Only half retreiver

To add to Amy, I never, never pick anything up off the ground to throw for
the dogs. They want the big ball or dummy thrown...they MUST have it in
their mouth and I must take it from them. As a result, I get 'butted'
numerous times by Robin with her big orange ball to 'throw it please Mommy'.
I stop at three throws.
Cheers

--
Kim and the Pirate Labradors
Sutton, ON Canada
 >> Stay informed about: Only half retreiver 

Please keep in mind that dogs have been badly hurt retrieving sticks.
I've heard some horror stories where the dog grabbed it at the end, ran
and it caught on the ground and injured the dogs throat. Just something
to think about.
 >> Stay informed about: Only half retreiver 

Thank you Amy and Kim for responding to my question about retrieving. One
thing though, now that I have spent a couple of years picking up sticks and
throwing them for him, how do I get him to pick one up and bring it to me?
Never throw another stick until he thinks to pick one up and brings it over?

Judith Ann
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I agree, sticks not ideal as they can get injuries but for anything if my
dog drops the item at my feet or 'throws' it at me(and yes..I have had a
smelly old long dead pigeon spat out at me when field training 'Here
mom...take THAT!'), I kick it with my foot and say 'Take it'..sometimes I
point too. If they don't pick it up...we don't play. You'll find they pick
up on it pretty quick.
You can force train or re-enforce train retrieving...great for field and
obed. work but for joe average fetch games, you may not want to put allot of
effort into force training. Likely Amy can explain better about force and
re-enforcement training.
Cheers

--
Kim and the Pirate Labradors
Sutton, ON Canada
 >> Stay informed about: Only half retreiver