Hi ,I'm new to this forum, I have 2 & a half year old cairn terrier ,& I live in the Hunter Valley , I have already taught him a few things like sit ,stay ,roll over ,I say bang & pretend to shoot him & he lays down & plays dead .but for the life of me I can not get him to fetch , sometimes he'll run after the ball & pick it up , but the he'll just run off with it , doesn't matter whether I have treats or not , other times he just ignores it ,so any ideas are gratefully received , glad to met you all , sheezza :dogbiggrin:
Hi ,I'm new
- Thread starter sheezza
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Welcome Sheezza! Does he always go for the ball, or just sometimes? If he always goes for it, but just doesn't bring it back, then work on "give" or "drop it." Have the ball in front of you, and click and treat for any interest in it. (Looking at it, nosing it, picking it up) When he picks it up, offer a treat or a more interesting toy and say, "Give." Reward him heavily when he releases the ball. If you're using treats, use a VERY high value treat. Rolled dog foods, freeze-dried liver treats, hot dogs...these are all high value treats that most dogs go crazy for.
What do you do when he runs away with the ball? If he runs away with it and you chase him around yelling, "Bring it here, bring it here!" you are accomplishing nothing. My Rottie mix looooves a game of getting the ball, making laps around the yard, and trotting back to me when I ignore him as if to say, "Okay, I'll be good, just play with me!!!" He's a goof. Anyway, when he gets the ball and brings it back, that means the game continues. Give him lots of praise when he gives it back. If he runs around with it, the game is immediately over. Ignore him entirely and walk away, perhaps into another room. Never give him any type of reward(chasing, talking, treats, etc) when he runs away with the ball. Just end the game. Start back maybe 5 minutes later and use the same rules.
Hope this helps! Welcome to the Academy!
What do you do when he runs away with the ball? If he runs away with it and you chase him around yelling, "Bring it here, bring it here!" you are accomplishing nothing. My Rottie mix looooves a game of getting the ball, making laps around the yard, and trotting back to me when I ignore him as if to say, "Okay, I'll be good, just play with me!!!" He's a goof. Anyway, when he gets the ball and brings it back, that means the game continues. Give him lots of praise when he gives it back. If he runs around with it, the game is immediately over. Ignore him entirely and walk away, perhaps into another room. Never give him any type of reward(chasing, talking, treats, etc) when he runs away with the ball. Just end the game. Start back maybe 5 minutes later and use the same rules.
Hope this helps! Welcome to the Academy!
hi cowgirl , thanks for the welcome :dogbiggrin: ,& the hints unfortunately I do all that & sometimes it works but most times it doesn't :dogwacko::, when he doesn't bring it back I ignore him . when he does he gets a treat & a big fuss:dogbiggrin: . but it's very rare
sheezza
sheezza
Then here's your next option.
If he ALWAYS runs and grabs the ball, then here's what you can do. Have him on a six foot leash and toss the ball within his reach. With an amazing treat(preferably a chunk of rolled dog food) call him to you. If he drops the ball then encourage him to grab it again. Again, this is where he should know "get it" and "drop it." Start by throwing the ball a short distance, not the full six feet. When he returns to you with the ball, click and reward. Continue this but don't let it get boring. Break it up with basic tricks or even a new one. Quit after only a few tries after a good return, and try again maybe 5-10 minutes later. Never end the session if he hasn't shown any improvement(this could even be taking a step toward you with the ball). You may need to teach "hold" so that he understands that he has to carry the ball to you. When I taught Mud how to bring me keys or a kleenex, she had to learn hold first because she hates carrying anything unless it's a toy. The classroom would really help you with a lot of this.
If he ALWAYS runs and grabs the ball, then here's what you can do. Have him on a six foot leash and toss the ball within his reach. With an amazing treat(preferably a chunk of rolled dog food) call him to you. If he drops the ball then encourage him to grab it again. Again, this is where he should know "get it" and "drop it." Start by throwing the ball a short distance, not the full six feet. When he returns to you with the ball, click and reward. Continue this but don't let it get boring. Break it up with basic tricks or even a new one. Quit after only a few tries after a good return, and try again maybe 5-10 minutes later. Never end the session if he hasn't shown any improvement(this could even be taking a step toward you with the ball). You may need to teach "hold" so that he understands that he has to carry the ball to you. When I taught Mud how to bring me keys or a kleenex, she had to learn hold first because she hates carrying anything unless it's a toy. The classroom would really help you with a lot of this.