Well done you.....

I have a GWPx who I have cultivated a ball obsession in. She will always choose a toy over food and is never happy to give it up. The thing that worked with her was having 2 identical. She will give one up to get the other. I then statred introdcing a Drop command when I presented the other toy and she got the hang of it very quickly. She will still carry it out and about, which is why I trained her in the first place....she was awful at picking things up ff the floor!

I do lots of distraction work with her with the toys now - e.g. putting it down and getting her to do some h/w away from it before allowing her back.

Thanks Hali for your superb advice. It really was a very simple solution to the problem.

I have a working GWPx who is also toy orientated. He used to demand his toys but he had to learn that the toys were mine which I allowed him to have on my terms. The simple way I solved this as a major problem was to throw a toy and not let him have it. I would randomly throw a dummy with him in the heel position but not send him. Instead, I would calmly walk over and retrieve it myself with him in a wait. This taught him that he couldnt have the toy every time and then it followed that he was more willing to give the toy up as he viewed it as a privilege, not a right.

You could also try a long line and reel him in when you called him then have a game on the spot. It took a while for Flynn to bring things back and even now he wont always bring an item directly to me as he should, he'll have a quick run round first.

Thanks to you all for the helpful advice. I have lots of things to try out with Ollie now. I am now going to open an account with Doggy snaps so I can introduce you to him and my Springador, Freddie.

Introducing Freddie

http://www.doggysnaps.com/kennels/gs...ie/?PID=710580

and Ollie

http://www.doggysnaps.com/kennels/gs...ie/?PID=710577

Have you looked at The Gundog Club? Just google it and have a look (can't post a link as it contains a forum).

With my Springer I cocked up the retrieve by offering treats when she came back meaning she would drop the retrieve on return instead of delivering it to hand (probably your idea of heaven right now though, eh?! ).

The way I corrected this was to back chain the retrieve. This involves doing the retrieve backwards, teaching the dog to hold an item by saying "fetch" and to deliver the item to hand using the word "dead". Once the dog understands both these commands you then begin to progress to putting the item on the floor asking the dog to fetch and then use the word dead when you have hold of it to make the dog let go (don't think I explained that very well! ).

Not sure if this is of any help, but I wondered if you could try and do this with an item of lower value and then progress to the higher value ball your dog loves so much?

With regards to The Gundog Club, they have manuals you can order that teach you the above method. Might be worth a try, good luck whatever you decide.

Hi Ripsnorter

That is a very good point because he is now so keen for me to throw it again, he charges back to me (still on the flexi lead) and throws it on the ground. Which is a big improvement on a week ago!

I have been making him sit in front of me to encourage him to put it in my hand, but it's a bit hit and miss as he's so excited. I could do some separate calming work on picking it up from the floor in front of me and putting it in my hand.

Thanks for the tip!

Hi Maxine,

I am also a lover of German Shorthaired Pointers, I have a solid liver Bitch, she is a fantastic dog.

I have a similar problem with my dog and the recall, i have gone back to basics and by using a flexi lead, and making myself the most important person to her, and keeping her more focused on me, I use the treat approach as she is less toy orientated and we are not doing too badly.

Have you thought about trying Agility with your boy, I do it with my girl and she loves it, it also helps her to focus more on me and not everything else around her.

Good luck with your boy and i am looking forward to seeing photos of him.

Pebs

Hi Pebs

Thanks for your reply. Ollie couldn't be less interested in treats. I have even tried fresh liver and tried not to notice people staring at my hideously bloodstained hands! He regards eating his dinner as an irritating distraction from the more important things he would rather be doing. He would be quite happy for our Springador to eat it for him if we didn't feed them separately.

Playing fetch on the flexi lead intermittently throughout the walk has improved his recall enormously. I introduced a whistle 2 days ago and with 1 blast he now comes crashing out of the woods looking for his next game with the beloved ball. It will be quite a while before I will feel confident enough to play fetch without the lead. There is an enclosed tarmac basketball court nearby, we might try it out there first!

I will try again to post some pictures. This is Ollie who was docked by a vet because he was destined to be a working dog until I showed up.



This is Freddie our amazingly tolerant Springador

They both look fantastic

(just one thing re liver - if you've got bloody hands, does that mean you're trying it raw?....many dogs even those who love other meat uncooked, don't like raw liver...it seems to taste/smell much better for them when it is cooked)