Drop it

Whispered

I don't know if this warrants its own thread but I didn't want to hijack anyone elses.

Recently the dog has stopped dropping the ball when told. He tries to get a chase but sweeping by you or dropping the ball only to grab it and run off with a gleeful look when you try to pick it up.

We have tried bringing food but he's not interested! We have acted disinterested, it doesn't bother him. My OH brings 2 balls with him now so when Harley comes barrelling back with the first one, he's smacking the other, but we would like to be able to go with just one.

Now in fairness to the dog, he works to get the ball. It's not always just an easy fetch, it has accidently ended up in bushes, at the bottom of a shallow pond etc and he stays at it until he gets it back. He MAY be thinking - why would I give it to you, you're only going to throw it away again.

Any suggestions to perfect "drop" ?

EDIT: he does it no problem during tug games and with bones etc, it's just the ball during games of fetch.

Phenix

hi,

do you think he might be doing this to interact with you more? ie to chase him to get the ball back? our dog does this sometimes also. i have also noticed he seems to enjoy playing a bit more when we are not just throwing the ball for him but if say myself and oh are kicking/throwing the ball between us and he has to try get it from us. he's delighted with life if he manages to get it and is only to happy to give the ball back to us and go again

mymo

Sounds like he just wants more playing with you, or a friend?
I have given up playing ball/fetch when out as neither of mine bring the ball/toy/stick back. They run after it at top speed, pick it up and run around together wrestling with it, completely ignoring me.
In the house or garden they do perfect fetching, its just big open spaces they don't. The older fella has a talent for dropping toys/balls in the most inaccessible places, including off a bridge into a flooded river, off a cliff and into the biggest thickets of brambles and nettles you've ever seen. I'm sure its intentional as he just strolls off with head held high every time.
I'm beginning to think they only love me for my driving, feeding and belly rubbing skills, they'd rather play with each other.

Satyr_The_Great

Danzig, my springer did that but i went back to my training tricks. I used small pieces of boiled chicken ( sice of the nail on my little finger ) which he loves.
Hold it to his nose, and if he wants it he has to drop the ball or toy.
After a few goes of this, i added in the cue word " DROP ".
After a day or 2 of this, all i had to do was say the word " DROP " and he would drop it and then get the treat.

anniehoo

Id love to know the trick to this too. I mind a collie and she is such a smart dog. I too have to bring 2 balls but when she drops the first ball and ive thrown the second, she bolts for the first one before i have even bent down, legs it for the second and shoves ...no messing the 2 of them in her mouth and tries to get a game of chasing going. Its actually very funny!

Blueprint

If you stand there long enough, arms folded, eventually he will drop the ball at your feet - it might make ball playing outings very boring for a bit, but it worked on my thick headed dog. I'd work a bit more on the leave it command too, as it's useful in all types of situations, it can be made into part of a game, which is how my guy learned all his most solid commands. My guy used to try and snatch his frisbee just before I picked it up all the time, but I'd just refuse to do anything until he gave it to me properly.

And putting the chasing game to a command should help too, if I tell Jasper "give me that dog" he starts legging it with his toy in mouth and a delighted look on his face.

iguana

Try it with 2 dogs. Whichever one of them gets the ball is chased by the other dog who is waiting for it to be dropped so he can snatch it up. It basically leads to them chasing each other all over the park before getting anywhere near us. Then once they get to us the ball is dropped, the other dog snatches it and they're off again.

Whispered

I'm very happy to see that I'm not the only one with this problem!!

He does "leave it" brilliantly. I can throw treats at him, or gently hit him on the snout with his rubber chicken and he will leave it. but again, not the ball. He'll happily carry it the whole way home. He's dropped it into a river while trying to drink with it in his mouth. He goes to the toilet while holding it, does his sniffing while holding it, swims with it in his mouth. Surely thats not normal?

I suppose I'll go back to basics tomorrow. Little brat used to do it for us.