leopuppy04 Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 OK, May sound silly to ask, but I don't know how to teach it! Leo did it automatically and I forget that Kinta can't catch treats so I throw them at her and they just hit her head ! Has anyone actually *taught* their dogs to catch treats? Any pointers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staranais Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Yes, I can sympathise! When I got my stafford as an adult adoptee, he had no idea what to do when I chucked treats at him. He just let them bounce off his face, then picked them up off the floor. We taught him by getting his attention first, then saying "catch", then lobbing the treat at him really slowly (like teaching a small child to catch a ball, that kind of speed). It took him a few days before he realised that "catch" meant a treat was being thrown at his head, and a few weeks before he really got the co-ordination to catch the treat every time. Now he's a pro! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopuppy04 Posted January 9, 2007 Author Share Posted January 9, 2007 LOL - I never thought of that!!! Looks like something I have to try... man this is weird... having a 'novice' dog and a 'pre-trained' one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haven Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Also, if you throw a treat and your dog misses it don't let them eat it off the ground. Step on the treat, move the dog away or if possible train in an area where the treat will fall through, like a deck, if they don't catch it. If they reeeeeally want the treat it won't take long before they put more effort into catching it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pandii Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Yep what Haven said I have Tyson who caught it the first time I said catch and tossed the treat He also knows back back so I can get him to back across the loungeroom and then give a sit command so he sits and waits until I throw the treat Where as Dante is still in training and Poor ishka is so lacking a brain she will never get it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jejuna Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Captain is the same. I never really had to teach Tessie - being about 8 inches from the ground probably helped her Thanks for the great tips Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jelly Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 (edited) Well, I first taught Chiefy to catch a toy (rubber crocodile ), then a ball, now he obviously can catch treats too. edit: I get him to sit, back off with the stay signal then go "reeaady" (which signals him I'm going to throw it and expect him to catch) and then I go "catch" just as I throw it. Don't do the ready - catch thing with treats just the ball cause then he knows I want "catch" not "fetch" (or "go get it" as I taught him without thinking) Edited January 9, 2007 by jelly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 (edited) I remember throwing a treat to Leila the first time and watching it bounce off her head...also happened with a frisbee. For some reason I thought it was an inbuilt reaction for dogs to catch treats. We did little baby steps in regards to how close the treat was to her mouth. Now she's a fab catcher Also if she didn't catch treat, I'd grab it. Edited January 9, 2007 by sas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopuppy04 Posted January 9, 2007 Author Share Posted January 9, 2007 LOL at throwing the ball - I can just see myself do that to Kinta while she just sits there and the ball hits her off the head! I will then proceed to get the look "whatcha do that for?!" LOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jelly Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 I got him in a sit and because he's little sat right in front of him, held the croc about and inch or two above his nose wiggling it and dropped it when he went to grab it anyway, then big cuddles and "arn't you a clever boy" etc etc, then say a little back and started tossing it (maybe 4 inches). At first, yep they hit him but he understood pretty quickly, then moved further and further back slowly, then change to ball... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoemonster Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 (edited) This is not me training them to, this is me laughing my head off cos I wanted to capture how bloody unco they were at the start Now they will catch 9 times out of 10 after I used the "if you don't catch it, you don't get it" method Oh and then after they would catch it I would treat again, so that even if I missed rescuing a dropped treat there was still more of a reward for catching them Edited January 9, 2007 by shoemonster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haven Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 SM your dogs are such spunks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoemonster Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Aww thanks! I think so too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmolo Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 I found with my youngest dog, that co ordination came with age and/ or experience/ practice and second what haven said Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chezzyr Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Any tips on teaching a dog to be more "mouthy" and catch a bouncing ball or ball in mid air? My Collie is gentle and such a GIRL, no aggro ball catching around here. She knows how to fetch (brings me toys, balls etc etc) but she doesnt seem to understand the concept of grabbing a ball thats in the air (she doesnt catch treats either). She did a ball catch today by sheer coincidence, a small bounce off the ground and I made SUCH a fuss (she thrives on praise, not food) but tonight she waits until the ball stops bouncing and is on the ground and then brings it to me She is smart, easy to teach her stuff, I just need some guidance on 'how to' with this exercise. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sayreovi Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 I pretty much just lobbed it at Darcy to encourage him to catch, took him awhile....he used to let balls and treats hit him instead of catching them. Then i just added the word catch and now when i say that i get full attention lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whatevah Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 Check out my web page has instructions, videos and photos, also go to the trick forum. http://forums.dogzonline.com.au/index.php?showtopic=7358 instructions and some cute photos of dogs catching. I am teaching Tia to catch at the moment, I am using a very soft toy and throw it towards her when she is in a sit position and I am in front from a short distance away, I try to get it to land in her mouth, if she doesn't catch it then the toy is mine, if she catches it she gets to play tug. You do the same with treats, whatever they don't catch, is yours, otherwise why make an effort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lablover Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 Hey CTD, Was flicking through the latest VicDog magazine, on this hot day, and saw a photo of you and Moses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chezzyr Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 thanks Jules I will give it a try, might take a while though. Might have to try it with raw chicken when she is REALLY hungry. She isnt 'mouthy' and is ever so gentle when she takes food out of my hand too. So grabbing/snapping at something is going to be a HUGE step. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haven Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 In your case Chezzyr, I'd probably backward chain it starting with praising her for giving up an article. How badly do you want your dog to do it? I started teaching Loki but gave it up eventually. I don't doubt that I could do it but it was making him uncomfortable and I decided it wasn't worth pressuring him over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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