Retrieving From Inside To Outside.

[Ali]

So, Lola is the best little retriever when she is inside. However, once we go outside it is like she has never retrieved anything before. I throw it and she runs to it and goes straight over it, as if it was not even there. She likes to play with pine cones or sticks more than she is interested in her toys. Any suggestions on how to get her to start retrieving outside of the house?

[Adina P]

My opinion on retrieving is that quite often (unless a dog is SUPER motivated and rarely distracted) is that it needs to be taught as any other skill/obedience command. I think merely relying on a dog's retriever background isn't enough. You might need to teach all the parts to her officially: pick up, hold, bring back, drop...teach them separately and string them together when each is solid.???

[Tamara & Giada]

We put a treat inside a tennis ball, and the only way for her to get it was to bring it to us. As soon as she realized this the feched well. Then just begin to ween her off the treat,

[Adrianne Matzkin]

Put a little peanut butter on the ball. Not enough for her to lay down and lick it off but enough for the scent. Start tossing the ball just a couple of feet and not high so she can keep her eye on it. When she picks it up give major verbal praises. If she brings it back to you, give her a super special treat (chicken, cheese...) The thought is bringing the ball to you is worth it because she is getting that treat. I would also use the verbal commands once she 'gets' the idea - go get it, ball, whatever you want to use. Once she starts to bring it to you, make her 'drop it' - then the treat.

Once you get that down perfectly and you are ready for distance, put a long lead on. When she picks the ball up. give a little tug on the leash and as she starts coming to you, reel her in. then 'drop it' and then treat.

'Drop it' is also a life saving command - sticks, pine cones, clothes, andthing else you don't want her to have.

Remember, this is supposed to be fun for her -work for you now and a lifetime of fun for you both. This will not be an overnight process but so worth it. Good Luck and have fun!!!!

[Richard Crowe]

Holly does not retrieve either... She will occasionally play fetch with a rubber squeak toy in the house but, could care less about retrieving outside. Even when our daughter's Labrador, Shadow, visits us, Holly doesn't fetch. Shadow is a fetching machine and would fetch a ball in our big yard until she drops from exhaustion if we played that long with her. Holly, will run after the ball, along with Shadow, the first one or two times and then, being a smart Doodle, she realizes that Shadow will retrieve the ball FOR HER and will wait until Shadow brings back the ball to us.

It is an absolute shame since we have a wonderful big (one acre) fenced yard that is just perfect for fetching. Fetching is a fun way to give a dog exercise.

I have even tried peanut flavored balls:

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2751749

In the past, I have trained dogs to drop the ball at the end of the retrieve by using two identical tennis balls. I throw one and hold the other behind my back, After the dog brings the first ball, I throw the second ball. This usually causes the dog to drop ball #1 and retrieve ball #2. I then pick up the first ball and repeat the procedure. After a while, depending on the dog's intellect, it will begin dropping the fetched ball in anticipation of the throw. It doesn't work with Holly because she doesn't fetch the darn ball in the first place.

By the way, I really like the plastic Chuckit throw sticks available in pet supply stores. I don't have to bend to pick up a sloppy saliva soaked tennis ball and it makes throwing the ball a lot easier.

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3207014