How do I get Gabi to return the ball to me in the park. She brings it back every time at home but in the park she chases after it picks it up and then drops it and I have to fetch the ball. Who's training who?

would holding a nice smelly treat in your hand help.... so that shes brings the ball to you and then gets the treat :-)
thats how i have managed to get kai to fetch or give me whatever he had. :D

I've had 3 dogs who retrieve at home and drive me nutty but would they retrieve outside??  Not on your nelly!!  One would even go so far as to hide or bury the ball rather than return with it.  The two I have now both race after the ball and then stand over it as if to say "here it is, come on slowcoach"  they think this is really funny :)  They'll also chase after the balls of other dogs and then watch the dog pick up and race him back to his owner.  Its almost as if they're saying "awwww. isn't he sweet!"

I've had other dogs who would retrieve outdoors but not these ones!

Yours too Dill :P what a relief!  I thought it was just Teri's Terrible Tervs who didn't do retrieve (unless herding back small groups of straggling ramblers counts :D :D :D )

Teri

Fagan ADORES his ball on a rope, so much that he doesnt let me have it :( I throw it, he runs and gets it, throws it in the air a few times (typical setter fashion with front legs being flung about :p ) then he runs back to me ........ and then runs off again :rolleyes: if I get hold of it he wont let go, in the end I get bored and refuse to entertain his little games so he goes off and drops his ball somewhere and goes off to sniff I then have to sneak up on it cos if he sees me out of the corner of his eye he runs back and pounces on the ball and it all starts again

In the meantime Alfie just stands there and barks, and barks and barks a bit more :D

So I know how you feel, I spend all my time trying to sneak up on him to steal the ball back, just so I can throw it again for him :rolleyes:

She will get it eventually but not untill you stop going to get it!  If she knows your going to fetch it in the end then its part of the game. Buster did this and we were silly enough to go and get it to throw again and he would chase it then just stand there and say well come on then. What we did was take his absolute fav ball with us and when he chased it and stood there we just waited where whilst saying "bring it back" (praticed at home first) when he realised we wernt going to fetch it he actually brought it back within a few yards of us which was much better than going to fetch it oursleves. We didnt throw it that far to begin with and built up the distance it went depending how far he brought it back to us. He soon twigged if he brought it really close then it would be thrown further so he could chase it which he loves to do. Now he will pracitcally put it in our hands to be thrown again :D We also taught the drop command at the same time as he had a habbit of retreiving the ball then expecting us to chase him to get it off him :rolleyes: so killed two birds with one stone so to speak. He will drop anything we ask him too so it was a bonus that he was a little monster back then :D 

I tried the waiting game but during this time she decided she would chase after other peoples balls, at home we just wait and if she does not bring it back we do nothing (very boring) or just say where's that ball and take one step in the direction of the ball and she will race to get it before we do. Not in the park however, we have great difficulty trying to get her attention atall in the park as everyone and everything is far more exiting. At least if we are running for the ball she will keep watching. Good exercise for us at 60+ I've never been so fit. She is 17 months old and I still have to keep her on a long line. Will we ever be able to let her off leash? She has a strong chase drive, birds,dogs,joggers and so on.

I just used to leave the ball at the park so when he got home he had nothing to play with. He soon learnt to bring it with him. Lucky tennis balls are so cheap...

dont pick it up!!!!!
just say wheres your bally ?& walk away abit.never ever pick it up when she drops it,if she wants it thrown insist she puts it into your hand.she will soon get the idea if you are consistent!

Trouble is I am using a ball as a distraction from chasing other things, other dogs and people. If I don't pick up the ball it gives her too much time to home in on something else to chase. Back to the long line I guess.

you are focusing on the retrieve, when it is the recall you have a problem with....................

Ok tohme, trying to run before I can walk. Just need to play sometimes.

what about a ball on a rope,so you can do tuggy games rather than retrieve at the mo?

Gabi tends to be on the dominant side so I was told not to play tug. She is so strong that I can very rarerly win. At home we have no problem, we play fetch, hunt the toy and numerous games. It's fun in the park I'm looking for. At the moment I'm very boring, and everyone in the park is more exiting than me.