TRAINING - Page 1

Please help:

When I throw a ball for my 9 month old GSD he runs happily and fetches the ball, he then however runs back towards me and stops a little away from me and waits for me to come and throw the ball again.

How can I teach him to come all the way to me instead of stoping and waiting?

Also for a tournament I need to teach him 'stand'. I've tried a few things but they haven't worked so well and I thought that seeing as so many of you train dogs, a couple of people should have some good tips?

Please Help.

Thanks.

Try having another ball in your hands and hold it down by your crotch,when dog is approaching you it may help to take a few steps backwards to keep him coming twords you. Try to entice him with the other ball.

Just be careful which one he takes from the "crotch area" LOL.

Yea I guess for a guy it wold be a little rough. I try to get my dog to drive in "push" into me when he returns.

I bet you do...Good tactic...!

Well I had to get the retrieve playing 2 ball and he formed the habit of dropping the ball well away from me in anticipation for the next throw. I got tired of walking to pick up the other ball. I put a "gimme that" command when we played tug of war, I wont engage until he brings it right to my hand. It was easy to incorpotate that into the ball play, when he dropped the ball I wouls say uh uh, "gimme that" and take a couple steps back. He started bringing it right to my feet before dropping and then I made him put it right in my hands. It all came together very quickly, 1 session in the house playing tug and then 1 outise playing ball. In one day I had the dog thrusting it in my hand instead of spitting it out 10 feet away and then running up to me.

My dog is a selfish turd. Always wanting both toys and trying to cut me out of the game. I just had to show him there was no game without me. Now instead of dropping the ball away "trying to keep that one too" he is shoving it into me wanting another throw/keep the game going. Every few retrieves I still back up a few steps to reinforce that he needs to keep bringing it until I am ready to take it from him mouth. You see Sch handlers do it all the time with the barbell.

One thing that I have done with both of my dogs, and this has worked well, was that for the first 2 months or so of working - (really working, not just for play fun, but this would still work for play fun) is that I have my dog on a long line, and make them sit quiet and throw the tug or a ball, and once the object has come to a rest, I send him for the retrieve!  Of course I am sure to only throw the tug within long line reach, or sometimes I just run with the dog if it may be a little far, I never allow tension on the line until I see the dog is not coming back to me. 

As the dog starts to come back, I start reeling in the long line, and bring him back to me, all the way.  Be sure to have another tug, or ball to give as a reward for when they do get back to you, or even food.  I have been training Jager with food and toy and it seems to be working well. As he comes back to me I give lots of praise, but only give the “bring” command once when I send him out the first time to get him.

So try that, after a few sessions, your dog will most likely come all the way back to you without the line, and you can play ball!  Right now he wants to play the "chase me game"