Tips on teaching retrieve to a Retriever!

[littlehayleyc]

I have a 19 month old Flatcoat X Golden retriever who is hopeless at retrieving. It's probably our fault but I wondered if anyone has any tips for teaching him. I have tried to teach him at various points since he was little, and whilst we have done well in all other aspects, this one has eluded us!

In the house and garden we play fetch type games with his ball or bone and he will bring it to us to throw. He occasionally drops it, but often just carries it around and teases you with it. If I hold the toy and say drop he will let go but depends what mood he is in. If you ignore him then eventually he will bring it closer and put it on your lap or drop near you because he wants to play. The main problem is when we are in the field.

He has a ball on a rope that he loves to chase but he just won't bring it back. His recall is very good otherwise, but when he has the ball he will prance around with it as though it's the best game in the world that you want the ball and he's got it. I have tried various things like putting him on a long line, but because he is used to us throwing a long distance he will start running and pull you over before you've even thrown the ball. I also try giving him a treat in exchange for the ball but he still won't actually bring it within my reach. I have to behave as though I'm not interested in the ball and throw a treat on the grass a distance away so I can get the ball back. He loves running after the ball, and it's a good way of tiring him out if there are no other dogs to play with so I would really like it to be more fun and less frustrating for me!

Sorry- but this did make me smile

Good luck 😉.
Our golden is the worst retriever ever. Our other dogs (not retrievers) actually retrieve, and bring back the stick/ball/whatever. The golden may bring it back once, if she feels like it and the planets align just right.
The only exception is in water (lake/sea) where she'll retrieve her floating frisbee for 5-10 minutes straight before making clear she's not interested.
She's 8 and a little dumb but we do adore her.
Have you thought about getting a bagfull of tennisballs, throwing them to your pup one by one, and gathering them all up at the end?
(Not saying you can't teach him to retrieve "properly", just that he may be happy with how things are currently 😂)

Have a look at the Totally Gundogs site, it's dedicated to force free gundog training and has loads of great information. There's a whole section on retrieving which should have some very helpful information on.

There's also an accompanying FB group, Positive Gundogs, which is probably well worth joining although you do have to jump through some hoops to do so.

Thank you. I feel a bit of a fool at the field, he's basically taught me to chase him round the field which he thinks is great fun! He also occasionally steals tennis balls from other dogs and its a bit embarrassing when I can't get him to give them back!

Sounds like he is a real hoot 😊. And yes, has you trained well 😂

I think that you need to teach 'leave it', and recall. Then if he comes to you, he gets told to leave it, and gets a treat in return. If he just beggars off, you recall him. When he's sat at your feet, you praise then throw a ball. If he came back with the ball, then he gets a treat, but not as high value as an immediate retrieve.
This seems to work for my foster lurchers anyway!

Try having having two toys. When he runs towards you with one, you exchange for the other one ( works even better if he likes squeakies) so he drops one and you throw the new one IYSWIM.
I have done this with several dogs, though not my retriever x, who point blank refuses to retrieve anything I suggest....

I was coming home on to suggest the two identical toys idea. We've just rehomed a Lab X and she wont even chase a ball, let alone retrieve it! It may take me some time but I'm working on it! A light up flashy ball someone else's dog was chasing today at dusk seemed to be interesting...

I used the clicker trained retrieve method from Totally Gundogs and it worked a treat.

I’m another one with a retriever who won’t retrieve!! His favourite game is tug so never gives up his toys, that’s if he even comes back with them!

I STILL remember one perfect retrieve though. Large field, threw a frisbee, he took off after it looking like a dog in an ad and brought it back and dropped it at my feet.

That was 3 years ago and it’s never happened since!!

In ddog’s defence, he did once bring me a baby rabbit, entirely unscathed, and drop it at my feet. I’m not about to start encouraging that kind of retrieving though!

bubble that’s better than the mice I get!

One of my flatcoats once brought me a dazed, but otherwise unhurt, duck. Rubbish at bringing back balls .

Some FCs prefer the fun of the chase to bringing it back - ie being chased by someone else! The dogs I’ve had from proper working lines were all good at retrieve games. My current golden pup will pretty much give me anything, she’s currently bringing in all sorts of old tat from the garden, plant pots,seed trays, bits of old tennis ball ... but she is from proper working stock and it’s totally instinctive with her, not learned. You have to walk away, not chase, food was always the best motivator for my ball stealing FCs. I had one type of treat that was particularly delicious and kept for such occasions. They knew the packet, they trained me to give them one every time they gave up a stolen ball good luck!

Have you tried keeping ddog on a long long lead? Every time she collects the ball you use the lead and GENTLY pull encourage ddog towards you. When she gets near enough to touch offer a very high value treat and then IMMEDIATELY throw the ball again. The long rope lead ensures you remain in control, the immediate throw is the reward for coming back. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Turn coming back to you into a habit, and NEVER play with that particular type of ball unless you are in training mode.

Sorry, HIM not her.

I've never met a Retriever who actually retrieves.

If you want something retrieved you get a Labrador to do it.

Umm, labradors are retrievers .... there are 5 retrievers,
Labrador retrievers
Flatcoated retrievers
Golden retrievers
Curly coated retrievers
Nova Scotia duck tolling retrievers

Ours was demoted to a Golden fairly early on in life. She never did recover the Retriever part of her title. Fortunately she was adorable and Queen of all that is fluffy so we were able to overlook her slight dudness.

demoted to a golden That is hilarious, love it!

Our Goldie is a water retriever. She won't consider retrieving on land though. Useless pup (she's nearly 10!)

I have absolutely nothing useful to say, but PLEEEEASE post a picture of your beautiful-sounding dog!

we had a spaniel collie cross that wouldn't bring anything back...he'd chase it, find it, pick it up and stand there with it. NOTHING on earth would entice him to fetch back whatever you had thrown.

His recall was okay, and if you recalled him he would just leave whatever he had in his mouth.

Arm yourself with the tastiest treats you can find. We use smoked sausage for our dog. Make sure your dog knows you have these treats. In the garden throw the ball just a short distance and when he gets it call him and hold out the treat. He only gets the treat if he brings the ball back and drops it. It might take many attempts but stick with it. Make the distances further until you can go on the park.

I never go on the park without some smoked sausages. 👀

The water retrieving is just a ruse to get wet and muddy.