Doodle doesn't play ball, what now?

[Candace Lockett]

My Labradoodle has no interest in retrieving balls or otherwise. He's 9 mos old, and does love to run. When we take him out in the evenings to the local ball field to run off leash, we can't think of what to play with him! Running by himself gets boring, and we're not fast enough to really exercise him! But he won't run after anything else. Any suggestions on good, aerobic games for him?

[Candace Lockett]

What a great photo!

[Adrianne Matzkin]

What a memory for your daughter to have always!!

[Jessica]

We almost forced our dog to learn to retrieve by rolling a ball along the hallway time and time again. Eventually he 'got it.' Now he plagues us to play ball every time we go out. (Your fat, old blind dog can sit and wait safely if you cycle around a clay playing field or some such.)
Can you cycle? Dogs can be taught to run alongside you, apparently. Or swim...can you swim? I taught my dog to swim in the shallows, he loves it.

[Candace Lockett]

Yes, I can cycle. My husband's actually quite good at it. I've considered those things that attach to the bike and then you attach a leash to that for the dog. That would certainly be good exercise for us both.

Yes I swim, but we don't have a pool. He's not overly excited about water. At least, I never could get him to get in the kiddie pool. I bet he'd follow me into the lake, but it will probably be next summer before we can get there.

Thank you for your reply.

[Adina P]

Is he food motivated? One of our members, Tamara, got her doodle interested in fetch by slitting a hole in a tennis ball (but you could use one of those rubber balls that dispenses treats) and putting in highly desireable treats. Maybe that would work.

Or playing a game of hide-n-seek by having him 'sit-stay' as he watches you take a yummy treat and place it so many yards ahead of him and then releasing him to run and get it. Then make the distance longer and longer and/or start hiding it near a bush or around a corner.

[Tante & Jordan & now Annie!]

If you know any ball crazy dogs near you, do a doggie play date. If he sees another dog having so much fun maybe he might pick it up?
It is how we taught Jordan to fetch, see saw us playing with Payton and joined in the fun. But then Jordan will not play fetch with DH. I am no sure what that is about,if I'm not home she will not play. She does if I am out side with. Jordan is strange :)