Toffee's Mom
Forums Sage
The cats of course!
LOL
My cat prays everynight to the basement cat in his mind... if I had thumbs I could kill them all and rule the world...
I think you are on to something there
Playing ball...
- Thread starter Charlie
- Start date
LOL
My cat prays everynight to the basement cat in his mind... if I had thumbs I could kill them all and rule the world...
I think you are on to something there
k9kreationz
Forums Celebrity
Yup, don't pick it up. I did that with Miko. He rarely brings it all the way back to me. HOWEVER (and this is too cute), he will drop it, then when I don't get it, he nudges it with his nose. Obviously, if it's a ball, he'll roll it to me. If it's not, he'll walk away and even end the fetch session. lol.
Koji on the other hand, I started to play "tug" with him when he'd bring it back. If he didn't, like others, I'd kick it around, or kick it back to where I was sitting and play with him with it (tug) then throw again. He got the point.
Good luck. Wish I knew all about this with Miko. But it's true that they kinda train you. Miko will bring a ball back to my Dad and will PLACE said ball into his hand. Otherwise, Dad won't play with him. And he does it. All the time. I get the ball dropped, then nudged. Guess who he trained to REACH!?
Koji on the other hand, I started to play "tug" with him when he'd bring it back. If he didn't, like others, I'd kick it around, or kick it back to where I was sitting and play with him with it (tug) then throw again. He got the point.
Good luck. Wish I knew all about this with Miko. But it's true that they kinda train you. Miko will bring a ball back to my Dad and will PLACE said ball into his hand. Otherwise, Dad won't play with him. And he does it. All the time. I get the ball dropped, then nudged. Guess who he trained to REACH!?
Caro
Moderator
If he really loves the ball it makes it easier to teach him to bring it back. But you really need lots and lots of patience. When he drops it (perhaps after an attempt to get him to bring it back) just ignore him. Stand on the spot and look around. Eventually if they dog really wants the ball he will bring it to you - then when he does go silly with cheering, so that he knows he did the best thing in the world. This is how I did it with both my dogs and I can get them to drop the ball in my hands. Of course problem with a really reliable fetch is they continually bring balls and toys for them to be thrown.
Btw - I think its a crock too - not picking up the ball being tantamount to a leadership challenge. really, dogs arent interested in being the boss- they have managed as followers for over 15,000 yrs without staging a coup d'etat! Most dogs I know would only stage a coup for the food cupboard!
Toffee's Mom
Forums Sage
kathy32726
Forums Regular
Just a couple of weeks after bringing Cody home he started bringing his ball back. And after a couple of times instruction, he learned the word "Release". Initially, when he brought it back he wanted to tug, but he learned the play ended unless he dropped the ball so I could throw it again. These little ones are so smart!
Zoey started bringing stuff back on her own pretty early. However, sometimes she comes back to us, but won't let go, and just runs away from us.
She does that with the frisbee all the time. She brings the frisbee back (it's so hilarious to see her carrying a frisbee that's wayyyy to big for her), she reaches us, we show her our hand to get the frisbee, then she just trots away with the frisbee. Eventually she'll drop it when SHE feels she is ready to play more.
She does that with the frisbee all the time. She brings the frisbee back (it's so hilarious to see her carrying a frisbee that's wayyyy to big for her), she reaches us, we show her our hand to get the frisbee, then she just trots away with the frisbee. Eventually she'll drop it when SHE feels she is ready to play more.
Emmasmom
Forums Sage
I can just see Zoey trying to bring back the frisbee. So cute. I have a small hoop (used to call them hula hoops) for Emma - she loves to herd it when I roll it across the ground. She is now trying to pick it up and return it.
OntarioSheltie
Forums Celebrity
I had the same problem with Sadie. She loved playing ball but would maybe bring it back to me once or twice, then she'd only bring it back half way.
When she didn't bring it back to me I'd end the game by saying 'No,' picking up the ball and pocketing it. After a couple of minutes I'd try again. This process was frustrating but I managed to stay patient she did get it within a few days. She'd still try to test me occasionally and I'd just do the same thing. It didn't take her long to realize it was far more rewarding if she played the game by MY rules, and I never have trouble getting her to retrieve the ball or any toy, for that matter.
The trick is to make them realize that they have to play the game by YOUR rules, not theirs. Its not so much that they're trying to rebel, I just don't think they always understand the rules of the game and need to be taught.
Ginny is still a work in progress. She doesn't have the ball drive that Sadie has and would rather not bring me back the ball. I leash her, throw the ball a short distance and reel her in when she tries to stop a few feet away. I give her lots of praise and get very excited when she brings the ball.
When she didn't bring it back to me I'd end the game by saying 'No,' picking up the ball and pocketing it. After a couple of minutes I'd try again. This process was frustrating but I managed to stay patient she did get it within a few days. She'd still try to test me occasionally and I'd just do the same thing. It didn't take her long to realize it was far more rewarding if she played the game by MY rules, and I never have trouble getting her to retrieve the ball or any toy, for that matter.
The trick is to make them realize that they have to play the game by YOUR rules, not theirs. Its not so much that they're trying to rebel, I just don't think they always understand the rules of the game and need to be taught.
Ginny is still a work in progress. She doesn't have the ball drive that Sadie has and would rather not bring me back the ball. I leash her, throw the ball a short distance and reel her in when she tries to stop a few feet away. I give her lots of praise and get very excited when she brings the ball.
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BarbV
Forums Celebrity
Before I had Indy, Bacca loved to play fetch and return. He did it without fail everytime.
Then when I brought home Indy, the game for Bacca became "steal the ball"....If Indy got it, he would bring it back. If Bacca got it, he would run away with it and hoard it between his front paws. So I tried using several balls. No luck. Bacca would either just ignore the 2nd throw (he already had HIS ball) or would leap up and steal that one too.
I swear these boys act just like human brothers. They rough house like boys have wrestling matches - mostly all in fun, but sometimes it turns nasty. They take each others toys, and then when they finally tuckered, they flake out wherever they can find a spot.
Then when I brought home Indy, the game for Bacca became "steal the ball"....If Indy got it, he would bring it back. If Bacca got it, he would run away with it and hoard it between his front paws. So I tried using several balls. No luck. Bacca would either just ignore the 2nd throw (he already had HIS ball) or would leap up and steal that one too.
I swear these boys act just like human brothers. They rough house like boys have wrestling matches - mostly all in fun, but sometimes it turns nasty. They take each others toys, and then when they finally tuckered, they flake out wherever they can find a spot.
Justicemom
Forums Celebrity
Bailey loves playing fetch. She always brings the ball back, but sometimes she drops it too far for me to reach. I never pick it up if I cant reach it. I usually say "too far" and stretch my arm out to show her I cant reach. She gets the hint and will pick up the ball and drop it closer to me. Of course not without shaking the ball to death first.
She has a high ball drive and is clicker trained, so she is always thinking "what do i have to do to get a treat or in this case the ball thrown".
This is how I taught Diva plus I also did the kick thing to encourage to pick it back up. If she ran away I suddenly got interested in anything but her. Afte a couple minutes , I'd go kick the ball to get her to chase it again and 9 out of 10 times she'd bring it back then. She realized if she wanted to keep playing she needed to bring it back. Not an issue of leadership but rewarding the wrong behavior and not being selective with your rewards. If you keep playing no matter what the dog does , there is no motivation for the dog to change change its behavior.