I have a 7 month old male malinois. I am having problems with him retrieving. I have tried the two ball method and he does pretty good but drops the ball about 5 feet from me and sometimes furthur away. When trying with one object(ball or tug) he will run around with it but wont bring it back. Any help or if your have furthur questions let me know.
I am pretty sure your dog has good retrive drives and loves to play with ball. Excellent. For some reason I get idea of your dog anticipating onto the two ball trick: drop and get you to throw next ball. But if no second ball the dog takes it as fun to play alone: lovely drive !
What you might need to train on is the understanding of having your dog to bring ball all the way back to you, give back on command (out) before getting next ball.? Different options thinkable to train this... so far I would, due to age and fun play drives, suggest to teach the dog to play with two balls -keep that-, but you get to the dropped ball first...try to make you dog like (=enjoy) the dropped ball again (pick up)..make the dog come closer before you throw the second ball. Just re-train (condition your dog again)... the idea is to stimulate your youngster to bring ball closer before any action will happen. Long lead will help you out also to avoid your dog to run away with the ball.
For some reason your dog has learned to drop quick for easier. Your timing was to blame I guess. Just be patient and keep on training... just only reward (= throw ball) when you are happy. If the dog refuse, game is over and you try again a little later.
Other options possible, but I prefer this play training and timing is the key: first bring ball closer before you throw. And motivate to bring closer and closer till drop in hand...
What I teach first is that another ball comes to fly only after I have said give and then ball drops. If the dog lets it fall down without my word then no second ball but he is ancouraged to take up the first ball and wait my command. When the dog gets the idea of holding and waiting my word then I encourage him to come closer and closer and at the end giving the ball to me - same word, just the ball comes into my hand. Am teaching holding aslo during sit in front of me or at my side. Again praise comes after give command. So that command will be the most important one and will be the part dog will work for.
7 months? Try this...at first the dog has to learn to carry. Let him sit in front of you and put the "blok" in his mouth. Don't alow him to drop and each time he drops you put the "blok"in his mouth, till he understands he has to hold. Next, put him on the leach and walk around with him and let him carry te "blok" Don't alow him to drop. (first steps of learning how to retrieve)
Let him sit in front of you and put the "blok" in his mouth. Don't alow him to drop and each time he drops you put the "blok"in his mouth
I tried that with my dog a couple of times, but it dosen`t work with him. He started to hate the dumbell. With some dogs it works, because they don`t dare to do anything else then listen to you. With dogs like mine you cant`t force to do anything, he would never do it.
The only kind of training who works on him is positive training...
But anyhow, maby it works on this dog.
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yeah I have used a long line but he will drop it early when I pull him, plus I want him to want to bring it to me...I will use the long line as a last resort.
Don't put the dog on a long line, but attach a line to the object you want him to retrieve.
Let him chase it and pull the line when he is about to take it. After a few attempts, you let him grab the object but keep the line tense (this makes him want to hold the object).
Move away from him and call him (keep the line tense).
When he is in front of you, don't take the object away from him, but praise him and pet him (on the chest or under the chin. No movement from above because the he thinks you want to take it from him). Don't take it away but say "heel" then and walk a few meters with him (line tense). Make him sit or stand in front of you again and praise him again. When you want him to release, give a clear command and praise him (trait?) as soon as he gives it to you.
Certainly don't train too much so that he doesn't get disgusted.
We are improving. I have been getting things working better with his tug. Even though he would much rather have his ball. (which is probably the reason he is much more possesive of the ball)What I have been doing is playing tug then letting go and backpeddle around encouraging him to keep with me and when he does I play with him. Since I have done that more he is now bringing the ball back when I through it. He will do it a few times in a row and then he will not bring it back so after 2 or 3 time bringing it back he gets the ball and Im done with that session. With the tug he stays more interested in the play compaired to the ball. It is moving along slowly but it has improved.
I do the same thing with my pup, I also find when he turns to look at me just after he has picked up the ball, I start running away from him making noises like mad man , this gets him to comeback quick.? Or sometimes a crouched down making funny noises and then let him jump all over me.? A new one I have just started is using two balls, he comes running back for the game of tug, but as he gets close I through the second ball through my legs behind me, if I get the timing right he goes straight through my legs.? The same as you probably five to six times in around and as he gets tired he starts to stop and rest with the ball. Ian
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5 or 6 times is FAR TOO MUCH!! Pretty normal that he loses concentration. You'll have him disgusted with retrieving in no time like this. Better do it only once or maximum twice a day. Like that he looks forward to it and the results will be much better.
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. He will like that.
, this gets him to comeback quick.? Or sometimes a crouched down making funny noises and then let him jump all over me.? A new one I have just started is using two balls, he comes running back for the game of tug, but as he gets close I through the second ball through my legs behind me, if I get the timing right he goes straight through my legs.? The same as you probably five to six times in around and as he gets tired he starts to stop and rest with the ball.
