Oh no, sorry, forgot that. Poor Snowie. In that case I hope he isn't ball crazy, or has gotten over it.
I've just come in from trying out North/South! We live in a very quiet cul-de-sac so it was a safe spot to try this out with no dog or people distractions. Here's how I experienced it: - I took two balls. But once Snowie retrieved the first ball, he had absolutely no interest in the second ball. In fact, when I threw the second ball, he then tried to grab the first ball from my hand. So the next time I didn't wait for him to drop the first ball (hmm we never taught for him to wait for me to take an item out of his mouth; he actually tosses the ball to me when he comes back) but instead I just threw the second ball. That confused him. He dropped the first ball at my feet and then picked it up and ran after the second ball with the first ball in his mouth, and then left the second ball lying where it landed. So, from then on, I just used the one ball for the game. - He was really good at trotting back -- not racing -- and as he got near enough that I knew he wouldn't stop, I did my usual crouch forward arms outstretched "come" pose and called brightly, "Snowie! Come!" Maybe I'm introducing the recall cue to soon?? Except for two times when he got distracted -- some food in the street and a smell on a wall (and I didn't say Come then) -- he immediately returned after he retrieved the ball. I ended when we were still doing well, after about 5 throws in either direction. Also didn't want to overdo it cos he was leaping into the air to catch the ball mid-air, although that was better than scrambling to a jolting halt to pick up the ball on the ground (that happened a couple of times, so I preferred to let the ball bounce more when I threw it). He did go back to his ball-mad self, evident when we were playing outside his "girlfriends'" house, two Malamute girls who were going crazy with delight to see him on the other side of the gate. But no, showed no interest in them now that the ball was out. I tried to put the ball in my pocket but he would have none of it! However, he was happy to end the game actually, made straight for our garden gate when I started back and into the pool. Now fast asleep. Didn't take much to tire him out!
I play this game with big chunks of food - big enough so they can see them easily. Might be worth a try
Hmmm, the first couple of times I threw the second ball as soon as I caught Oban's eye, he abandonned the first to run after the second when he saw me throw it in the opposite direction. I think part of the reason this worked for us is that Oban just LOVES to run as fast as he can away from me. LOL Well, not really, but the chase is part of the reward for him, the thrill, the fun. The first couple of times I just went and picked up the first ball while he was running to get the second. I think because Oban saw I had that first ball by the time he'd picked up the second was a clue I had another ball to throw. ETA: When Oban abandonned the first ball sometimes he carried it in his mouth on his way to the second and dropped it somewhere along the way.
Please explain how that works. When do you give the food? And do you include the ball throwing along with the food? Thanks!
I did once try throwing the ball as soon as Snowie had turned around to come back to me. He was totally not interested in that second ball but instead came back to me and tossed the first ball at me to throw for him. For him the entire run, retrieve, toss back is all part of the game (I think), not just randomly chasing balls -- which is probably why he doesn't chase other dogs' balls that are flying past. But... on our late afternoon walk an hour later I took treats and practiced "Snowie! Come!" and it worked EVERY TIME!!!!!!! I used it particularly when I saw him thinking about leaving the path and considering looking for poo (well, it looked like that!) and he came! It was WONDERFUL! Then I got home and let him jump out the car (as I usually do) and he made straight for the neighbour's house where the boyfriend was on the pavement waiting for the gate to be buzzed open, and as soon as the gate opened Snowie was in there in a flash and not at all interested in me! I didn't dare say "Snowie! Come!" but he totally ignored me when I made all other kinds of excited noises. He did look at me when I said, "Come for supper!" (he knows the word, supper) but that was about all. So... well, I don't know! We're not there yet, that's all!
OK, so there is no ball, you're throwing food. That's why it needs to be big chunks. So, using the "north/south" idea, you'd throw a chunk to north. Your dog runs towards it and, as he gobbles it up, you blow your recall whistle (or give your verbal cue), so he immediately turns back towards you. As he does, you throw another treat to south. Repeat for ten treats, on the last one you don't throw it, you wait for him to come to you and give it by you. So, you're teaching him that, on the recall whistle, he turns and accelerates towards you. You need to use big, expressive body language at first, so really make sure you're turning your back to him and making an exaggerated "bowling" movement as you throw the treat.
Thanks for the explanation. What big chunks of food do you use? And if it's meat, how do you cut it up? I struggle as it is to cut up Snowie's raw meat (it comes in 1kg packs and sometimes I have to cut up a beef heart into smaller pieces to keep within his rations). Maybe I need a sharper knife!!
I tend to use turkey frankfurters cut into chunks about 1.5cm long. That works just fine and takes no time to prepare
Okay, so I have quite a different understanding of "big chunks"! When you see the hunks of meat that Snowie gets for his meals, I was thinking you were tossing 100gm steaks! And also wondering how you managed to keep it all within their food allowances!
I was the person that said: I do understand you being despondent at the description of 'untrained' and the road it paints of work ahead of you. I have been there myself, and still am, n lots of situations Charlie can very, very definitely be fairly called untrained - just about every advanced Gundog class we go to, for example. And yes, of course there are degrees of being 'untrained'. Yes, a dog can be trained to - for example - be trained to go to a mat in the kitchen and be completely untrained to walk on a lead. You are obviously sensitive about this, and I didn't realise it would upset you. But, look, to be fair, the things you mentioned as problems were: running over to the other side of the road to get to a smell; running away from you to steal food; not walking on a lead; and not co-operating when you wanted to dry him. So, while I'm sure you have worked very hard, and all credit to you for that, in a pretty wide range of rather basic behaviours, your dog did sound pretty much untrained from your post. That's not a terrible thing to say - it just means you have to get with the training programme (along with the rest of us!) instead of worrying about whether sounding cross is the answer, it isn't.
