aussielover Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 I need some help with this. My lab brings the ball back but then won't release the ball. I have to get it out of her mouth- she is fine with this and will happily release it once I go to take it from her mouth. Unfortunately, it is covered in dirt and saliva (and any other nasty thing it may have rolled in) so I would prefer it if she could just drop the ball at my feet and then I could kick it or use one of those ball thrower things. I have tried a number of methods - exchanging the ball for a treat: doesn't usually work and she will be uninterested in the treat or grab the treat and quickly try to also grab the ball, so its like a race to see who can get the ball first! - waiting until she has dropped the ball to throw/kick it- doesn't work either as she will hold onto it for several minutes or wander off and drop it in the bushes or something Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlc Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 Hi Are you going to be doing obedience with your Lab? I just know in our critera with the fetching part the dog has to hold the ball in its mouth and you have to take it so what she already does is ideal. But I get where your coming from re the dirt slobber etc. I have a ball obsessed girl I do obedience with (not formal) so still prefer to take the ball from her but my OH hates taking it out of her mouth when its filthy precious princess that he is. so he just taps the ball thrower on the ground where he wants her to drop it and with some reluctance she drops it at his feet. She will do this so much easier if the other dogs aren't around every time but with some trepidation if the others are there too which is mostly always. To get her to do this initially he just ignored her and eventually she just got it that he wasnt going to throw the ball untill she put it on the ground for him to pick up with the thrower. Sorry not much help but this worked for him. I still think if she is bringing the ball to you and you can take it, add a command as you take it and eventually she will drop it in your hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bedazzledx2 Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 Tic is right...if you are going to do obedience then you really don't want to encourage her to drop it at your feet. nothing more demoralizing than doing a terrific round and have an article or dumbbell dumped at your feet!!!! What's a bit of slobber anyway...suffer for your art :rofl: On the other hand if you are not bothered about obedience then by all means teach a 'drop it' command. If she is clicker savy you could click and she should drop it in order to get her treat. If you haven't used the clicker then do a bit of fun stuff first so she gets that a click will always get a treat and she will anticipate which is exactly what you want. I need some help with this. My lab brings the ball back but then won't release the ball. I have to get it out of her mouth- she is fine with this and will happily release it once I go to take it from her mouth. Unfortunately, it is covered in dirt and saliva (and any other nasty thing it may have rolled in) so I would prefer it if she could just drop the ball at my feet and then I could kick it or use one of those ball thrower things. I have tried a number of methods - exchanging the ball for a treat: doesn't usually work and she will be uninterested in the treat or grab the treat and quickly try to also grab the ball, so its like a race to see who can get the ball first! - waiting until she has dropped the ball to throw/kick it- doesn't work either as she will hold onto it for several minutes or wander off and drop it in the bushes or something Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 Exchange for a treat has always worked for me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vickie Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 Is ball throwng just a game you play or is it a reward for the dog? Does the dog initiate the game or do you? The first thing I would do is intensify the dogs drive for the ball. the more desire the dog has for the ball, the easier it will be to train to do what you want, using the ball. I understand that substituting treats or another toy works, but I prefer to use a combination of the dogs desire,some patience, my own body language & good timing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussielover Posted June 5, 2011 Author Share Posted June 5, 2011 Hi guys, thanks for your repsonses, We don't do obedience trialling and I don't think we will in future. Though I think in retrieving trials they aren't supposed to drop the item either- and I was thinking about getting into that? Do you think it would confuse the dog if in one situation she has to drop it and in another keep it? I would say her natural instinct is to hold the item though. Using a clicker is something I hadn't though of For some reason exchange for treats doesn't always work - odd because usually she will sell her soul for food. And also there is the problem of not having treats= not dropping ball. I just play fetch with her as exercise, I suppose I usually initiate the game because I carry the ball? How do you intensify desire for the ball? I think she enoys playing tug or chasey more than ball fetching... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edmond d Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 I'll be getting my puppy in about 5 weeks, and I've been watching this bloke: http://www.youtube.com/user/tab289#p/search/7/Ccw1uwvbx00 have you seen this? I can't say whether it works or not, but very interesting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staranais Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 I need some help with this. My lab brings the ball back but then won't release the ball. I have to get it out of her mouth- she is fine with this and will happily release it once I go to take it from her mouth. Unfortunately, it is covered in dirt and saliva (and any other nasty thing it may have rolled in) so I would prefer it if she could just drop the ball at my feet and then I could kick it or use one of those ball thrower things. I have tried a number of methods - exchanging the ball for a treat: doesn't usually work and she will be uninterested in the treat or grab the treat and quickly try to also grab the ball, so its like a race to see who can get the ball first! - waiting until she has dropped the ball to throw/kick it- doesn't work either as she will hold onto it for several minutes or wander off and drop it in the bushes or something Agree with those posters that suggest teaching her to give the ball, rather than to drop it. If she's not giving the ball to you, either she doesn't understand the idea that giving the ball to you restarts the game, or she values having the ball more than she values chasing it. Playing two balls might help with this. Also, playing with a ball on a rope (and having a little tug when she brings it back, then teaching an "out" as you would teach on a tug) might help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussielover Posted June 5, 2011 Author Share Posted June 5, 2011 Yeah a ball on a rope could work! Thanks staranais! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staranais Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 Can be difficult to teach a nice quick out on a ball (as it is difficult to hold the ball completely still until the dog lets go), so might be an idea to introduce the command "out" on a tug before transferring it to the ball. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussielover Posted June 5, 2011 Author Share Posted June 5, 2011 she is quite good about giving the ball up- i just want to avoid touching the slobbery ball if at all possible But teaching an out command is also a good idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PetSitters Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 Can be difficult to teach a nice quick out on a ball (as it is difficult to hold the ball completely still until the dog lets go), so might be an idea to introduce the command "out" on a tug before transferring it to the ball. Good luck! Yes, I was just about to suggest to teach the out on a tug first I had to teach my young one not to drop the ball without an "out" command it would end up in the toilet, in the washing machine on top of poo you were picking up at the time, in your cup of tea etc etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dee lee Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 Have you tried two balls? When she brings back one, throw the other and with luck she will drop the first to chase the second. Honey loves fetch and always drops it for me, but I cant take credit for that- she obviously knew how to do it prior to coming to us. However, she used to always drop it a bit too far from me for my liking. So I taught her to "get it" and "bring it here". I am an absolute numbnuts about training :p , but I waited her out until she realised I wasnt going to go get the ball myself, then when she went to the ball I told her to "get it". Took a little while but she now does it perfectly. I think its a kind of shaping? (like I said- clueless... ) I imagine the same strategy would work with dropping the ball? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chezy Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 Chopper brings back the ball and drops it , I used a 2nd ball, when they see the 2nd ball they drop the 1st to chase it , may work for you. Other way is to just wait them out if they want to get it tossed they drop it m then imediate say drop/give[ whatever word u want to use ] and reward . he does obed , well did til I got bored with it and held the dumbell , it didn;t seem to confuse him, he learnt the dumbell after fetching and dropping for years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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