BC Crazy Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 Hi folks, This isn't an earth shattering problem I know but would like to unravel the mystery of it if I could. My 4 year old BC girl loves playing fetch but I am at a loss as to why she behaves like she does. Firstly, she will only chase a chuck it medium size ball, no other. Not a tennis ball or any other rubber ball no matter how you throw it. So she is very fussy about her balls :laugh: Secondly if we loose her ball & need to use a new one this is a major issue with her. When I throw the new ball she runs up to it but refuses to pick it up & just pokes it around with her nose for a bit then walks back to me minus the ball It takes me a good 3 or 4 sessions to break the new ball in with her. I have tried to dirty up the ball a bit. Also rubbed my hands on it a bit etc I can tell she is extremely keen to play but she wont pick up that new ball until she is good & ready. Out of curiosity has anyone else ever had this problem? Any ideas as to how to overcome this as I am getting very tired playing fetch by myself. She is a quirky girl at the best of times. Maybe this is just another one of her oddities. Any similar stories/suggestions please???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mavis Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 What a funny girl! I have a very different breed to you, but I can confirm that my boy much prefers an old ball to a new one. It is all about the smell. However he will still happily play with a new ball... And different sizes so I can't help you there! Have you tried rubbing the old ball against a new one to transfer the stink? Maybe it is the smell of her own drool that she keen on rather than your hands/dirt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC Crazy Posted January 31, 2015 Author Share Posted January 31, 2015 Yes well Stella is a very funny girl alright. I have had BC's since childhood & now in my early 50's I have never had such a quirky ,funny & unusual girl. She is also incredibly smart. I just adore her. This retrieve thing is just another quirk to add to the collection. I would love to try your suggestion & rub the old ball against the new one but I usually lose the old ball. I have tried to let my boy retrieve her new ball first then throw it for her but NO... she just watches it go past... or she just goes & smell it. Maybe nuzzle it. Looking like she is bored as. I can't even get her to hold the new ball in her mouth for a second. But then she decides to retrieve it for reasons only known to herself. Then she will play it with such drive. She growls the whole time & returns that ball as fast as ever. Go figure... funny girl ☺ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 When I buy new dummies for retrieving training I always leave them out in the open air for a bit, mix them in with the old ones and even put them in a bag with some feathers/game to get that new smell out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC Crazy Posted January 31, 2015 Author Share Posted January 31, 2015 (edited) Interesting TSD...maybe I need to throw a few new balls in their toy box or something to get that new ball smell off. Being rubber they are quite smelly I guess. Edited January 31, 2015 by BC Crazy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeltaCharlie Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 My Cody was exactly the same, but it HAD to be one of those pimple balls with the bell inside (the bell never lasted long but had to be in there for the initial "getting to know you" stage or he wouldnt touch it). He usually only got a new one because the last one was lost or thrown over a fence so no chance of making it smell like the old one, we just had to wait it out until he decided that it was his "absolute favouritist ball EVER" and we could resume normal playing again. If only they could talk... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mavis Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 How about running several balls at once? That way when you lose one you have several nice stinky ones to to on with, and you can initiate a new ball before you lose the rest of the existing ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC Crazy Posted January 31, 2015 Author Share Posted January 31, 2015 (edited) Oh if only they could Delta Charlie. We wish... Stella does my head in at times trying to work out what makes her tick. She is very complex... She isn't alone as your Cody is the same. The frustrating part is she sooo wants to play with the new ball but I could throw it till I'm blue in the face & she just stands & watches it go by with the blankist look on her face. Then just nudges it around in disgust. Really weird isn't it. She is really drivey though. It would also help if I was a better thrower too LOL Edited January 31, 2015 by BC Crazy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC Crazy Posted January 31, 2015 Author Share Posted January 31, 2015 Yes good thinking Mavis. That is something I haven't tried. The rate I go through Chuck it balls I should perhaps get some shares ???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*kirty* Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 They are funny, aren't they! Our family dog would only play fetch if you kicked the ball. If you threw it, she would just stand there looking at you. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jemappelle Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 My cattle dog is the same. When he was younger I would be at the park searching in the grass for the tiniest piece of his old ball to put in the chucker because he wouldn't touch that new ball! :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Interesting TSD...maybe I need to throw a few new balls in their toy box or something to get that new ball smell off. Being rubber they are quite smelly I guess. It's something I was told to do from the start because you don't want a gundog developing an aversion to your new dummies! When she was younger she wasn't mad on other brands of dummies (eg when we went training with someone else) but that's just a generalisation issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC Crazy Posted February 1, 2015 Author Share Posted February 1, 2015 Kirty, funny alright If I kick a ball around Stella she cringes & gets away from me. Yet I can kick it full on at Sonny & he loves it. They harder the better. He will run around chasing it, playing soccer with me. My 2 are chalk & cheese. Jemappelle, glad I'm not the only one hunting around in the bush for ball left overs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dame Aussie Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Lili does this too. She will run around sniffing various balls and toys but only one will do. This can change on a daily basis but she does have two or three favourites. If I throw something that isn't her choice on that day she will just ignore it and drop whatever she wants me to throw. If the chosen ball/toy goes over the fence, well let's just say its an issue :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC Crazy Posted February 5, 2015 Author Share Posted February 5, 2015 :laugh: Dame Aussie... Lili sounds like Stella. They are such characters aren't they. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piper Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 1 of my first borders was a bit that way but it was more that whatever gal he picked up for that game/day was the only 1 he would play with. We tried Flyball and he would do the fist run but after that would race down and pretty much go "nope not my ball" and then go check the buckets to find "his" ball. And Jazz will only play with a blue Aussie Dog frisbee. When 1 is killed it is about a fortnight before she will retrieve the new 1 to me - apparently she doesn't like the new smell/feel :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Rusty Bucket Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 I guess the new balls can be quite pungent. My dog's favourite ball is some other dog's ball. Even if they're both chuckits. Me and the other dogs have managed to persuade her that it's a bad idea - unless I actually ask her to go get it. Strangly I can point her at some dog's abandoned ball floating out to sea and tell her to fetch it and she will. But not if it's her ball. I think part of it is training - ie the dog training you. I have to be really careful what I am rewarding with the next throw... A half baked fetch? Anticipation ie getting ahead of herself? And what can I train and use the ball throw as reward eg a really nice heel, sit stay... then get the ball... As far as messing with the new ball smell - maybe putting it through a cold cycle wash with your jeans might help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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