Flyball - Getting Him To Jump Back To Me

[Purpley]

Hi there,

Have been working on Bronsons flyball training at home, which is going well except for.....

I put the ball at the end of the 4 jumps. He happily jumps over the 4 jumps, gets the ball and then turns, and runs back to me, not jumping the jumps. If I say over, he will jump the last jump (one closest to me) but thats all.

I tried putting the jumps along the fence line to stop him from being able to run around them, and the little bugger just turned the other way.

This afternoon when DS got home from school, I was getting him to grab him at the other end, and point him back over the jumps, which was working. Should I just keep this up until he gets the message???

Also, should I not praise him, or give low level praise, when he doesn't return over the jumps???

[wherezaball]

Ok I think you need to back a few steps and backchain the behaviours until they are stronger.

An alternative is to put netting up either side but I think going back and breaking down the behaviours will give a better more realible result.

I would start back as far as sending him over one jump to get the ball and you be at that first jump to remind/guide/lure him back over the same first jump.

As he is reliable start moving back "slightly" only baby steps further away from the first jump then doing the same exercise.

As you begin to start some distance from the first jump increase the difficulty by sending him over one jump, get the ball and back over 2 jumps and reward him. Once he is reliable at that - send over one jump, get the ball and back over 3 jumps. Once he is reliable at that, send him over one jump, get the ball and back over 4 jumps. Again once he is reliable at that you can start sending him over 2 jumps and back over 2 jumps, then 3, then 4....etc this wont take as long as you think. the key to teaching flyball is firstly setting them up to succeed and secondly breaking the exercises down for the dog. Some dogs need them broken down further than others

as you are building to more and more jumps you can have them placed closer together than the standard 10 feet apart. This helps make it easier for the dog to succeed. Then as they get it you gradually move the jumps back out to the standard 10 feet apart.

Give no praise if he gets it wrong.If he gets it wrong think about how you can break it down again for the dog to make it easier.

Make sure each link in the chain is strong before you move onto the next.

Hi there,

Have been working on Bronsons flyball training at home, which is going well except for.....

I put the ball at the end of the 4 jumps. He happily jumps over the 4 jumps, gets the ball and then turns, and runs back to me, not jumping the jumps. If I say over, he will jump the last jump (one closest to me) but thats all.

I tried putting the jumps along the fence line to stop him from being able to run around them, and the little bugger just turned the other way.

This afternoon when DS got home from school, I was getting him to grab him at the other end, and point him back over the jumps, which was working. Should I just keep this up until he gets the message???

Also, should I not praise him, or give low level praise, when he doesn't return over the jumps???

[Purpley]

Thanks, I will give that a try.