Need Tips

[first timer]

my lab is nearly 6 months and wont play fetch :p I have tried everything and he just looks at me like a crazy person ;)

So any tips would be great thanks

[poodlefan]

my lab is nearly 6 months and wont play fetch I have tried everything and he just looks at me like a crazy person :p

So any tips would be great thanks

Have you taken him to training?

What do you mean by "he won't play fetch"? Does he chase after the thrown item? Does he collect it? Does he want to hang onto it?

[Jaxx'sBuddy]

have you tried throwing something quite close to him first or trying to tease him a bit with a toy to get him interested in it?

[first timer]

my lab is nearly 6 months and wont play fetch I have tried everything and he just looks at me like a crazy person :p

So any tips would be great thanks

Have you taken him to training?

What do you mean by "he won't play fetch"? Does he chase after the thrown item? Does he collect it? Does he want to hang onto it?

He wont do any of the above....

[Jaxx'sBuddy]

maybe he is a low drive dog

why do you want him to play fetch?

[poodlefan]

my lab is nearly 6 months and wont play fetch I have tried everything and he just looks at me like a crazy person :p

So any tips would be great thanks

Have you taken him to training?

What do you mean by "he won't play fetch"? Does he chase after the thrown item? Does he collect it? Does he want to hang onto it?

He wont do any of the above....

Have you taught him to take an article from your hand and give it back? In dogs with no natural retrieving instinct back chaining from the return to hand is usually the starting point.

Going to do some training at an obedience club would be a good idea if you aren't doing that already.

[W Sibs]

Some dogs like to play and some won't.

Not sure if this is the right way of doing it, but this is how I taught my old husky how to play fetch.

I think to get started is to get the object and run with it and puppy chases up after you. Make it like it's the fastest thing ever. Show him the object while you're running and playing. When the dog is happy and playful, you roll the ball and you run after the ball.. make the puppy follow you. If he gets the ball first (even just touch the ball), get excited and praise him like he did the best thing ever. Eventually he will see the object/ball to be a real fun thing.

Edited November 23, 2010 by CW EW

[misscoco13]

I'm not even sure how we trained our Shih Tzu to fetch but she is an awesome fetcher She always brings back her wubba (her fav toy) and anything else you throw. I guess she figured out that we would throw it again if she brought it back. Maybe try offering a treat after you throw the ball? Would that motivate your boy to bring it back?

[Guest]

Our Lab likes to chase the ball, and only sometimes brings it back but will never let it go willingly, and will only do it 2 or 3 times and thats it, but he does like to be chased after if he has something in his mouth, for instanc a milk carton or large plastic bottle.

lablove

[Nushie]

Maybe try offering a treat after you throw the ball? Would that motivate your boy to bring it back?

Treats never worked with Jager. He loves his food and once he knows you have some, he doesnt leave your side. Doesn't even notice that a ball has gone flying past his head

[sas]

Some dogs are natural retrievers and some are not.

You could train the dog to do it, if it is that important to you.

[quickbrownfox]

If you throw the toy too far, he won't be interested.

I taught my dog to fetch by:

1) Teasing him with the toy first

2) Throw the toy a short distance to keep him interested

3) If he goes to retrieve, I call him back to me

4) If he brings the toy back and let go of it when I ask him to, he gets a yummy treat

[shells]

My 2 dogs didnt care about fetch until they were 12 months old - now they are semi-obsessed! I did nothing to encourage it - just noticed my male dog taking a keen interest on our walk so next time we went to the park I took a ball and they both loved it.

[Gayle.]

Some dogs just won't.

I have one that chases and brings it back if he feels like it, but when he's had enough he takes it and lays on it (frisbee, not a ball).

Another one that chases, catches, drops it and comes back to me prancing and dancing ready for me to throw it again. There's MY exercise.

And another who chases, catches, brings it back again and again. Frisbee, ball, stick, no matter what I throw, he brings it back. I didn't teach him though, he figured it out for himself. Sometimes he brings back the other dogs things too.