# dont wont return ball in fetch



## autoflavour (Jan 10, 2008)

heya..

just wondering if anyone has any advice about getting a dog to return a ball.
i have a 2 year old lab cross kelpie and she LOVES chasing the ball.. but will only ever bring it back half of the way.

she obviously wants me to chase her for it, but thats not the game im wanting to play..

if i walk away, she will follow me, but as soon as i turn around, she stops again.. but always at least 3-4 meters away.


anyone have any hints on how to get her to complete the process..

i hear that its not uncommon for dogs not return balls.. but surely there must be some method for encouraging them.

apart from this, she is otherwise well trained.. sits, rolls, walks off leash, speaks etc.. all on command. its just this fetch she is only half getting.



cheers
tom


----------



## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

I hope you get some responses. My dog does somethint similar in that she will chase and return the ball and about 3 feet away drop it and come to me w/o the ball.  

I have been using the clicker and started to microshape her to pick up a toy and bring it to me.. (without the throw.. just placing the toy on the ground) and she will pick it up but drops it immediately and does not carry it. I have strated to clcik and treat ner now only when she picks it up and makes any move towards me.. even if it is only to look at me.. with the toy in her mouth. 

I have had to work very hard to get her to play tug with me as well.. but putting the toy on a rope has helped with that a LOT. 

Releasing the toy is never an issue with my dog. Not keeping it long enough to release it to me is.


----------



## TooneyDogs (Aug 6, 2007)

Get a 2nd ball. Throw the 1st one...let her chase it/get it/bring it part way back....then show her the one you have in your hand. Shake it, wave it, make the one you're holding 'better'. When she drops hers, even if it's 10 feet away...throw the one you're holding. Pick up the one she dropped and repeat the process. You're teaching her that if she drops it, she will always get it back. Once she catches on to the game and is dropping the ball close to you, you can try going down to just the one ball. You can also start to use the drop it or give command during the game.


----------



## rogueslg71 (Dec 6, 2007)

use a long or flexi leash and throw it, then if the dog stops, quickly tug to pull them in (not pulling/dragging in, but tugging to get the dog coming), run backwards too and be exciting. once they get to you (right at your feet, must be less than 6 inches away everytime), give thema treat in exchange for the ball. eventually they will come all the way back and drop the ball. . make sure you give thema quick tug as soon as they dont have an intention of coming all the way back. i had to do this before probably for a like a week before she would come all the way to get the ball and all the way back to me before i could tug. then i take her off the leash and play a few times, then back on the leash until she was consistent. also i used better treats when she was off leash to encourage her more.


----------



## MegaMuttMom (Sep 15, 2007)

We do it by trading the ball for a treat. We use the commands bring and give and for the treat, he will give the ball directly to our hand, no bending over involved  Without the treat, he would rather eat the ball, he is not a natural retriever. Now, he is beginning to bring the ball just for the fun of it and we can play fetch without treats from time to time.


----------



## all4thedogs (Sep 25, 2006)

We did the trading for a treat thing too. Worked like a charm. Dog brings back ball gets a treat. We used yummy treats like hotdogs. 

You can also teach commands like "hold it", "get it", "bring it" etc to help


----------

