The drivier dogs do tend to love fetch, but I don't regard it as a 1:1 ratio because while the ball typically triggers the drive, it doesn't seem to every time. The situation K9-Design described is a perfect example.

It's quite likely that your dog will love to fetch if you get a dog with a strong working pedigree and spend some time when he's young bonding over the game and reinforcing it. not 100% guaranteed, but very, very likely.

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This is my dog, exactly. He loves eating rabbit poop. Its more excited than fetching when we're outside. So gross. I don't get why he'l only fetch inside.




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sdhgolden
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What if you try to teach fetch? Start really small by tossing the ball or bumper a few feet, wait till your dig picks it up and then treat (I like to use a clicker too). Then gradually increase the distance. That might be enough to spark your dog's interest.

Brady comes from strong conformation lines and MacKenzie is a rescue that probably comes from more of the field lines. They have totally different personalities.

MacKenzie will fetch all day, she is very prey driven.

Brady will just look at her totally confused. He will chase an occasional rabbit, deer or fetch a couple times, but that is it, while MacKenzie lives for this and is constantly stalking things, etc. While Brady is out smelling the flowers, enjoying all the sights and looking for people to hug him.

We always tell Brady that he should be more of a "real dog" like MacKenzie.

The funniest thing I have experienced with fetching is I used to have a GSD and a Great Pyrenees. My GSD loved to fetch and of course guard dogs like the Pyr are very smart but don't have that instinct in them.
One day I am playing fetch with my GSD, and my Pyr is sitting there watching him. He all of the sudden sits next to me as if he wants a turn, so I throw the ball for him. He chases it down, and brings it back to me perfectly, I am shocked, he then walks away. Never to want to do it again. I guess he just figured he would try it, and it wasn't that much fun. I tried over the years a few times again with him - nope not interested.

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I do everything I can to discourage her from eating rabbit poop, but unless she's leashed in the yard, there's nothing I can do to prevent it.

As for fetching in the yard, I could work on it more by using the 50 ft lead and high value treats, but I'm not overly concerned about it at 8 months. I'll wait until every little twig isn't so interesting to her.


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Grasslands Liberty Belle "Bella" CGC (5-7-2012)

I think the key is to stop playing fetch, and put the ball away while they still want it.

That being said, Walnut will play fetch indoors, outdoors, in mud, snow, whatever. HOWEVER, he enjoys the searching part more than the fetching.

For example. I'll throw a Glow in the dark chuck-it ball, and it lands deep in the snow somewhere. He visually cannot see the ball. He will spend as long as it takes looking for it, and all the while, his tail is wagging so hard it looks like it might break off.

And when he finally finds it....he runs back so fast we usually need to step out of the way so we don't get hit...because he can't stop in time.


While he's still enjoying the game, we make it a point to show him that we're putting the ball away. We've been doing this for some time now, and it just makes him more and more likely to play again next time (and for much longer). It's gotten to the point where he sees the ball and gets so excited, that he almost makes a 1/2 dash to get the ball...even though he sees it's still in my hand

We still reward him too. Specially if he's able to sniff out the ball after 5 minutes of searching. Sometimes he looks for it for 3-4 minutes, takes a poop, and continues to look for it for another 3-4 minutes until he finds it. haha.

Anyway...try putting the ball away before he gets bored of it.

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