Fetch

[Dame Aussie]

My girl is a fetchaholic...Started picking things up and bringing them to us when she was about 3 months old....I just want to know what exactly drives this behaviour?

All my other dogs, Anatolian, 2 Chi's and a Boxer, couldn't give a bugger but Lili is mad for it so I was just wondering......

Is it related to their prey drive? Herding instinct? (She's an Aussie) Personality? Sheer amount of energy??

What makes a dog a "Fetch" dog???

[LizT]

I have read that some breeds are more the "fetch' types than others. I think the hunting and herding dogs are very fetch orientated. I've read and noted that Spaniels love to fetch. It's interesting that some dogs will fetch but not return??!!

Both my GSD's have been big on the pursuit but not keen to give the item back, although if I ignored the old boy he'd come over and drop the ball on my lap when I was trying to read. My border Collie X Heeler couldn't give a rats and was never interested but got annoyed at the GSD when he took off after his ball and used to 'beat him up' over it!

Do all retrievers retrieve??

I worry about fetch games with young dogs as there is a lot of rapid stops.

I had a Obedience Trainer that would not allow us (her students) to play fetch ball games with our dogs (or tug games for that matter) as she said it created "Hysterical idiots".

Edited March 27, 2010 by LizT

[wuffles]

Not sure but my Aussie pup was fetching and returning the item when we got her at 12 weeks. She isn't obsessive about it, though.

My older dog (GSD x?) doesn't even look at the item you're throwing He does like to chase other dogs.

[Dame Aussie]

I have read that some breeds are more the "fetch' types than others. I think the hunting and herding dogs are very fetch orientated. I've read and noted that Spaniels love to fetch. It's interesting that some dogs will fetch but not return??!!

Both my GSD's have been big on the pursuit but not keen to give the item back, although if I ignored the old boy he'd come over and drop the ball on my lap when I was trying to read. My border Collie X Heeler couldn't give a rats and was never interested but got annoyed at the GSD when he took off after his ball and used to 'beat him up' over it!

Do all retrievers retrieve??

I worry about fetch games with young dogs as there is a lot of rapid stops.

I had a Obedience Trainer that would not allow us (her students) to play fetch ball games with our dogs (or tug games for that matter) as she said it created "Hysterical idiots".

Ah yeah, I can relate to that! Lili drops it back right into my hands every time, beacuse she wants me to throw it again!

[Jacquiboss&scoop]

Hi Aussie T

I think it is related to prey drive , if you post your question in the training section you will get a bundle of info on what drives them to chase and fetch , and how you can use this to your advantage when training other things.

thanks

[Gayle.]

Benson fetches, although he's not obsessive about it. If I throw a ball or a frisbee, he'll go after it and bring it back a few times, til he gets sick of it then he'll take it as far away from me as possible and lay on it.

Dusty is obsessive about chasing and catching the frisbee, she would do it til she dropped from exhaustion, but she doesn't bring it back. And if I throw a ball, she looks at me like I'm stupid and just waits for me to get on with it and throw the frisbee for her.

When she catches the frisbee, she keeps it in her mouth for a few paces then she spits it out deliberately and comes running back for me to do it again. Fetching the damn thing is apparently below her, and that's my job anyway.

The chasing of the frisbee, is herding instinct, I think because when we go to get it, she circles it as if she's herding sheep.

[LizT]

I have read that some breeds are more the "fetch' types than others. I think the hunting and herding dogs are very fetch orientated. I've read and noted that Spaniels love to fetch. It's interesting that some dogs will fetch but not return??!!

Both my GSD's have been big on the pursuit but not keen to give the item back, although if I ignored the old boy he'd come over and drop the ball on my lap when I was trying to read. My border Collie X Heeler couldn't give a rats and was never interested but got annoyed at the GSD when he took off after his ball and used to 'beat him up' over it!

Do all retrievers retrieve??

I worry about fetch games with young dogs as there is a lot of rapid stops.

I had a Obedience Trainer that would not allow us (her students) to play fetch ball games with our dogs (or tug games for that matter) as she said it created "Hysterical idiots".

Ah yeah, I can relate to that! Lili drops it back right into my hands every time, beacuse she wants me to throw it again!

Yes, I used to think of it as the "I don't have to get of my arse to exercise my dog" rountine.

Although I'd often lose my page and spill my drink

Edited March 27, 2010 by LizT

[labsrule]

I have read that some breeds are more the "fetch' types than others. I think the hunting and herding dogs are very fetch orientated. I've read and noted that Spaniels love to fetch. It's interesting that some dogs will fetch but not return??!!

Both my GSD's have been big on the pursuit but not keen to give the item back, although if I ignored the old boy he'd come over and drop the ball on my lap when I was trying to read. My border Collie X Heeler couldn't give a rats and was never interested but got annoyed at the GSD when he took off after his ball and used to 'beat him up' over it!

Do all retrievers retrieve??

I worry about fetch games with young dogs as there is a lot of rapid stops.

I had a Obedience Trainer that would not allow us (her students) to play fetch ball games with our dogs (or tug games for that matter) as she said it created "Hysterical idiots".

All my Labs from puppies to adults to adopted adults all love to retrieve . This is one of the things I really love about Labs as we can have so much fun with them and their natural desire to retrieve. My lab boy that I recently lost was the most retrieve obsessed of all my labs prior to my current pup and he would always have to have one of his favourite toys or balls in his mouth when he went in the car or for a walk or outing and always greeted me at the door with a toy/ball in his mouth. His most favourite outings were to the river or beach to retrieve his favourite ball from the water, or chase it along the sand as it combined two of the traits that Labradors were bred for, swimming and retrieving and I had such fantastic times with this boy with his strong love of retrieving .

My latest Lab addition, my 6mth old pup that I got as a 10 week old has also been fantastic from day one with retrieving and he has also brought the retreival toy back to me virtually from day one without any treats as temptation He also loves tug games which I play on a daily basis with him along with his retrieving games. I have recently introduced him to the river and he did what he was bred to do, just started swimming instantly and on our next visit this week I will introduce him to retrieving the floatable retrieving toys I have for him. :D

[KristenLovesLabs]

I have two Labs. Henry is 8 and he'll retrieve anything he's asked to retrieve. He always has a toy or a ball in his mouth and above everything else, this motivates him. Cara, our 8 month old puppy doesn't appear to be that interested in retrieving. She'll chase the toy/ball if you hype it up, but often actually pick it up, and rarely will she bring it back. I'm hoping she's just a silly puppy because I'd like to do retrieving with her next year.

[Greytmate]

*Waiting for somebody less tired than me to come in an explain Prey Drive Sequence properly for everyone.*

[huski]

A dog that likes to retrieve things can be doing so because they are prey driven i.e. my Siberian loves me throwing toys for him and brings them back every time so I can throw them again. He's definitely not a retrieving breed but he is prey driven and gets a lot of satisfaction from chasing and grabbing a fast moving object! Like it was mentioned in this thread in the training forum, what is driving the behaviour is usually prey drive - the dog enjoys chasing after the 'prey' and brings it back to you so they can chase it again. Although like Staranais pointed out, if the dog is just picking things up and bringing them to you it could be soliciting attention not working in prey drive.

[MolassesLass]

Benson fetches, although he's not obsessive about it. If I throw a ball or a frisbee, he'll go after it and bring it back a few times, til he gets sick of it then he'll take it as far away from me as possible and lay on it.

Dusty is obsessive about chasing and catching the frisbee, she would do it til she dropped from exhaustion, but she doesn't bring it back. And if I throw a ball, she looks at me like I'm stupid and just waits for me to get on with it and throw the frisbee for her.

When she catches the frisbee, she keeps it in her mouth for a few paces then she spits it out deliberately and comes running back for me to do it again. Fetching the damn thing is apparently below her, and that's my job anyway.

The chasing of the frisbee, is herding instinct, I think because when we go to get it, she circles it as if she's herding sheep.

Herding is modified prey drive rather than something separate.

And you know that you going to fetch the item and then throwing it again is simply the dog training you to do it's bidding, right? It's not that the dog is in capable or thinks it "beneath her" to do it.

My BCs are all fetch mad. But then, this was the only game I really knew when I first got dogs. So I trained it into the first one who encouraged the others to play this way and I was into Canine Disc so I trained very specifically for this behaviour. I think it's such an easy reward fix for many dogs because owners expect it and it invovles little effort on their part.

My Bullmastiff is not so keen though. He will chase the frisbee once or twice but I think he does it because he sees the others having fun and he stops because he soon remembers that he doesn't actually care. He's not interested in tug either, won't even shut his mouth over something. He likes to chase and barge into people for his games.

Edited March 28, 2010 by molasseslass

[huski]

Benson fetches, although he's not obsessive about it. If I throw a ball or a frisbee, he'll go after it and bring it back a few times, til he gets sick of it then he'll take it as far away from me as possible and lay on it.

Dusty is obsessive about chasing and catching the frisbee, she would do it til she dropped from exhaustion, but she doesn't bring it back. And if I throw a ball, she looks at me like I'm stupid and just waits for me to get on with it and throw the frisbee for her.

When she catches the frisbee, she keeps it in her mouth for a few paces then she spits it out deliberately and comes running back for me to do it again. Fetching the damn thing is apparently below her, and that's my job anyway.

The chasing of the frisbee, is herding instinct, I think because when we go to get it, she circles it as if she's herding sheep.

Herding is modified prey drive rather than something separate.

And you know that you going to fetch the item and then throwing it again is simply the dog training you to do it's bidding, right? It's not that the dog is in capable or thinks it "beneath her" to do it.

I agree, sounds like she has you well trained GayleK

[huga]

Harry (pug x GSD) is fetch obsessed. And I mean obsessed. Anyone who has met him will understand. He doesn't stop. If he can't find a ball, frisbee or toy, he will find the tiniest scrap of rubber or skin of a tennis ball and ask me to throw it. It's crazy.

[huski]

Harry (pug x GSD) is fetch obsessed. And I mean obsessed. Anyone who has met him will understand. He doesn't stop. If he can't find a ball, frisbee or toy, he will find the tiniest scrap of rubber or skin of a tennis ball and ask me to throw it. It's crazy.

He's got so much potential!

[MolassesLass]

Benson fetches, although he's not obsessive about it. If I throw a ball or a frisbee, he'll go after it and bring it back a few times, til he gets sick of it then he'll take it as far away from me as possible and lay on it.

Dusty is obsessive about chasing and catching the frisbee, she would do it til she dropped from exhaustion, but she doesn't bring it back. And if I throw a ball, she looks at me like I'm stupid and just waits for me to get on with it and throw the frisbee for her.

When she catches the frisbee, she keeps it in her mouth for a few paces then she spits it out deliberately and comes running back for me to do it again. Fetching the damn thing is apparently below her, and that's my job anyway.

The chasing of the frisbee, is herding instinct, I think because when we go to get it, she circles it as if she's herding sheep.

Herding is modified prey drive rather than something separate.

And you know that you going to fetch the item and then throwing it again is simply the dog training you to do it's bidding, right? It's not that the dog is in capable or thinks it "beneath her" to do it.

I agree, sounds like she has you well trained GayleK

Which is fine if it's fine with the owner of course.

[huski]

Which is fine if it's fine with the owner of course.

Of course, my dog has me well trained, he knows all he has to do is bring the toy back to me to get me to throw it for him. Sometimes he'll even intentionally knock it in a place he can't reach it so I come out and 'rescue' it for him

[wuffles]

My older dog isn't interested in any ball or toy I throw, he's never retrieved anything in his life. However, he does have a high prey drive, he likes to chase other dogs and I wouldn't put him anywhere near other small fluffy creatures. Is there an explanation for this?

[MolassesLass]

I'd guess that he doesn't see the toys as prey (which is totally understandable - they aren't). Did you get him as a pup? Did you attempt to teach him to fetch as a pup?

Edited March 28, 2010 by molasseslass

[huski]

My older dog isn't interested in any ball or toy I throw, he's never retrieved anything in his life. However, he does have a high prey drive, he likes to chase other dogs and I wouldn't put him anywhere near other small fluffy creatures. Is there an explanation for this?

Dogs can learn to get drive satisfaction through particular objects/things. This can depend on how we develop their drive and what they learn to get drive satisfaction from.

My Siberian is really prey driven (in fact he caught and killed a bat that came into our yard last night) and he goes nuts for squeaky toys or any toy I throw for him but he will not play tug with me. This is because I taught him inadvertently that the best way to get drive satisfaction is to wait for me to throw an object for him. If I had developed his 'tug' drive from puppy hood instead of teaching him manners (he has always been raised not to grab anything from our hands) then I am sure he would be into tugging.

Is chasing other dogs the only time he likes to chase things? Or would he be likely to chase and grab/kill a small animal?