drops hers. Supposedly over time you can ween down to just using one ball, treat her also when she drops the other ball. Sheila does not seem to grasp the give it concept just yet :lol:

 

[OrsonDogge]

now that depends on how much Mag likes the ball. If he likes the ball more than the treat, back to square one.

I know the feeling, the ball is usually more important than a treat in my house.
Orson will bring the ball back but wants you to wrestle it out of his mouth.
The concept of "give" is lost on him. If you try to trade him another ball for it, he gets greedy and
wants both!

let her chew on it a bit and then just ignore her

That is the only civil way i can get the ball back, ignore him and he'll eventually drop it.

 

[Bogart]

Orson will bring the ball back but wants you to wrestle it out of his mouth.

Haha. Orson and Bogart are very similar. Bogart will get the ball
and come back to me, but he wants you to try to get the ball from
him. Fortunatly, he will drop the ball after a few firm "drop its."

Bogart didn't understand fetch at first-he would go after the ball,
but not bring it back. I used treats for awhile, but as soon as I
brought the treat out (to lure him to come back to me), he would
drop the ball where he was and then come to me. So that didn't
help in getting him to bring the ball to me.

I'm not sure what exactly I did, but eventually he understood the
idea and started to bring the ball back to me. I think it will just take
a lot of time and patience. I also used the two ball thing and that
worked.

 

[Vertes3]

I just went ape nuts excited when I'de get the ball back, and give a LOT of praise (no treats though), and eventually they get the hang of it. I think it partly depends if your dog likes the chase, or the playing with the ball aspect better. Oh...and if they come up to you with the ball just kind of spin the ball downwards out of their mouth, while slightly covering their top lip/nose (gently of course) *that's the best explanation I can think of* to get it out of their mouth.

 

[OrsonDogge]

Orson kinda gets the idea of "drop it".
He will drop it on command if we are going outside
or coming inside and i dont want him bringing the ball with him.
But he wants a wrestle otherwise.
So now i just play fetch outside and when he returns with the ball,
we go inside and he'll drop it and then i get the ball and go back outside to
throw it again.
Pain in butt, but it works!

 

[HausMommy]

We use the 2 ball trick with Haus. One gets launched across the yard and Haus takes off after it. He comes running back and we pick up the second ball. As soon as we do so, he drops the ball he has, and waits for you to throw the second ball. Once he gets in a rhythm, he'll drop the first ball right at your feet, and keep doing so until he's tired.

 

[gazar]

We use the 2 ball trick with Haus. One gets launched across the yard and Haus takes off after it. He comes running back and we pick up the second ball. As soon as we do so, he drops the ball he has, and waits for you to throw the second ball. Once he gets in a rhythm, he'll drop the first ball right at your feet, and keep doing so until he's tired.

Terrific idea. Will have to try this with Clara.

 

[slid3r]

Try Air Kong squeaky tennis balls. THey will get your dogs attention more becuase of the sound.

 

[pelle66]

I thought Milo was the only dog that wouldn't play fetch. It's nice to hear that I am not alone. I also have a problem with him playing with other toys. At night sometimes he wants to wrestle and gets a little nippy...I am trying to get him to play tug with rope or even to play with his other toys. He doesn't seem interested...I started crating him again, to get him to calm down, or depending the time and the weather, we go outside and run and jump around. I am going to try the treat thing, but are there any other suggestions.

 

[sajoseph]

Dixie plays fetch. I taught her when she was really young, I think she just enjoyed chasing the ball so much that she would always bring it right back to me and drop it at my feet. And if she dropped it too far from where I was standing, Id tell her to get it and she'd pick it up and bring it to my feet!

Dixie has always been highly intelligent, to the point it is kind of scarey!!

Now, getting my others to play???That will be a challenge, because right now, Chocy chases it, but when it stops, he sniffs it and walks away, Cato just watches me throw it, sometimes ducks as if it might hit him in the head(and he isnt even standing in front of it folks!!!) and Daizy cannot play anyway, but she does try to catch it.

The disadvantage???Whenever I am out side smoking or watching them potty, we have to keep all balls up or Dix will drive you nuts bringing it to you and carrying it around. If I am in the pool she is constantly dropping it on my chest for me to throw.

Sassy, will bark ferociously at a ball, if it is in the pool, because she wants it but hates to jump in the pool, she barks for hours until she has had enough and jumps in. But when she gets it, she dont want it.

Go figure.


Cookies may help. If I used cookies, my boys wouldnt even look where the ball went, their eyes would be fixed on me and their noses on my pocket!