Fetch Troubles

[Kindler]

Hi,

My 18 month old border terrier Jake, loves playing with tennis balls etc, but will not give them back.
This gets embarrassing in our local wood where he will chase all the other dogs toys and, if he gets there first, will not bring it to me or anyone else to throw again. If I get close he whisks the ball away at the last possible moment. I know he's enjoying teasing me as his tail is wagging frantically all the time.
We have a small lake nearby and he also enjoys swimming after sticks I have thrown in for him, but again he will not give them back for me to throw again.

I'm considering taking a muzzle on our walks so that if we come across anyone with a ball I can muzzle him so he cannot steal their ball.

Does anyone here has any suggestions as to how I can get him to let me join in his game?

Thanks in advance.

[phyllus]

My dachschund had the same tendency to take the ball and play keep-away with it. What I did was make a game out of his mealtime. I would sit with his food bowl and a ball in front of him. I took the ball and tossed it and said "bring it" while holding out a tidbit of food. He finally got the idea that he would get a food treat to return the ball. When he got that command down, I stepped up the demand a bit and added a "drop it" command to our mealtime game. He now fetches his ball reasonably well and also brings a ball to me and drops it at my feet when it's mealtime.

[Kindler]

Thanks for this.

Regards
MK

[phyllus]

How's that fetch training coming along?

[hele9001]

my beardie won't give me back the ball, so we play with 2 balls, when she nears me with the first ball, I start to goof around with the second ball, she drops the first one and I then throw the second one, she comes back and we start again, with the first ball which I picked up when she fled to get the second one. All this because she can't be bribed with food, she can't care less, nothing about food attracts her, she eats what is absolutely necessary and not one bite more.And I can assure you that I tried everything.

[Trixie]

Hi ,

my dog does the exact same thing! when she wants to play, she brings a tennis ball to me. I throw it and say "fetch! " and she goes and gets it, and doesnt return it to me. Sometimes, she drops it and sits beside it, and when i stand up (trying to get it) she grabs it and runs away! I think she likes to tease!

I learned that she is very food oriented (will go crazy for a small piece of meat or cheese! ) So im going to try that meal time thing .

So, i just want to say thanks for the fetching advice because my dog likes to tease with a ball a lot and does not like to give it back (until shes bored with it) !

[puppylove]

I have a 13 month old doxie mix named Keira, she also has trouble with the whole "fetching, bring back, and dropping". She will run after the ball/toy, but will only bring it back to me and drop it if I have treats and she gets one every time. She has just lately gotten to the point where I can pick up the toy to throw it again with out her trying to take it and run off with it.

She had been that way since I got her at 11 weeks. I have been told that this is not very uncommon in some dogs, they just don't find it necessary to give up what they have for nothing in return.

In the case of my dog, I think she is just plain stubborn! We play for a few minutes, 3 times a day. I never thought of using her food as a treat, would be able to have a longer play time because I wouldn't have to limit the treats!