# Retreiving a ball



## sfapsey (Jan 9, 2015)

Hello,

We have just over 4 month old female pup. She is progressing with training nicely. We are working on leash walking and the other basics. One thing that is frustrating me is her lack of interest in retrieving a ball. We started by putting a treat in a modified tennis ball and gave her the treat when she retrieved the ball. She will do that 4-5 times and then lose interest. Is this something that will develop as she gets older or are some dogs just not into this. She is very food motivated so I don't understand why she just looses interest.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.


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## Canadian Expy (Feb 27, 2013)

Our boy wasn't much interested in a ball until he played with a group of dogs who loved chasing a ball, and even then it wasn't right away. Now it is his absolute favourite toy, but that didn't start until he was around 8 months old. Keep trying, and give it some time


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Sfapsey said:


> Hello,
> 
> We have just over 4 month old female pup. She is progressing with training nicely. We are working on leash walking and the other basics. One thing that is frustrating me is her lack of interest in retrieving a ball. We started by putting a treat in a modified tennis ball and gave her the treat when she retrieved the ball. *She will do that 4-5 times *and then lose interest. Is this something that will develop as she gets older or are some dogs just not into this. She is very food motivated so I don't understand why she just looses interest.
> 
> Any suggestions would be appreciated.


Your supposed to stop before they tire of the game.
You don't want to even throw the ball, if she is not acting excited about it.
So she does it 4-5 times before she stops. You need to only throw it for her 2 -3 times then.
Next when she does bring it to you, do you quickly snag it from her, or praise her first and remove gently?
Do your reach over her head to take it, or under her chin?


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## sfapsey (Jan 9, 2015)

I have been praising her when she bings the ball back and then giving her a treat. When she comes running back with the ball she drops it to get her treat.


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## KurtTeej (Feb 1, 2015)

my guy is a little slow to pick that up as well. when i throw the ball my 9 year old lab goes and gets it and Zach (my V) goes into a hiding position and pounces on his bigger and older cousin when he gets 5 feet away after picking it up


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Some of theses dogs love to retrieve, and others not so much.
You have a better chance of getting a pup that likes to retrieve, if its parents liked to retrieve. You also have to make it easy for the pup to do well. Make sure the puppy is amped up, and really, really wants the object. Start by sitting in a hallway, where the only place the pup could go is back to you, and only having it make 2-3 retrieves at a time, that are only 3 to 4 feet. Praise the pup like it is the best thing since man invented fire when it comes to you. Only then do you reach under its chin (not over its head) and gently remove the object. Never snatch it quickly from them, or reach for it before they are all the way to you. Doing that will cause them to drop it before they are to you. Make sure you only chose things that are soft for puppies, and lay off any retriever training when they are teething.


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## sfapsey (Jan 9, 2015)

We are making progress. Keeping it to 4-5 retrieves at a time. She will bring it back until distracted by anything around.


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## toadnmeme (Jun 7, 2014)

Our boy also was not interested at all until about 6 months. Then it was a keep away game and we had to teach retrieve then drop. Lol. He's 1 now and just now getting the hang of retrieve, drop, go retrieve again. Keep away is still a favorite game he plays with our 15 week puppy (who also has no interest in retrieving). Also remember it is tiring to run and retrieve. She'll grow into it, although as mentioned, some are more retrievers than others.  soon enough she'll be dropping balls in your lap to throw and you'll need a launcher so your arm dosen't get tired! Also, is there another dog in the house? Our puppy is not interested in playing with the humans in the house so much as my older V.


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## Vizsla Baby (Nov 4, 2011)

Our female we got as a pup showed virtually no interest in fetching until she was 6 or 7 months old. Once she caught on she never stopped. Now she's 4 years old and it's one of her favorite activities! Balls, water toys, you name it, they are all retrieved and dropped at my feet for repeat.....after repeat......after repeat LOL!


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## RedBuck (May 20, 2015)

My Buck is now eight months old and retrieves like a machine. Knowing that some V's will be less interested in retrieving than others, my family agreed that fetch would be the only game we played with Buck from the day we brought him home. We started short and with lots of praise. We really tried to get him excited as well. It seems to have worked as he will wear you and anyone else out who shows that that will play fetch. He'll actually come up and drop his bumper or toy on your progressively towards your hand until you pick it up. Then he will become super focused on the object, not moving his eyes from it until it goes flying. Then he's on it and right back for more...and more....and more. We avoided using treats as we didn't want the treat to be the focus but rather the idea that if he did bring it back, he would be loved big time. He is now learning to hold and release on the retrieve and is coming along nicely. Using bouncing things also seem to get him more excited and want to do it again.


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## chilithevizsla (Apr 2, 2014)

My boy is the same unfortunately, he does like to chase my mum's dog who LOVES the ball and sometimes he'll grab it.
What I found really helped is when he runs off to the ball and on the way back I start running the other way and when he gets close I throw another ball the same way I'm facing. I just find this adds more energy and drive for the ball than just standing and throwing it.He loves it! Just make sure they see you before you get running or he might become insecure and stop running after the first ball.
Obviously this is very hard work for a pup so be careful!


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