Did you have to train fetch?

Absolutely. Jackson is a prime example. Honestly most people would've just said oh well, he's not a fetcher. And yep some dogs just ... aren't going to be, but I think there is a LOT of dogs that just take a bit of time and patience and work.

Jackson was just 'oh, a ball? Eh, you go get it' until about a year old or so when I finally decided I WANTED a dog that fetched. So I figured it was worth trying. Like I said in the above post, started on a long line with treats. I would honestly say it took almost a year for him to play in other places besides our own yard though. Now, at 5 years old, I can take him to an empty park/field, and fling the ball with a Chuck It and he'll do it over and over again and just ENJOYS himself. And he's even catching frisbees now farther and farther! So while he's a terrier and not a 'natural' when it comes to fetch, retrieving, etc, and maybe took a bit more work to bring out that drive, and no he'll never be a BC when it comes to frisbee, etc, but I turned into something FUN for him, and it's fun for me, and it tires him out, etc, so it was all worth it.

Had I never encouraged anything, or just wrote him off a non-fetcher, he'd never be doing these:

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Who has a dog that will retrieve more untraditional objects like pens, paper, metal?

Mia will but it's trained. Well..... she will return them to her box. xD

Definitely had to train the both of them!
With Circus (11 mo), she has a consistent retrieve-to-hand inside the house or in the backyard... not in the front yard or anywhere else off the property. If we're at a park, she'll get the ball, set it in front of her and immediately drop to a down whilst staring at me. I've been lazy about getting her to retrieve outside the house because Lugia retrieves all of her balls for her. It's actually really cute, Circus just stares at me with the ball in front, Lugia gets impatient that nothing's happening, steals the ball and returns it to me.

Kinda funny that my sighthound has an awesome fetch and retrieve but my herder doesn't xD This thread has definitely inspired me to go work on the problem, though!

Kim and Webster will either thrown or directed. Mira will if thrown -- we've practiced our formal retrieves with a pop can on more than one occasion when waiting around somewhere random.

Both Traveler and Didgie will. I've never really worked with it and it's not like, super clean or anything but they'll retrieve spoons and pens and bowls and the like if I ask or throw it.

I guess it's not exactly fetch lol.

[YOUTUBE]Zkk-o960Rng[/YOUTUBE]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zkk-o960Rng&list=UUEMit_X89sKygjypdATGzYQ&feature=share&index=2

But she'll now gather up multiple items as I point to them and will also go get them from further away. It's becoming her favorite trick.

OMG totally off subject, but the first time she steps in the box. It's so deliberate. Like "*STOMP*" Hahahahaha.

Haha, we've worked all four in a box a lot and she loves to offer that with ANYTHING I put in front of her.

Jackson will, depending on the object, I've never tried anything too off the wall and I can't get him to pick him anything terribly heavy (or like keys, he won't pick those up yet, so anything metal-y he doesn't like) but yes paper, trash, pens, socks, etc, he will retrieve, and then place in a basket.

I love Mia's enthusiasm, she's just so happy.

Finn had it partially figured out (would go catch then bring back part of the way). It took very, very little repetition to make him grasp that the faster the ball reaches a person, the faster it will be thrown again.

Maisy likes to randomly bring me things either as a greeting or to solicit tug, but she doesn't give any effs about fetching something I throw for that purpose.

Pip fetches, but he doesn't bring it back to me. Once he's got something, he's off to lie down and chew it.

Squash... sort of. Since I started formally teaching him a retrieve, he has more and more often started spontaneously bring me his Wubba or a ball in the house to play fetch with, but he still loses interest in it after probably 4-5 tosses at most. Outside, he likes me to throw stuff but he mostly wants to run around with it and be chased instead of fetch over and over.

Kimma had to absolutely be taught. But now she loves it. Hers was shaped because I wanted her to have a formal retrieve, though, but because I wanted a dog that would fetch. She has a return to hand thing going.

Pen came knowing but still doesn't like to bring it back all the way. And will sometimes stand there nomming on whatever it is before he either drops it (if it's a ball) or brings it back closer so we can play tug.

Bubby has no interest in toys or balls. Except if she wants to destroy them.

Jari I am shaping just like Kimma. Though he will sometimes bring back a tug to play with me. I'm working on getting that more ingrained in him because I would LOVE to use more toy than food rewards in the future.

Kimma will now, but she has to get to practice holding whatever it is first. Things like credit cards/pens/pencils that I've done before she will usually just go for if directed or if I throw it.

Cohen will retrieve sand bags if asked. :3 Or mats.

LOL I don't see Kimma ever becoming that hardcore

Tucker naturally knew to chase, pick up, and bring back, no training necessary. He had to learn to drop-it, but it was just taught during the game, not a separate training thing.

Its official ... Mia is like ... the cutest dog ... ever.

the only dog cuter than Josefina :lol-sign:

Yep. Roxie would grab a toy and OMG, TOOOOOOY!!! LOOK, I HAVE A TOY!... So I would have to reel her in, and then mark it.

With my beagle mix Buddy (RIP), it was hopeless... She would go after the toy, and then halfway through (no matter how far or close I threw it), catch a scent and track it.

Oz was fetching a 6 weeks old. Just over 10 years ago on his first day home, I rolled a tennis ball in front of him just for the heck of it. This tiny puppy marched purposefully over to the ball, and I swear he dislocated his jaw to fit it in his mouth, brought it back and dropped it in my lap.
I kid you not.
The BEAGLE is my best "fetch player" in the house.
Even at 10 years old he will still play the game longer than any of my other dogs (including the Border Collie). He's also got a great trick that when we say "I can't reach" he will bring the ball up to your lap.

Cobain couldn't be bothered for the first few months of his life. Now fetch is a nightly routine for Cobain. He will fetch anything and everything. If I throw/drop it, he will put it back in my hands. I've experimented with all sizes and textures, and unless it's too big to carry he will do it. Gotta love getting your dog to do your bending work haha.

Rigby came understanding fetch. Best "drop" command out of all of them. Drop first ask questions later.

Ruby came knowing fetch as well. But only if she's the only dog playing. If there's another dog in the mix she plays "screech, bark, and bite the other dog in the hind end" which I'm sure the neighbours love.