fetch!

[Juicy]

Awwwwwwww!

[amymarley]

Originally Posted by oryza

Hi all,

I'm Oryza and new to this forum. I hope to learn a lot from you all and hopefully I can contribute a little bit too!

I just got myself a new puppy (a Maltese) and though I know some of the rules, I seem to do all the wrong things.
Minka is about 11-12 weeks old and I chase her around. Yes, blush ! I always want to catch her doing her business & put her in her potty.
Now that I have a crate and made a play pen AND have her potty in the, ... yes, livingroom, I don't chase her around very much anymore, but ... she always runs away from me!

How do I "reset" her brain that I won't chase her anymore?
Minka is very intelligent and understood in 2 days where she had to go potty, even though there still have been a few accidents.

OK, that was my first question.
The second is : How do I see if a dog likes to please me and how do I take advantage of it to teach her things.
She's been with us for almost three weeks now. Of course she's playing all the time. She doesn't seem eager to "please" me, though.
Minka doesn't sit as easily as other dogs do. She prefers to walk backwards when I give her a treat in front of het nose and bring it above her head.
My third question has to do with the above : I wanted to teach her to fetch a ball.
It was so easy with our now two year old Spitz we call Poomy. He did it all by himself. Minka fetches the ball and goes playing with it somewhere else. Doesn't bring it back.
How do I teach a puppy that "fetch" means :"bring it to me"?

Well, those are the things that keep me thinking.

Thanks in advance for your advise!

CU!
Oryza

First off, welcome! Glad to see you hear. Second, your pup is only about 12 weeks old, don't expect to much. I take it you don't have a child, haha! Your pup will be a pup for at least 2 years of age. She is just acting her age, don't worry too much. As for sitting, she still may be a bit young, it all depends on the dog and the dogs growth, use a firm (not mean) voice, hold the treat above your head and say sit at the same time, keep it going over her head until she sits, and then praise her like it's the best thing in the world. As for fetching balls, that's up to her personality, not all dogs are ball motivated. Let her chew, chase balls, play with toys etc for awhile. She may never be "ball motivated," and that's o.k. if she is your pet. I love ball motivated dogs for my shows. I hate a forced retreive, so please don't do that. You have a new kid, let her be a baby for awhile and don't get yourself upset over her not doing what you had in the past. Her own personality is going to come out and then you work with that, not the other way around. Hope you do well, both of you.
Amy

[Dizzy]

Bodhi learnt sit at about 8 weeks old. I started as soon as I got her! And she is the Sit master now

So I don't think she is too young. Just persevere. As soon as she performs the action of 'sit' - say sit, praise and a treat. Even if she just does it without asking - as her bum goes down, say 'Sit!', and then praise. She will soon put 2 and 2 together!

I have found that repeating "sit, sit sit sit" until they do it, and then praise, is no good. Just say it once. If she doesn't perform just do something else, and then go back to it.

[Dizzy]

Fetch...

Just throw the toy & wait!

If doggy brings it back near you - even if they aren't bringing it back to you - PRAISE!!

If she runs past with the toy - as she is near - praise!

Soon she will realise it's fun when she runs back to you with the toy.

From there you can move on to getting her to give you the toy.

Also, as animalbiz said, it is made easier when they understand the come command.

[Tysons Mom]

Cute pups welcome to Chaz