# Retrieving?



## rictic (Feb 16, 2009)

RavenWolf said:


> Does anyone have any suggestions on how I could go about getting Benny to understand that he is a Golden _Retriever_. Not a Golden, _run after the ball, sniff it, and comeback without it_ dog. :doh:


 
ha ha ha . what is that? a new type of breed?

sorry got know suggestions but i just loved the way you described him.


----------



## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

You have a Golden Deceiver 

I think some is flat out genetics, some is conditioning, and some improve with age. My Rachel Golden didn't retrieve reliably until she was over a year of age. Then she became pretty good at it. Our current Golden, Francine, only recently is any good. My last foster kind of messed her up, being so pushy and aggressive about the ball, but she's getting back into it now.


----------



## FishinBuddy (Nov 20, 2008)

I would say keep on throwing the ball. When and if the dog comes back with the ball praise and treat the dog. Maybe eventually the dog will learn that brining back the ball is a good thing.


----------



## *~Pry&Kasper~* (Dec 25, 2008)

I know what you mean!! Kasper does the same thing....sometimes he brings it but not to close for me to grab and then he runs away with it again...:doh: I'm like why does he do that  he wants me to run after it I guess  uhm I am the kind of run after the dog retriever human lol :bowl:


----------



## FishinBuddy (Nov 20, 2008)

*~Pry&Kasper~* said:


> I know what you mean!! Kasper does the same thing....sometimes he brings it but not to close for me to grab and then he runs away with it again...:doh: I'm like why does he do that  he wants me to run after it I guess  uhm I am the kind of run after the dog retriever human lol :bowl:


I would never give chase to the dog....you can completely ruin a recall (unfortunately I know from experience). In your case I would demand the ball and if the dog wanted to play chase either turn and go inside or make the dog chase YOU.


----------



## Thor0918 (Feb 28, 2008)

FishinBuddy said:


> I would never give chase to the dog....you can completely ruin a recall (unfortunately I know from experience). In your case I would demand the ball and if the dog wanted to play chase either turn and go inside or make the dog chase YOU.


That's true but it is awful funny when it's someone elses dog


----------



## martinrt (Jun 24, 2008)

Tell me about it. Allee would run after, sniff or simply stop the ball, and take off somewhere else. She recently had a moment of clarity at 1.5 yrs where she brought the ball back about 10 times in a row. AMAZING. She now will chase the ball, bring it 80% back, drop it, and come to me wanting me to throw the ball (the ball she left about 20 feet behind her). She's definitely getting better though. For her I think she's starting to get over the idea that there's always something better just a bit more off in the distance and realizes she likes chasing the ball. I think she'll have it down in no time. She brings everything I throw back inside, but outside is still just a bit too interesting for her to want to come back to me. Aston who is 9 months just chases the ball and runs around like a bucking bronco with the ball in his mouth.


----------



## *~Pry&Kasper~* (Dec 25, 2008)

FishinBuddy said:


> I would never give chase to the dog....you can completely ruin a recall (unfortunately I know from experience). In your case I would demand the ball and if the dog wanted to play chase either turn and go inside or make the dog chase YOU.


 
yes your right, as soon as I go "bye Kasper" he runs back :bowl: but we are still working on recall mmmh so thats why it takes so long for him to get it lol :


----------



## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

There's a few things you can do...

When you're in the house, ignore him unless he has a toy in his mouth - the second he gets a toy praise him, pet him, tell him how wonderful he is. If he drops it, then go back to ignoring him. Soon he'll be grabbing a toy so you can see him (humans are silly that way, they can't see dogs unless they have a toy in their face).

When you throw something for him at the park, if he doesn't go looking for it, you can go looking for it and make a fuss over the item (so don't toss it too far at first). You may even want to go and 'beat' him to the item so your dog doesn't get it (humans are very odd) - soon he'll want to get it because you got it first. Don't overdo it though. You can also put that item on a shelf so your dog doesn't have it (or any toys for that matter) and then take it down, play with it yourself and put it back on the shelf without sharing it with your dog. Yes, it may look odd to be talking to a tennis ball, but your dog will also start to wonder what the big deal is with it.

Then, when he's quite interested in the ball, and getting the idea that you like to see him with a ball in his mouth, you can go toss a ball in the park. Ideally he'll run and get it and pick it up to show you. Then you can either have another one ready to throw for him (so you're not taking 'his' away but giving him another one), or turn and start walking away - so when he picks up the ball he realizes you're leaving, he should start to follow you, do the whole 'wonderful dog with a ball in the mouth' routine when he shows you the ball.

Don't chase him with the ball, or take the ball away from him, or overdo it. It's better at first to toss the ball 3-4 times, praise like crazy and then stop, before he gets tired and annoyed with the whole thing.

Lana


----------



## John G (Dec 27, 2008)

Good Suggestions Lana! What age is the dog? If too old you may have to use the Kohler method (force fetch) if the dog shows no interest. 

If the dog shows any interest in objects, I would try to find something like an old athletic sock. Start off by teasing the dog with it. Swish it on the ground in front of the dog while encouraging it. Let the dog grab it and play a mild game of tug-o-war. After the prey drive kicks in and the dog wants to grab it you can start tossing it a short distance. The best place for this is in a hallway with all doors shut. 

Dogs want to take their prey object and retreat with it to their "safe area". This is the place the dog feels safe and goes to when it feels threatened or afraid. Such places as under tables or beds or in kennels. They have such places both inside and outside. Identifying them makes initial retreiver training much easier.

Tease the dog and then toss the object just a few feet at first. Position yourself between the dog and the "safe area" and toss. Slowly lengthen the retrieves while being mindful to stop while the dog still wants more. Put up the object and treat the dog calmly when not attempting to retrieve.

You want the dog to think that this retrieving stuff is the neatest thing ever......and it is!

A good and simple DVD is Jackie Merten's "Sound Beginnings". It will help any beginning retriever get started on the right foot/paw.


John


----------



## RavenWolf (Feb 20, 2009)

He's a bit over a year and a half. He has the motions right, in that he will run after the ball, (touch it with his nose) and he will run right back to me. He just can't seem to figure out the concept of picking up the ball and bringing it back with him.  

Thanks for all the suggestions! I'm going to give them a try. Hopefully one of them will work. At least now I know its not just him. I was starting to wonder, as I had never encountered another dog that didn't to some point understand how to fetch.


----------



## z24pride (May 13, 2008)

LOL, Boone use to do this.... 
The hunting instructor said to praise to the high heavens when you call him and he comes back.... without the bumper... What the instructor did 2-3 times would slowly creep up to the bumper and at the last minute quickly nab it up and hide it...And start over
Like i said it only took a few times then Boone had to get it asap..lol 
Now he absolutely loves his bumper and will retrieve to hand 95% of the time..
maybe a better toy? or attach a wing to a bumper or something?? or some Scent on a toy(duck scent etc) to make it a high value...
Sorry i find it funny but I can picture your dog doing this, since I went through it...

Good Luck,
Kristen


----------



## RavenWolf (Feb 20, 2009)

YEAH! he's figured it out!! I used the suggestion where I make a big fuss over him when he has a ball in his mouth so he started bringing the ball back a couple of times. Then just now I was out back on the porch swing and he actually picked up a ball from the yard and brought it to mt to throw and he brought it back like 5 times in a row!!!


----------



## Auburnjeepster (Oct 24, 2008)

If your throwing the ball all the time he will lose intrest. My 2 Golden goose hunt and they maybe dummy retrieve 10-15 throws a month tops when not in the feild. Dont let him see the ball for a week or two, than try to get in about 3 or 4 good returns and stop. dont let him get bored. 

I can throw the Bumper 100 times and Dakoda will always bring it back but Konan had about 10 in him then he looks at me like "why dont you go get it" lol


----------

