Since owning Sidney, there's something I've really noticed in the last 3 years... Most retrievers DON'T retriever... some only 'partly' retrieve ("Look what I got, come and get me")... some will retrieve but not for very long (unreliable retrieves... "Naw, you go get it this time, I'm bored" ). We go everywhere and meet tons of dogs all the time and so my 'guesstimates' are based upon my observations gleaned from dog parks, beaches, etc.
It would appear to me that Labs by far are more apt to retrieve with gusto! than Goldens. Many Chessies also tend to be highly-motivated retrievers, especially where any water is concerned. Goldens it seems are the least motivated to 'go get the stick'. I would say, easily less than 20% of Goldens actually retrieve at all and less than 5% retrieve with any gusto (drive) and probably less than 1% will do this for hours on end. By contrast I guess 40% of all Labs retrieve, maybe 20% insanely so, and 15% of them will do it until they drop dead. Chessies? I don't know because I've not seen enough of them to be able to hazard any estimates... I've probably only see maybe 40 or so in the last 3 years. And before Sidney came along, I really didn't pay much attention to retrieving drives of these breeds.
So to test my own observation skills I'd thought it might be fun to see how close I've come on my Golden Retriever estimates... thus this poll. Wanna play?
Sidney is the quintessential Obsessive-Complusive retriever. Sophie might possibly retrieve if she is in the mood.
I have one that will get it once or twice, but that's it, the other one will retrieve for quite some time, then finally he takes the toy and hides it. My Shiloh Shepherd is obsessed with retrieve. He will go after it and bring it back as many times as I will throw it.
Dallas is a GOLDEN not retriever LOL he doesnt retrieve anything, Austin is the OCD one and goes and gets Dallas's ball too and brings his and Dallas's back =)
What a sick freak... I LOVE dogs that OCD fetch- so easy to tire them out! So easy to motivate them! Starlite was one (Golden Retriever, BYB bred from almost all show lines a few generations back) and was retrieving like a freak the NIGHT I got him from a puppy farmer warehouse in Kansas, in the rain, with no leash, in a motel parking lot... having never had a toy before in his lifetime. THAT is a retriever! I cannot imagine having deprived him of his favorite game!
Carson falls somewhere between Driven, and OCD. He'll retrieve everytime I throw it but after a while he looks at me like....are you serious....can't I just lay here with it?!?! Then I throw it again...and......he's off!!!
Last summer I noticed this woman and Deacon in an agility class... the dog park has a separately fenced off area (4-foot chain-link) with agility equipment where they hold classes. I just stood at the fence and watched for awhile. Deacon was all over the place and it was obvious to me he wasn't focused as a treat was not the best motivator for this dog. It seemed so obvious to me Deacon would do anything for the tennis ball and it was a shame that woman wasn't using it for a lure, to motivate and to reward Deacon. Why some people refuse to try other alternatives than continuing to swim up-stream has aways baffled me. What is it with this woman?... Is it a test of wills? I don't know but it seems to me poor Deacon has to pay the price for this woman's stubbornness with an unfulfilled life.
It's very sad isn't it Monomer! It's a wonder she even lets the poor dog do agility!
Here, there is a police dog named Strider. His reward is his tennis ball. Funny how that woman you spoke of only wants to take something this dog loves away, when she could infact be using it for a reward and a good game of fetch.
Penny is a Golden receiver: throw the ball and then start running and be prepared to run all the way down field because she's going long!
Unless we get her purple ball out, then it's soccer star all the way. About 18" in diamter, it's a child's play ball. She loves to bounce it off her nose, put her shoulder to it and push it around the yard or block it with her body: goalie all the way.
We have a steep hill off the side of the drive. She'll stand on the drive and wait for me to kick the ball to her. She'll bop it off her nose almost all day. Physically she gets tired of that game, but mentally? Never!
Jasmine is the lab/golden and she is ball obsessed and will, as Misnomer said, fetch until she drops. I have to make her stop.
Jasper is my 2 year old and he will play for a while, but then he gets tired and quits.
Danny is my 1 year old and he is ADD, I swear! He will chase the ball about 3 times and then something else will grab his attention. Then he will bring back a stick instead of the ball. Then he starts digging a hole. Then he decides it's time to play "chase me". Then he has to look over the fence at the neighbor. Then he brings the ball back. LOL
Yes, we do understand the grass pulling thing... however Sidney only starts that after we quit playing.
I've actually timed Sidney and he will take a full 33% longer on the return with the ball/frisbee from a water retrieve than he takes going out to get it. Also he has been known to meander or take a longer way back with the ball when he gets tired.
Does anyone else have a dog who's hackles come up when she's retrieving? With Miss Kali, the more into the game she gets, the higher her hackles raise. By the end of a really, really intense game, she looks like she's sporting a mohawk.
Does anyone else have a dog who's hackles come up when she's retrieving? With Miss Kali, the more into the game she gets, the higher her hackles raise. By the end of a really, really intense game, she looks like she's sporting a mohawk.
My goldens seem to like to catch a tennis ball and then the game really begins. You have to catch them to get the ball back LOL
Now Hooch, (the rottie) he'll bring it back everytime and place it in my hand. He would rather play ball than eat. He LOVES it.
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