How to Fetch?

[yorkiesrock]

I am trying to train my yorkie to fetch. He seems to get the idea because when I throw the ball he brings it back to me but doesn't hand it to me. Instead he starts to chew it and if I try to grab it from him he bites it so I can't take it. How can I train him to give me the ball?

[nwyorkie]

A person helped me with fetching with my other dog (non-Yorkie). He suggested only throwing the object a short distance. When the dog gets it, don't try to take it away. Just wait till he drops it (hopefully near you) then pick it up and toss it again. Each time going a little further. If you don't chase him, then the fun of biting or being chased changes the rules. Repeat the word (only a few times) "Drop it" in a nice tone. When he does, praise him and say "good drop it". Obviously repitition will allow it to sink in. Good luck!

[Erin]

Originally Posted by yorkiesrock

I am trying to train my yorkie to fetch. He seems to get the idea because when I throw the ball he brings it back to me but doesn't hand it to me. Instead he starts to chew it and if I try to grab it from him he bites it so I can't take it. How can I train him to give me the ball?

OK Loki used to do (and still tries to do) the same thing! He would run after the toy but then chew on it or bring it to me and try to start a tug game. We started trading treats for the toy. Now he comes, drops the ball, sits for his treat and waits for us to throw the ball, then repeats. He will ONLY do this for treats right now, but we're working on it. He's very good. If he drops it out of reach I say "I can't reach it!" (not kidding) and he moves it closer. He figured out he only gets the treat if he drops it in or near my hand. He's so smart. He is stingy too, if you throw it again without a treat he won't fetch again. He also tries fetching everything, including my socks, to try to get a treat! Terriers have some serious object possessiveness so some of them may never fetch like a lab or golden would, but Loki seems to be catching on.

[yorkiesrock]

Originally Posted by nwyorkie

A person helped me with fetching with my other dog (non-Yorkie). He suggested only throwing the object a short distance. When the dog gets it, don't try to take it away. Just wait till he drops it (hopefully near you) then pick it up and toss it again. Each time going a little further. If you don't chase him, then the fun of biting or being chased changes the rules. Repeat the word (only a few times) "Drop it" in a nice tone. When he does, praise him and say "good drop it". Obviously repitition will allow it to sink in. Good luck!

Thanks for the help. My little guy drops it sometimes but when I go to grab it he bites it. I guess I should wait until he is done playing with it, drops it, and then take it away and toss it again.

[SoCalyorkiLvr]

Originally Posted by nwyorkie

A person helped me with fetching with my other dog (non-Yorkie). He suggested only throwing the object a short distance. When the dog gets it, don't try to take it away. Just wait till he drops it (hopefully near you) then pick it up and toss it again. Each time going a little further. If you don't chase him, then the fun of biting or being chased changes the rules. Repeat the word (only a few times) "Drop it" in a nice tone. When he does, praise him and say "good drop it". Obviously repitition will allow it to sink in. Good luck!

Great advice...you can enhance this with treats too in the beginning.

[yorkiesrock]

I have been training him for a week now and this morning he is slowly letting the ball go when he brings it back to me. I think he will get the hang of it soon.

[wach]

My Louie does exactly the same thing. He'll retrieve just about anything you throw and brings it back, but he won't let go if I try to grab it. He only lets go if I wait him out. But if I grab it off the floor, he would try to grab it first. I guess it's Yorkie's sense of possessiveness. I'm going to try the suggestions above and see how that turns out...

[Tiger's Mom]

Originally Posted by yorkiesrock

I am trying to train my yorkie to fetch. He seems to get the idea because when I throw the ball he brings it back to me but doesn't hand it to me. Instead he starts to chew it and if I try to grab it from him he bites it so I can't take it. How can I train him to give me the ball?

Every morning Tiger and I play fetch in his domain (the laundry room ) as well as I practice him all his tricks so he does not forget what he learned in puppy class.. He is very good at it, although I have yet to try this game at a different room in the house.

What I do is throw the toy at the very far end of the room and tell him to go get it. When he brings it back, I make sure I have a treat ready and waiting for him. Dogs will do anything for a treat you know! After a few runs, I do 2 throws before he gets a treat and so and so forth. He has gotten so used to it that I make sure he lands the toy exactly on my lap before he gets a treat. If he drops it right next to me or a few meters away from me, he does not get a treat and I tell him to go back and get it. It has worked very well. Not only does he get his morning workout, he never gets to forget this trick.

Why don't you try it and see if it works for your baby! Good luck . . .

[Yorkiedog]

I alway's play swapsies.When they bring the ball back get out a treat show them say "drop" give the dog the treat and while he's busy with the treat take the ball away.
Charley still has his moments especially when I forget to take the treats with me

Sharon,Charley & Melody xx

[chattiesmom]

Patience, Persistance, Perservance, and Praise. If your furkid loves to fetch, then sooner or later he will figure it out. Chizzie is the ball player in the house (in fact she is in desperate need of a full time pitcher). Anyway, to begin with she would not drop the ball, but would hold on to it. I would just walk away and ignore her and in a few minutes try again. At the time it seemed like she would NEVER EVER learn to drop the ball. Then she started just dropping it and looking at me and barking as if to say, "Well, you must be one dumb human, can't you see the *&^^* ball. If you wern't such a sorry human you would get up and get the ball and throw it for me." When she would do that I would walk away.

Now depending on how desperate she is to play fetch, she will actually put the ball in my hand, in my lap or at least at my feet. This whole process took about about 2 months of daily work.

GOOD LUCK! It is worth it in the end.

[waistfull]

Bubba just started doing it himself and now he won't stop! He will do it about 50 times or more until he is too tired to do it anymore. Cricket give him a weird look like,"You Crazy Boy!" She's not interested at all. She just sits on my lap and watch her brother running back and forth. I even try to through his toys behind stuff because I get tired, but he must have bloodhound in his nose, because he Always find it! LOL

[yorkiesrock]

Originally Posted by Tiger's Mom

Every morning Tiger and I play fetch in his domain (the laundry room ) as well as I practice him all his tricks so he does not forget what he learned in puppy class.. He is very good at it, although I have yet to try this game at a different room in the house.

What I do is throw the toy at the very far end of the room and tell him to go get it. When he brings it back, I make sure I have a treat ready and waiting for him. Dogs will do anything for a treat you know! After a few runs, I do 2 throws before he gets a treat and so and so forth. He has gotten so used to it that I make sure he lands the toy exactly on my lap before he gets a treat. If he drops it right next to me or a few meters away from me, he does not get a treat and I tell him to go back and get it. It has worked very well. Not only does he get his morning workout, he never gets to forget this trick.
Why don't you try it and see if it works for your baby! Good luck . . .

Thanks. I will try it.