purple_mog Posted June 30, 2006 Report Share Posted June 30, 2006 So - I have collies and they love balls, toys, anything that moves Actually I worked really hard to get Finn so interested as it was one way of keeping him focused on me and coping with the world. He would rather retrieve a toy to me than pretty much anything else including chasing other dogs... Until recently he was not able to be offlead much with other strange dogs etc in the park and so on - we've been doing it more over the past few months but a recurring challenge is what happens when someone else has a ball/toy and is throwing it. Given half a chance Finn will flee over, nick it and bring it back to me Of course that isn't always going to go down too well, and if I've put him back on lead he's very strong (24kilos of straining collie) and we have to at least get out of sight or leave the park. So - any suggestions to encourage the toy focus only when its me throwing it given that I don't have anyone else reliable to train with? (OH is a bit useless) Hi self control is okayish - he can sit and wait while I throw a toy, give eye contact, do tricks, recall away from the toy IF he's done a sit/down wait but if you just throw the toy there's little chance of him hearing you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACKYSIAN Posted June 30, 2006 Report Share Posted June 30, 2006 I'll watch this with interest!! As many will testify I have the same problem with Cooper and Sidney! Sidney will return the ball no problem....but Cooper will run for the hills and kill the ball!!! Not nice when it's a child football!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reds Posted June 30, 2006 Report Share Posted June 30, 2006 I had (blimey that's confident, let's say 'have' shall we!) a similar problem with Ted. in that he could hear a football from miles away and make a bee line for it at 100mph. He only wanted to join in but still not acceptable Mr Ted. Anyway, to distract him I used a tennis ball or a squeaky ball when there was another ball in sight but only at those times, i.e. when I didn't need to distract him there was no bally. To walk past after we've finished playing and when Ted. is back on the lead, we do heelwork practice (with titbit in hand) until we are back to the car park or play tuggy with the lead. I honestly don't know if it will help as Finn is obviously very driven (as Teddy is with other people's dumbells for some reason!) but maybe just use the ball when you need to so that it is something worth sticking with you for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purple_mog Posted June 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2006 hmmmm - ok - maybe we could practice going to the park when its busier and keep him on long lead? What I'm pondering if that this just keeps him would up but focused on me - rather than learning not to chase other people's balls (!) so if I need to have him on a short lead say we still have a problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K9Fran Posted June 30, 2006 Report Share Posted June 30, 2006 It sounds like you need a good chase recall............ Try this - Get a friend to help - stand a decent distance apart, but so you can still catch and throw the ball between you...... Throw the ball to your friend BUT - they do NOT catch it - allow the dog to retrieve it....... Repeat this several times, then, on 2 times out of 10 (use coloured buttons in your pocket - 8 of one colour, 2 of another) the partner WILL catch it - then, as you throw the ball and release the dog - use a command to indicate to the dog there is no point in going for it, as they won't get it (you need a really good catcher ;)) Obviously this needs to be practised at home and in a variety of other places before your dog will be reliable, but it can also work with livestock chasers too..... I'm not sure I've explained it very well, but hopefully you get the idea..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gooster Posted June 30, 2006 Report Share Posted June 30, 2006 Or, if you don't know any good catchers ( ) We trained it using a long lead. Throw the ball so the dog can't reach it whilst on the lead. The dog will naturally try and chase it. When they get to the end of the lead, call them, and only when they come back to you, can they be rewarded and allowed to go on and get the ball. With Ed, we had to train using food, as he's not remotely bothered about balls, but throw a piece of food and he'll chase after it. This should teach them that they don't get the reward of a ball until they come back to you. I suppose this could be slightly adapted so that instead of sending him on to get the ball you have thrown, you can reward him at your side with a better, much more exciting ball/jackpot reward Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K9Fran Posted June 30, 2006 Report Share Posted June 30, 2006 OK - variation on the theme - throw the ball so the dog can reach it on the long lead several times - then when you throw it further, call the dog back to you - and throw another (previously invisible) ball in the other direction.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purple_mog Posted June 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2006 We have tried those kinds of mid-chase recall training with some success. two additional challenges 1. there is no helpful person to train with, OH is totally unreliable about when he will come out and help etc 2. Finn really goes for the ball unless told to do a wait first and belts to the end of the long lead - this hurts me and may hurt him as we feel he has some sort of muscular back problem. I'm really not trying to be difficult I promise! I'd like to have a way of teaching a mid-chase recall that encourages him to think without the physical barrier if that makes sense, and only requires me..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K9Fran Posted July 1, 2006 Report Share Posted July 1, 2006 Can you not use the wait command, and then reward with his own ball thrown in another direction when he's off lead? Might mean having to be a little more 'aware'....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted July 1, 2006 Report Share Posted July 1, 2006 Don't know if this would help at all but I managed to pick up some squeaky tennis balls for Ollie (I think they're made by Kong) and they're absoltuely fab If he does decide he's going to run off towards another dog or ball then you could try squeaking your tennis ball and the sound should hopefully attract him back to you - it's worked pretty well for Ollie as not only to I have the incentive of the tennis ball but also the squeaker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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