How do I get him to give me the ball?!?

Lisa O · 06-07-2008, 12:53 PM

Atticus loves to chase a ball! He loves the ball so much, he'll just hold it in his mouth while he runs around the yard, plays with our other dog, or even sitting in the house. He actually sleeps with sometimes. The problem is he doesn't want to give it back to me so I can throw it again. Or: after a while, he'll drop it close to me and then try to grab it again when I go to pick it up. How do you teach them to give the ball back to you?

michael327 · 06-07-2008, 01:30 PM

Two things to try - have a treat in your hand when he returns, say trade and swap the treat for the ball. My past friend was so ball possessive he would gather them up in a pile next to his bed before sleeping. The only thing that worked with him was to work with two balls. When he returned to me I would show the one in my hand he would drop his and I'd throw the other. Problem was if he got both I had to have a third !

**voodoolizard** · 06-07-2008, 01:49 PM

i have to rip if from there jaws LOL

zeus wont fetch so he never brings the ball back anyway LOL

missy thinks its a game and wants to play tug so i have to tug to get it back !!

we do the 2 ball thing as well and that works.. or treats, but they have to be really yummy or the ball is better !!

we also got a misshaped ball with nobbles on, its easier to get out of her mouth as she cant hold it as well !!

good luck !!!

**kais_mom** · 06-07-2008, 02:30 PM

If Kai does not readily give the ball back to me, I use the "drop it" command. I taught it by giving him a treat in the beginning when he would drop whatever he had.

Julie W · 06-07-2008, 03:15 PM

Cher is getting pretty good with the aus (out) command. I train through rough, vigorous tug play. When I want her to aus I give her the command ONCE and make the toy "dead", holding it still and not re-engaging in the tugging game until she releases it. I don't care if I have to stand still with the "dead" toy for 2 hours, I wait until she releases it, and she gets a "eh-eh" if she tries to grab it again before I give her the release command. When she releases it I tell her "good girl" then "okay" and the game is on again. It didn't take her long to figure out the only way to continue the game is to aus when I tell her to. She also figured out that the faster she does it the faster the game resumes. It's just no fun playing with a dead toy and she's learned the rules to the game and how to make the tug active again.

Also, if she released the toy on her own without an "aus" from me then she would get a mild "eh-eh, you weren't paying attention" then frustrated with the tug, teasing with it and snatching out of reach at the moment she's ready to chomp on it. We work on calm holds also, where I cradle her chin in one hand and praise and stroke her head very slowly with the other while she holds on to the tug by herself.

Lisa O · 06-10-2008, 04:12 AM

Thanks everyone for those tips. I've actually tried the "drop it" command and holding the ball without saying anything or tugging until he releases it. He hasn't actually given the ball back readily yet, but if i'm busy doing something else he'll drop it near me. Once I go to pick it up he tries to grap it first. I'll say leave it and then he sits and waits for me to throw... We're getting there!

I did by the way find a stash of the mysteriously missing balls... he's been collecting them under the house!!

Thanks again and I'll keep working on it!

Lisa

berkdogg · 06-10-2008, 09:34 PM

My boy is tennis ball crazy as well. I tried treats, bacon, burgers, and even hotdogs to get him to the drop the ball, but none of it worked. Only another tennis ball will bribe him enough. I use the chug it stick. I throw the ball, he runs to get it. I'll have another ball in the stick I say (aus) and he drops it. It takes a while for them to get it though, I guess because they are so excited. I guess things got easier when the game was finally played on my terms and not his.