I inherited a 1.5 year old dachshund (wiener dog) when my brilliant sister decided to follow a boy to Blinn. My question is: How do you teach them to fetch?! He will chase the ball & then look at me like I'm a f'ing idiot. What is the secret to making them bring it back & drop it? I realize dachshunds aren't pre-disposed to that, but there has to be a training method. Any help is appreciated!
Dumb dog question...
- Thread starter spystud13
- Start date
Uninformed
5,000+ Posts
Are you saying the dog is dumb or the question is dumb? Personally, I think the question is fine. On the other hand, the dog must have picked up a few tricks from your sister. Following, a guy... What was she thinking? Maybe he had some meat wrapped up in one of his socks.
Which brings up a good point. Perhaps the same trick would work with your dog. I've always had hunting dogs (german shorthair pointers) that seem predisposed to retrieve, especially when taught as puppies. But, it sounds like you need to do something to get that dog exited to retrieve. Put him on a leash. Once he gets the ball with bacon smell on it or something, coax him back to you and then give him a real treat. It should work pretty quickly, although I'm no dog expert.
Which brings up a good point. Perhaps the same trick would work with your dog. I've always had hunting dogs (german shorthair pointers) that seem predisposed to retrieve, especially when taught as puppies. But, it sounds like you need to do something to get that dog exited to retrieve. Put him on a leash. Once he gets the ball with bacon smell on it or something, coax him back to you and then give him a real treat. It should work pretty quickly, although I'm no dog expert.
Or maybe he had a sock wrapped up with his
Oh, never mind.
Oh, never mind.
Well, let me start by first asking - are you a f'ing idiot?
Not much love for sis.
Repetition, reward and patience. The reward can be adoration and praise or a treat. I suggest something healthy or a nugget of their dog food so that you can alter their daily feeding if you give lots of treats while training.
Show the dog what you want it to do and when it does little by little, praise it. Be patient. The dog yearns to make you happy and get attention. Even negative attention beats being ignored.
There are some basic books online or in a pet store that will teach you how to do basic tricks or skills like this. Again, be patient, this is the key. It all feeds from you and your demeanor. Dogs sense stress and it complicates things. Make it fun for the dog.
Post a pic of doggy if you don't mind.
Show the dog what you want it to do and when it does little by little, praise it. Be patient. The dog yearns to make you happy and get attention. Even negative attention beats being ignored.
There are some basic books online or in a pet store that will teach you how to do basic tricks or skills like this. Again, be patient, this is the key. It all feeds from you and your demeanor. Dogs sense stress and it complicates things. Make it fun for the dog.
Post a pic of doggy if you don't mind.
Oh. DO NOT get sucked into the whole chase game where you go after the dog when it runs. This is the game the dog prefers. The dog does not pay the mortgage. Your game, your rules. You ignore the dog and walk away. Don't yell no, don't chase it and don't show exasperation. This is quite fun for the dog and takes you backwards in your goal.
MaduroUTMB
2,500+ Posts
accuratehorn
10,000+ Posts
This is actually a good question, because some dogs just naturally love to retrieve, but others do not. Labradors will fetch a ball or stick, especially in water, until your arm falls off.
A roommate had a weiner dog which loved to go after a tennis ball, and would bring that thing back over and over, and never tire of the game, so some weiner dogs will retrieve, they seem very playful.
On the other hand, my Airedale terrier would chase a ball once if I was lucky, but quickly figured out the silliness of the exercise, and would just tell me "homie don't play 'dat." He trained me.
The real question is what kind of training is necessary for your sister, who is in danger of falling into pre-aggyism.
A roommate had a weiner dog which loved to go after a tennis ball, and would bring that thing back over and over, and never tire of the game, so some weiner dogs will retrieve, they seem very playful.
On the other hand, my Airedale terrier would chase a ball once if I was lucky, but quickly figured out the silliness of the exercise, and would just tell me "homie don't play 'dat." He trained me.
The real question is what kind of training is necessary for your sister, who is in danger of falling into pre-aggyism.
tbone421998
25+ Posts
I have two 6 year old dachshund. The short haired one, Scooter, loves to play fetch. However, my wired-hair one, Buddy gets tired of the game after about three fetchs. He get's off the couch, gets the toy, and then drops it away from Scooter and I. He just smiles and says game over.
The method I've read about says to get two toys that the dog loves. Hide one and then throw one for the dog to go get. Once the dog goes and picks up the toy, pull out the hidden one and use it to encourage the dog to come back to you. Then you're supposed to throw the second toy and the dog should drop the toy it has and go get the one you threw. Then repeat. I don't know if this works in reality or not.
NickDanger
2,500+ Posts
I have to admit, TexasEd. I liked your response.
I have 2 Boston Terriers and the female used to love to play fetch and, like a lab, never seemed to tire of the game she thought up herself even long after I tired of it. We kept one of her puppies - Smudge. Somehow, he trained her out of the game altogether. We call him serenely stupid. He IS dumb as a stump. He has been such a negative influence that his mother, who used to NEVER run off at the ranch will now try to lead him to the promised land which means they will both end up being feral hog ****, coyote ****, or a smudge on SH 16. Last time it happened (a few days after I probably received a death sentence healthwise) my wife let them run off at the ranch and he was retrieved a Very short time later about 5 miles away after running down SH16 to a Girl Scout cookie sale. We retrieved the female about 4 days later a few blocks from the Girl Scout sale site a few days after I offered my wife as a reward for the dog's safe return. I actually posted signs saying that very thing.
The nice 3-year old who gave her back wouldn't even let me pay for her food while she was being cared for.
I've never had any desire or affinity for labs, but I now wish I'd had one that would retrieve terriers. The ranch is too big for an invisible fence so they both now sport electronic, ahem, hearing aids around their necks for the next time they go to the country.
I have 2 Boston Terriers and the female used to love to play fetch and, like a lab, never seemed to tire of the game she thought up herself even long after I tired of it. We kept one of her puppies - Smudge. Somehow, he trained her out of the game altogether. We call him serenely stupid. He IS dumb as a stump. He has been such a negative influence that his mother, who used to NEVER run off at the ranch will now try to lead him to the promised land which means they will both end up being feral hog ****, coyote ****, or a smudge on SH 16. Last time it happened (a few days after I probably received a death sentence healthwise) my wife let them run off at the ranch and he was retrieved a Very short time later about 5 miles away after running down SH16 to a Girl Scout cookie sale. We retrieved the female about 4 days later a few blocks from the Girl Scout sale site a few days after I offered my wife as a reward for the dog's safe return. I actually posted signs saying that very thing.
The nice 3-year old who gave her back wouldn't even let me pay for her food while she was being cared for.
I've never had any desire or affinity for labs, but I now wish I'd had one that would retrieve terriers. The ranch is too big for an invisible fence so they both now sport electronic, ahem, hearing aids around their necks for the next time they go to the country.
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