[gstuart]

hiya, candy is now coming up to being 5 months old, funny thing is she wont really play with a ball, if i throw a ball missy goes to get it, candy is then interested in trying to bite missys back leg.

missy has always tried to pinched candys toys.

was wondering if i can do anything, is she not playing with her ball etc because missy nearly always pinches everything candy has tried to pick up.

or is it because she is simply not interested in toys, have tried a ball, rope, different coloured toys,

was wondering if other people here have had the same experiance, just thought it may be instinct for a dog to chase a ball

any thoughts or suggestions please

all the best

gary

 

[_Sam_]

i'd try playing with them seperately so she gets a chance to interact with you by herself and pile on the praise when she does play etc

 

[Moj]

As you say, it might be because she's learned that your other dog always nicks the toy from her, so she's decided just not to bother with them.

I haven't had this issue with Bracken, but I did have problems with her not retrieving.... she'd bog off with the toy/ball. What worked for me was to buy a brand new toy. Something she was really interested in (for her it was a sausage shaped soft toy), but something like a pair of rolled up socks can be good too....esp if they're not clean ones!! I didn't give the toy to her, but I got it out every day and did the whole "ooooh what's this? what is it??? You want it? WANT it???? You're not getting it' and then I'd chuck it up and down, catch it myself, and put it away. Rinsed and repeated. Then one day, I lobbed it, and she picked it up. I'm working on encouraging her to hold, so loads of praise for picking up and holding it.

At the obedience club I go to, there are quite a few dogs who just aren't that interested in play. Some things they do is finding an item like a glove or a sock, and hiding some food in it, and then slinging the toy. Over time, they gradually phase out the food component.

 

[gstuart]

thanks for that, i like the idea of the new toy, she has on occassion picked up a teddy , but before i know it missy has pinched it,if candy has it and i call her she drops it straight away

how can i teach her to hold and bring it back, i imagine would i have to start to get her to play with it first, but just wondering how i can get her to hold

i tried different toys but she wasnt really interested in that

i just thought it would be nice for her and me when throwing a ball they both go and chase it, having fun and exercise

with missy it started when she kept picking up apples from the ground, and just said what you got, show me, she didnt at first, as she gave them up gave her a treat, now if i say what you got she wags her tail and comes straight to me, thats in the garden that is, dont think it would work outside,????

but with candy its a totally different story.

all the best

gary

 

[jazzsmum]

Like us, dogs have different preferences. Snowie isn't ball-orientated, Jazz will bring it back and give when asked, but Feather bogs off home with it, puts it on the floor in front of the sofa and comes back out into the field (really takes her ball home). Queen loved walking around with a stuffed toy in her mouth, (and Que had a penchant for remote controls which she chewed to bits). Feather chews mobile phones to pieces if she can get hold of them. I have had to learn the hard way on that one.

All part of the rich tapestry of everyday life.

 

[gstuart]

ouch concerning the remote controls and mobile phones, i was thinking if they swallowed the remote, would have been bad them chaging channels when ever they hic-up.lololol

i suppose ive never given it much thought, but really only just started to notice candy doesnt seem at all bothered, she does on occassion pick up her teddy.

thanks for the advice, most appreciated

all the best

gary

 

[Silke]

Moj, that is a great idea with the new toy that they're not allowed for a while!!! Buddy will run after a ball or toy that we throw but then just nudge it with his nose as if to say "here it is, I found it" and then won't pick it up and just wander off.
We're trying to teach him "hold" so that maybe that will help with retrieving. Just every time he carries one of his toys around the flat now I praise him for a good hold. No idea if it will work though!

 

[jazzsmum]

Gary, Que went through 9 remote controls before the "kids" (youngest is 19) learnt to put them out of reach.... expensive at £15 a go.

Feather's had a few phones. Worst occasion was last year in the middle of Somerset on holiday, when I was staying in Gloucestershire and expecting friends over for the weekend at a place in the middle of nowhere, but half a mile in from the gate on the road, and not knowing when they were coming... not even whether they were coming friday or saturday. I had to race from Somerset to find a shop where one of them worked, in a small town. Had to ask where the shop was when I reached the town, to find she wasn't in work that day. I explained to her boss, showed him the phone and offeding dog, mutter the words "Lab forums" and his eyes looked to the heavens and he bellowed laughing..... and rang her st home! Phew all was sorted, and I had to drive like a bat out of hell to meet the first person arriving at the gate 20 miles away in about half an hour's time. And my dear friend brought me over her old phone, all charged up and ready to put my simcard in. How lovely is that? But Feather's still in the dog house over that episode.

So you see, they all have their own interests, like we do.

 

[Moj]

Well Gary - this is what I did (after advice from LF members - you know who you are :wink: :lol:

I got the new toy. Tantalised her with it for a few days (as described above) and then when I chucked it for her (in the living room) and she picked it up, I sat down on the floor, arms wide open, whittering like a demented budgie about "whadda goooood girrrrrrl" she was and as she ambled over to me, I got right down on her level and stroked her back and her side and told her how clever she was. When she got fed up, walked away, dropped the toy etc, I totally stopped all the praise and got up and walked away.

Rinse and repeat a couple of times a day. Before long, she'll be trotting round the house beside you holding it. Well, that's the idea anyway. Bracken is getting there, but still has her moments!

What about maybe 'find it games' with her too? Put one dog out of the room, and with the other, hide a toy/treat, and then tonnes of praise when she finds it?

 

[Luna-Tuck]

Hi Gary!

We used the 2 methods Mo has outlined above from when Luna was tiny because I was determined to have a dog to play fetch with after being so disappointed when a child that my aunt's RETRIEVER didn't retrieve!! :lol: :lol:

Just one thing I thought extra as I read your post - Luna's new lab x pal down the road is rather bigger, quicker and more muscley so tends to beat Luna to the ball when we play or if Luna does manage to get the ball she's not happy!! I now have 2 balls when we go out so that as the stronger dog is chasing the first I can throw the 2nd ball slightly less far so Luna can collect a ball too!!! Sometimes this results in a bit of ball swapping as the other dogs ball is always better but means that both get part of the action!!

I'd try a stinky pair of socks rolled up to practice hold as Luna loves parading around with them!!