Georgia
08-01-2006, 10:49 AM
Is there a trick or training method to help encourage a dog to fetch something all the way back to you? We're excited that Georgia is showing interest in frisbees right now but she has this habit of stopping 6 feet from me and chewing the frisbee. Ultimately I think she's more interested in chewing as she really likes to chew things up still. But once I get it back she does get excited about me throwing it and will get it and start to come back.
The problem is that I'm confused as to what message I'm sending. She's good about letting go. I read an article that said something about using the phrase "thank you" for the release. When I say "thank you" she does let go pretty darn well. But the fact remains that I had to take 2 or 3 steps to reach her and that is NOT what I want to reward.
So if the dog does go get the object, and does start to come back, but fails to make it all the way back to you, what do you do? If I don't go get the frisbee she will tear it up. If I keep saying "come here" or "bring it back" and she ignores me, it seems like I'm teaching her to ignore me. If I don't reward her for dropping it after I walk over I think she'll give up on dropping it, but then I fear I'm rewarding her for making me walk over to her.
Not sure if it helps but for now we are confined to a very small back yard. She only needs to bound a few times to actually reach where the frisbee hits the fence so it's hardly a challenge for her. One day we hope to play in a field but she is way to easily distracted.
The problem is that I'm confused as to what message I'm sending. She's good about letting go. I read an article that said something about using the phrase "thank you" for the release. When I say "thank you" she does let go pretty darn well. But the fact remains that I had to take 2 or 3 steps to reach her and that is NOT what I want to reward.
So if the dog does go get the object, and does start to come back, but fails to make it all the way back to you, what do you do? If I don't go get the frisbee she will tear it up. If I keep saying "come here" or "bring it back" and she ignores me, it seems like I'm teaching her to ignore me. If I don't reward her for dropping it after I walk over I think she'll give up on dropping it, but then I fear I'm rewarding her for making me walk over to her.
Not sure if it helps but for now we are confined to a very small back yard. She only needs to bound a few times to actually reach where the frisbee hits the fence so it's hardly a challenge for her. One day we hope to play in a field but she is way to easily distracted.