all that glitters Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 Do dogs take a liking to chasing balls and playing fetch as they get a bit older?? Shyla doesn't seem interested in balls, if I throw one she chases it, smells it, then keeps on exploring the grass lol. Should I be trying to encourage her to play, or is it just cos she is young and can't concentrate on one thing for long? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuffles Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 It depends on the dog. If she actually chases it at least she's interested to some degree! Try squeaky toys, soft toys, ropes etc as she might like them more. Many dogs have to be taught to pick up the items and bring them back. My dog doesn't chase toys and doesn't fetch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bindii Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 Hugo played fetch at the breeders place before i even took him home. Fletcher's not interested - like Shyla! Except with that squeaky duck thing at your house Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
all that glitters Posted May 9, 2009 Author Share Posted May 9, 2009 LOL the reject-shop-soft-squeak-duck tempts even the most stubborn of dogs/any animal to play! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelpie_Pup Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 The concept of fetch for most dogs takes a while to learn I think. I mean, you throw the ball, they chase it, have a look at it, then get distracted by something nearby. There is not, In most dogs anyway, a natural instinct to pick up the ball and take it back. For us, Halle is 17 months now and only started bringing the ball back about3-4 months ago.. she's a clever dog but it either took her a while to figure out that if she didn't bring the ball back, the game was over, or she figured it out well before and was too stubborn to bother Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pockets Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 Shell When teaching a dog to play, you are teaching them to entertain themselves while you are not there, not neccessarily to bring the ball back to you to play fetch, thats a human response to playing not a dogs Owner - Throws the ball Dog - How exciting and chases the ball, but then the ball stops and to that dog, the ball is just a boring object that is no longer moving, whats fun about that ? If you want to teach her to play, throw the ball and YOU chase it and kick it and keep chasing it, next time you throw it, she runs to it, run up and either kick the ball and continue to chase it or pick it up, throw it again and chase it... Shyla will soon learn that what is getting you to run and play is the ball, so eventually she will pick it up, when she does dont ty and get her to bring it back to you, when she picks it up, chase her, she will love the game....bring the ball back to you comes later and you weill find after a while she will instinctivly do that cause she enjoys the game and wants to keep playing and learns that the only way to do that is to bing the toy back to you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
all that glitters Posted May 9, 2009 Author Share Posted May 9, 2009 Thanks guys! I will definately try the ball chasey thing with her Pockets I think that will incite some excitement in her cos she gets excited when I run in general! haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobchic Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 We live behind a tennis court and have an overdoes of tennis balls. Mr Fluffy started playing fetch even when the ball was bigger then his head lol Basically he started playing with it himself and then I think cause the fuzz was stuck in his teeth when I called him, he ended up bringing me the ball. I got excited and then he has done it ever since... Fingers crossed for you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karly101 Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 Turbo didn't start fetching till only recently.. he's still rather confused about the whole concept ("what you threw it away yet want me to go get it and bring in back? why?"). However he will play soccer style games and really enjoys them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
all that glitters Posted May 9, 2009 Author Share Posted May 9, 2009 Haha sweet! Soccery games sound fun too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W Sibs Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 charlie doesn't play fetch either.. LOL he will run after the ball if we run for it too.. but usually it's, i throw the ball.. he watch the ball roll away.. looks at me to see what i'll do.. and then simply flops on the floor. although he loves playing with the netball or volleyball, which is he no much bigger than him. he likes flopping over it... i think he mimick me how i lay on the exercise ball Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 mine start with soft toys. Many new tennis balls stick to high heavon & the dogs dont like the taste or smell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fbc Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 Thanks guys! I will definately try the ball chasey thing with her Pockets I think that will incite some excitement in her cos she gets excited when I run in general! haha Thats pretty much what I did with Pim as well and she loves fetching the ball....well she loves bringing it just outside my reach then darting off with it again Eventually I get it back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pockets Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 I see it as a dog who you just teach to play fetch unless the dog naturally does it, doesnt teach the dog to amuse him/herself while your not there :rolleyes: Example when the dog is alone who is going to throw the ball, does it always have to wait till yu come home to have some fun?? I love looking out the window and seeing my dogs amusing themselves and thowing toys around, they have a ball Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 Will your dog pick up the ball at all? You could try running away from the dog when it has the ball - dog is likely to chase you. Then praise when the dog gets back to you (hopefully with ball ) and you can swap the ball for food so they give the ball to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teebs Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 I just taught my 4 year old dog to fetch, neither of my dogs do it! With her i got a soft toy. I started by putting it in her mouth, and taking it off her, over and over, didnt take long for me to offer it to her,and she would bite it, i then added the word Fetch. From there i put it on the ground, and further away till she would go get it, i then changed her to a bucket and a ball, and she now plays fetch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becks Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 I see it as a dog who you just teach to play fetch unless the dog naturally does it, doesnt teach the dog to amuse him/herself while your not there Example when the dog is alone who is going to throw the ball, does it always have to wait till yu come home to have some fun?? I love looking out the window and seeing my dogs amusing themselves and thowing toys around, they have a ball Dogs can play fetch and still find games to entertain themselves with as well. Some dogs are more toy orientated then others, some prefer to play with other dogs or with a person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pockets Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 Becks, I know that, I was saying that rather than expecting your young pup to bring the ball back and play fetch straight away, it is important to teach your dog first how to play, so it can amuse itself while you are away The first thing most people do is throw a ball and they expect that the dog will go pick it up and bring it back unless you as you say have a very ball orientated dog, a lot of young puppies will look at the ball and wonder what you want to do with it ;) I have 2 ball obsessed dogs, from day dot they loved to chase, but I have a dog who I had to teach to play and now she loves a good game of fetch and for me to chase her cause thats the fun part Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bindii Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 :cool: just wanted to announce that Fletcher and i played fetch tonight! He brought me a little ball, i threw it, he brought it back - 4 times. Then he just lay down and chewed it. Still, i was excited. Maybe one day Shyla will just chose to play it her self? i guess a dog wont play a 'game' unless it find the game fun too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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