Frisbee Flop

[Discussing Labradoodles & Goldendoodles]

Do any of you have doodles that are either not interested or just severely.... let's think of a nice way to say this... incompetent at catching toys? I have had other dogs before that were Border Collies and constantly wanted to play catch, which could get annoying at times, but I enjoyed the interaction and getting them the exercise. We have bought a few frisbees and balls to throw for Holly and she will let the frisbee fly right past her face or run for it while it is in the air and then lose interest when it lands. When I tried throwing it directly to her she just stood there and let it bounce off of her face (she got a sincere apology after I stopped cracking up!). I know each dog has their own personality and that Holly may just not be a frisbee or tennis ball kind of gal, but I was wondering if there was any way to try to get her more interested... or to show her what I am trying to do when I keep throwing the ball and having to run into the field and fetch it myself (I am sure she is very amused to sit back and watch me LOL). So any tips about how you got yours interested could be helpful :)

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Ned does NOT care to run after something you throw. He feels that if you throw something, you can chase it yourself!  He is above petty ball chasing games!

Clancy, on the other hand, enjoys fetching.  He is extremely polite about it though, and will not try to get the ball if another dog goes after it.

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

Cooper loves to play fetch and will catch the ball if we tell her "ready, ready..... catch!" but it took her a LONG time to learn that. If we throw the ball and she chases it she can occasionally catch it on a rebounce. The frisbee she NEVER catches, even if we do the "ready, ready..... catch!" it just hits her in the face!

 

She used to loose interest when she was a pup, and sometimes still will if we are in a park (too many distractions) but in our yard she will play fetch for hours if we let her.

[Camilla and Darwin]

Darwin isn't the best catcher or fetcher. He will fetch short distances, IF he is in the mood. As far as actually catching a frisbee or another toy, forget about it! I know it's not lack of coordination because he catches food thrown to him perfectly, every time. He just doesn't care to try unless it's food. LOL!

[Gail+Kathleen,(Sydney+Olivia:)]

Our Doodle Olivia had trouble catching the frisbee at first.  She would actually run for it and miss it.  Then, she must have been observing our Doodle Sydney (who we think is a real Frisbee champion).  Sydney will jump 4 feet into the air to catch the Frisbee.  She does a 180 degree turn to catch it.  Sydney catches the Frisbee 90% of the time.  We enjoy watching how agile she is (sorry, we have to brag a bit about our Sydney).  Well, within a few months of watching Sydney, Olivia began catching the Frisbee.  She still looks like a spaz at times but she tries.  Maybe if you take Holly to a park where other dogs are playing Frisbee, she may begin to imitate them.  It's amazing how they watch other dogs and learn from them.

[Lesley, Wellington & Bingley]

 

I fostered a doodle that was so completely goofy he couldn't catch a thing! And the funny part was that he would try so hard. The bouncy ball was a side-splitter. I would throw the ball, he would jump to catch it and as it came down - he would go up and as it went up he would come down.

 

Hilarious!

[Ron Carnes]

Zack loves to play fetch but he can't catch anything. It is quite funny to watch his lack of coordination.

[Lorraine Bromley]

Neely has a problem with the catching idea as well. But he loves the chase and the retrieving part. He can RARELY catch his tug when it is thrown from very closely. A doodle dud!

[F, Calla & Luca]

I have a catcher nd a let it hit me in the face girl. Calla has managed to catch a ball one or twice but she really is uninterested. Luca could earn a good living catching if someone would pay him.

[Dot, Maggie and KoKo]

We have three doodles in the family. Rosie is the champion ball player.  From the time she was a pup she loved balls and learned (on her own) how to roll the ball back to you using her nose. The kids could sit on the floor with her, roll a ball to her and she would hit it back.  This led to throwing the ball and either fetching it or catching it.  She can actually  "throw" the ball to you.  Balloons are especially fun for her since they float so nicely when she noses them in the air.  A real ball lover.

 

Her half sister, Maggie, has never returned a ball.  She will go after it one time and then just go off and drop it.

 

KoKo also shows little interest in balls.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Neither of our girls are frisbee or ball lovers.  Lucy will fetch a few times in the house, but never outside.  Think there's just too many other things to get into outside to be bothered to chase a ball.  That and they have each other to chase which is their favorite past time.