Bringing the Ball Back?
 

Is there a way to get your yorkie to bring the ball back to you? Apple usually drops it far enough away, so I have to get up and go get it...I walk on the treadmill, for my exercise, so I want to relax a bit, when Apple is getting her exercise lol...I've tried just sitting there waiting for her to bring it back to me, but she's not getting it:confused:
Love, Maggie & Apple:aimeeyork
xoxoxox

I haven't had that problem. Gracie Ruth taught me how to play fetch. She'd bring a toy and drop it at my feet. I'd throw it, she'd get it and bring it back. :D But then, Gracie loves to play this game. If you 'ignored' her when she doesn't bring it all the way back, do you think she'd get a toy and bring it to you? Or you could just sit down with 20 balls and throw one after another until they are all used up. :rolleyes:

Pepper always brings his ball back. He just won't let you have it, becuase he wants to play tug of war. :D

Yesterday, while outside I threw the ball and he went and got it and took it in the house then came back outside. It was like he was telling me that he didn't want to take his toys outside. Too funny! :confuse2:

I have the exact same problem with milly and if I go to get the ball myself, she will lunge at it and run away with the ball in her mouth! She thinks it's a great game!

Apple does bring the ball to me, when she's ready to play, and she LOVES playing ball...I don't ignore her, I keep trying to keep her engaged by talking w/her about bringing back the ball...I do have two, and have actually thought about buying more...but I bet she will just have all 20 all over the place, and not by me lol....Sorry, if I sounded like I ignored her, I don't...I continue to try to be engaged w/her, until I go get the ball...Thanks for your response....Maybe "we'll" get it, eventually...
Love, Maggie & Apple:aimeeyork
xoxoxo

There is a really cool concept in training, which is that you teach a complicated trick backwards. This applies to fetch in that you teach your dog to Drop It first, right near you.

I also rewarded Thor every time he brought the ball back somewhat near me, then to me, and then when he was actually dropping the ball in my hand. He got really good.

Then I tried to phase out the treats, and he decided keep away is more fun. He'll only bring the ball back if I give him a good treat. He's a total mercenary!

Also, as others mentioned, wait maybe a minute if she doesn't bring the ball back to you. This will help her make the connection that if she wants the fun to keep going, she needs to give you the ball. As a reward, if she brings it to you, throw it for her right away.

No, no, I didn't think you ignored her, I'm suggesting perhaps try ignoring her if she doesn't bring it back to you. The quickest way for me to get one of my gang to come to me is to turn my back on them and ignore them. They just can't stand that :p and will come right up to me to see what I'm doing. If you call to her to bring it back to you and she doesn't, what would her response be if you turned your back to her and ignored her? Would she go get the ball to try and get you to pay attention to her again?

I do training with Joey's meals, and fetch is part of the training. Throw an object, not too far, tell him to get it, and after he has it in his mouth, say "YES" and tell him to, "come". Since he knows you have the food, he's likely to come back. Again say "Yes" as he's coming toward you. If you are familiar with clicker training, you use the word, "Yes" like a click. Say, "Drop it" while holding a treat, and when he drops it, say "Yes", and give him the treat. Drop it is a good thing to teach anyway, and I always give a treat afterwards. This is one of Joey's favorite games, and we also play catch. I found small cloth hoop toy, and have him sit, and say "catch" and throw the toy toward his mouth. He then returns the toy to me, in exchange for a treat. If they are scared of things being through toward their mouths, you can have him start playing catch with cheerios, until they get use to the idea. When you are first training a trick giving a treat after every successful task is important, but then after you are sure he understands the trick, you give a treat intermittingly. If I actually say the words, "drop it", I always give a treat because it's important that he always obey this command, but after a while he will automatically drop the toy, and you do not have to reward him for returning it each time. Eventually, you will be able to play fetch for 5 minutes, and give one treat afterwards.

I have never had that problem with Pocket, I will throw it setting on the floor and he will go get it come to me jump in my lap. I will say good boy and when I go to take it he will want to play tug of war with it and I will say let me have it and he will let go and jump on the floor and I will say sit and he does and I will throw it again, after the game I will give him a treat.

I just wanted to add that some puppies automatically will return to you with the object, but they are not really trained to do this, they are just choosing this option, as they get more independent, they are less likely to return, and that's why rewarding with food, is important part of the training process.

Thanks for all the good pointers, and I'm glad teresa made me aware of what she was saying :)...Sorry for my misunderstanding...About cheerios...I'm one of those moms that watches diet, like a hawk (I hate those durn birds:mad:), and I'm wondering how many cheerios you could give in a day, w/o over feeding? I'm off to an appointment, but will be back, later, to get more great info!
Love, Maggie & Apple:aimeeyork
xoxoxo

Cheerio are mostly air, there are 100 calories in a cup of cheerios, so this would mean 1/8 of a cup would have around 12.5 calories, which is well under 10 percent of a typical Yorkie's daily caloric needs. I'm not sure how many are in 1/8 of a cup, but it’s a lot, I wouldn't use the sweetened ones. They love the plain ones, so no need giving them a sugar tooth. I don't remember the exact ratio of treats/regular food, but I know if you use the 10% rule you are safe, as long as the treat is not unhealthy, meaning super high in fat or sugar.

I haven't even had Bailey a week and she's kind of learning to fetch. It just came from the fact that she likes to bring her toys either to my lap or her blanket. So whenever I throw it and she does return to my lap, I just praise her like crazy and say "good fetch". I know she doesn't REALLY get the whole concept yet, but I figure we're building toward it. :D

Thanks Nancy 1999
 

Thank you, Nancy, for the info on cheerios...I shall get some :) ...Strange enough, Apple already knows, "put the ball down", so I can throw the other one, as she will have the just caught ball in her mouth, waiting for the next one to be thrown...I think the cheerio idea will work, I hope...lol....she may get so wrapped up in the treat, she'll forget about the ball...She's so much fun, even if she makes me work for it lolol....
Love Maggie & Apple:aimeeyork
xoxoxox

Woody used to be like that. I figured out with him that if I put his bed next to me, he would bring the toy back to his bed! He still does it to this day. Bogie is pretty good, but when he's don playing, he'll take the toy on the couch, rest a few minutes or so then bring me the toy to play some more.