I have a 5 month old BC who loves to play fetch but doesnt really get the hang of returning the ball, she will drop the ball close to me and then lay down and wait but i have tried to teach her to return it properly but she doesnt really know, is this normal?
I think you are expecting too much from a five month old puppy. She is still a baby and she is doing really well for her age. Let her enjoy the game, but keep rewarding her the nearer she gets to doing things the way you want her to do them. Personally, I wouldn't overdo the retrieve at this age either - the sudden acceleration and twisting movements can damage immature joints. If you are not the member of a dog training club, I would get a book on training your dog using positive methods, (which is often called clicker training). You can probably even find the basics on a Google search.The clicker was originally a sprung box which produced a standard sound - and signified the promise of a reward to the dog. However, this can be confusing if you get a group of people who all use them. These days the click is usually your own short positive sound. I use the word, 'Yes' - short but in happy voice. American members are more inclined to use the phrase, 'Good-Job', which isn't as short but seems to work equally well.
Unless you plan on competitions of some sort, is it even necessary for her to drop the ball in your hand? For me, there are two questions to be asked: Do you want her to obey you without question? Or do you want to play with her? If the former, then seek out a positive based trainer to help you make your instructions clear to her. If the latter, then take your direction from her. Is she dropping the ball and waiting because she wants you to throw it? Or is she chasing after it because you threw it? Is this the game SHE wants to play? Would she prefer a game of try and get the ball from me (my dog's favorite game)? Also consider if you really want that ball dropped in your hand? It can get very wet from drool and pick up a lot of gross things. I use a throw stick to pick it up and throw it - so I don't want it dropped in my hand or on my lap. I have a basket outside and taught him that if he wants me to throw the ball then he has to put it in the basket. Otherwise, we play "try to take it from me".
She does it that way because dogs don't have hands. Instinct tells her to drop it by you so you can pick it up in your mouth - like another dog.
I trained my Akita to drop a ball in my hand or at my feet. As a general rule, an Akita will go get a ball the first time you throw it. But if you throw it again they figure you don’t want it. It took about a year to train him to bring the ball back to me and drop it in my hand, or at my feet. Teaching him to do this took an enormous amount of treats. He definitely loved playing try and get the ball from me, which rarely happened as he’s much faster and more agile then I am. He’s really good at making me think he’s going one way and then going the other. We now play a combination of these games. When his sister arrived (they are separated by 18 months) she watched the game and mostly picked up on it. I never used treats to train her in this game because with both dogs playing, they just both wanted the treats. She likes to run close to me and then pull away. Like here it is, nope you can’t have it. Sometimes I get it from her. I definitely wash my hands after these games. For me it’s a way to get them some exercise when I just don’t feel like taking them for a walk, plus a great way for us to interact and do something fun. Sometimes it’s a ball, but more often it’s one of their toys.
My dad's second akita tried to trade his squeaky toy for her new baby. Tornado-dog will bring his ball over to me and set it right next to me. Then he waits. As soon as I reach ti pick it up, he snatches it away.
