# My Golden "Retriever"



## chloesmomMI (May 4, 2013)

Chloe is now 9 months old and has been doing pretty well with obedience and following my commands, but for the life of me I can't get her to retrieve. When I throw a ball or stick she sits there as if deciding whether it's worth the effort, and sometimes she runs over to the object, but often she simply ambles over to it and gives it a sniff. When she does pick it up she does everything except come back to me even when I call her to come. She runs by me, around me, or away from me, and then drops down at a distance and begins chewing. On those rare occasions when she does come, she refuses to drop the object and we end up playing a game of tug. Ironically, she comes when I call her unless we're using objects, and when we go on walks she will drop the disgusting stuff she picks up when I give the command. I must not be doing something right because my retriever won't retrieve. Any ideas?


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## Max's Dad (Apr 23, 2012)

Max loves to retrieve--as long as there is water involved. At the beach or in the lake, he will go get the Chuckit Ball or float as many times as we throw it. He brings it back and drops it so we can throw it again. We wear out way before he does. 

However, on land, not so much. In the backyard, he will get the ball maybe twice. Bringing it back is not guaranteed.

I have seen some Golden Retrievers that are tennis ball crazy, but I do not think all Goldens are that way. Sounds like Chloe is being a normal Golden.


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## Bentleysmom (Aug 11, 2012)

With Buddy, our last GR, I taught him using the hallway. Even then he was about 50% for fetch. I think Dave is right. Some goldens don't fetch just as some (Bentley) don't like water


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## FeatherRiverSam (Aug 7, 2009)

I agree...some Goldens just aren't as interested. My bridge girl Sammie was a retrieving machine...I almost lost her down a river once!:doh:

Woody on the other hand is a bit more discriminating as can be seen here..






Pete & Woody


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## Bentleysmom (Aug 11, 2012)

Love that video Pete! Woody gets points, at least he looked at it


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## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

If you ever watched the show Soap, you'll get this - I say we should have named Max "Benson."

(Benson was the butler, when the doorbell would ring he would look around and go, "You want me to get that?" )


Max's will get the ball about 3 times, then he gets this "If you're gonna keep throwing it away, I'm not giving it back to you!" attitude.


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## Gwen_Dandridge (Jul 14, 2012)

We insisted that Maddie was a 'defective' golden in the beginning. She wouldn't retrieve. She still doesn't love balls, but will chase frisbees now. Pinecones and sticks now, those she will chase. 

It just may take time and effort to convince your pup to retriever OR maybe she never will love it and just be a nice dog.


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## Jessie'sGirl (Aug 30, 2010)

Jess will retrieve only certain balls. They must be aged for flavour and smell. New ones are not good until they've been in the house for awhile. It is not unknown for me to throw a ball for Jess only to have him eagerly run up to it, sniff it and walk away. He has his own idea of what " his" ball smells like. And if you can steal from slower moving dogs at the park: jackpot. 
I always carry something tasty in my pocket to trade for the other dog's ball,otherwise it can get embarrassing.


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## Allie (Nov 30, 2008)

My bridge girl Allie, never did retrieve. She was the best dog - very sweet and obedient - just was never interested. I would throw the ball and she would look at me as if to say "why are you throwing that ball? Are you wanting me to get that for you?" It was crazy... no retrieving for Allie. She was just a great Golden - no retriever for her. Just a beautiful Golden girl.


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## rooroch (Nov 7, 2012)

I know what you mean about the ball smelling right. Grit has a rather nasty habit of peeing on his tennis ball!! He then loves it, but I am not so keen.


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## Leslie B (Mar 17, 2011)

Like many things in training, you have to break it down into easier steps. Right now she has no idea what she is supposed to do and her natural drive has not kicked in. It does sound a little like she knows the famous keep away game!!!

Get 4-6 toys of equal value that she really likes and a very long line (I like the lightweight rope from the hardware store with a tied on clip). 

Let her drag the line so be in an area where it wont get tangled.

Throw the first toy and if she goes to it that is good. If she doesn't pick it up right away, take another toy and throw it behind you (not to the side). Again if she goes to it, that is good and don't worry about the pick up. As you are excited about the toy she will become excited. If she has not picked up one after the third throw I would run out to the toy myself. She might even race you to the toy. At this stage you are just building excitement about getting to the toy. You will have lots of toys being tossed around the yard. 

This would be a good place to stop for the first day. You don't want to ever get to the point where they are bored with the game. Leave her wanting more and pick up all the toys. Be happy as you pick them up.

Once she grabs a toy and has it in her mouth you can try to praise her back to you but most likely she wont come. After all, she has the prize and why should she give it up. She has no idea you will throw it again for her. Step on the long line and use it to reel her in. Don't worry if she drops the toy on the way back. Reel her in fast and give lots of praise. She will learn to keep a good grip on the toy later. Once she gets to you, throw another toy (away from the one she dropped) and be ready to reel her back in.

All this should be happy, fast paced and excited. Don't worry about her not doing it right. 

I would not advise having her do retrieves with other dogs to learn how. The other dogs might not want to share their prize and that can end up discouraging the retrieve. My little terrier will not bother to retrieve anything - all the big red dogs at our house have taken her toys for too many years for her to even try.

Good Luck!


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## goldlover68 (Jun 17, 2013)

Some retrievers just do not have it in them. Unless you are going for field tests/trials or hunting, not a problem. Enjoy all the added talents your Golden brings to you!


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## Wendi (Jul 2, 2012)

I personally think the retrievers who don't fetch are actually the smart ones.  Think about it, the human throws the ball, the dog runs all out to get the ball and bring the prize back, then the human throws the dagum thing again and again the dog runs all out to get the ball and bring it back and on it goes! :doh: 

Jorgee never fetched either, she would maybe a few times and then she looked at like, you threw it, YOU get it! :bowl: See, she was my smart girl! LOL! I remember when my son was young and how happy I was when he stopped knocking toys or food off his highchair and I didn't have to retrieve them anymore!! :roflmao:


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

My Buddy had no idea what a toy was let alone how to retrieve when I rescued him. Roxy my 4 pound yorkie made it her mission to teach him about toys and how to retrieve. She would bring him a toy, drop it, bark at him, and then run backwards. If he did not touch the toy she would run back up and drop it in him. As soon as he touched the toy she would bring him another one and the process continued. Buddy looked at her like she was nuts which she is! 

All of my yorkies can retrieve! But only Roxy lives for it! She is my top Gorkie! Looks like a yorkie and behaves like a golden. Once she convinced Buddy to play with toys she would them run up take the toy away from him and drop it a few feet away. She would then bark at him til he got up to get it. Buddy spent hours watching Roxy retrieve til 1 day he decided to do it himself. He ran to get the ball with Roxy at his heels- He got the ball before her! He picked it up and she started barking at him and then running back towards me. It must have taken her 10 minutes to get him to comeback to me with the ball! But he did it! The next time it took less time. Roxy coached him everyday for weeks about retrieving! Now he will retrieve but only for a max of 15 minutes before he gets bored. Roxy can and does retrieve all day.

Do you have a friend with a ball crazy dog?


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