Dutch Shepherd Forum

Second time out with Cino and the new Starmark Easy Glide.

Didn't catch it on video but at one point he had it folded in 1/2 in his mouth.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7538501@N08/7280134610/

The other dog in the above video is Abigail. Our play time ended when she came out of the water limping pretty bad on her front right leg.

Another video:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7538501@N08/7280149898/

And a third one showing his excellent ability to listen ... and sit when told. At least he came right back to me when he started to wander off!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7538501@N08/7280156384/

Aww, cute vids! He looks so happy!

Wow he is so fast and agile!

Your sit video reminded me of something Geyser does that I have yet to figure out.

In one very specific situation (playing tug and fetch in the kitchen), for some reason, she sits glacially, when given the cue. And, I do mean glacially. It can take her a minute to gradually lower her little butt to the floor. She's staring at me the whole time, with I don't know what expectation . I don't know if she's trying to wait me out and get me to give her the toy without her having to perform the behavior, or what, but it cracks me up. It's lucky for her that it's only in this situation...

leih merigian wrote: she sits glacially, when given the cue. And, I do mean glacially. It can take her a minute to gradually lower her little butt to the floor.

Leih,

that is a good description! He will drop the toy feet (2 - 5 - 20) away from me and come to me (not a perfect front - but good enough for a pet). ...then just stare at me as his rear end moves like molasses to the ground and then never actually touch it. Unless I give the extra command/correction.

I've watched schutzhund people absolutely flip out over this behavior. Well, if I were training him in schutzhund I would probably grump about it as well...

My biggest gripe in this game is that with a chuck-it and a tennis ball he drops it 20 feet from me.

The first time I played with him and the easy glide I didn't let it happen. Watching the video's I notice that I let him get away with dropping it further away than I want. Off video he tried to drop it even further away. I used the 'not going to happen - go get your toy' attitude and he was a little confused. Need to work on that...

but.... play is play!

I totally agree with you that play is play, but is there some reason you don't have him just give the toy to your hand?

I let my GSD get away with that dropping the toy thing, and even defined a drop zone she had to hit (a semi-circle around my feet in the front), but with Geyser, I just had her deliver it to hand from day one. Perhaps having so many bad body parts has contributed to my determination? (I'm sure as hell not gonna bend over and pick those toys up!)

leih merigian wrote:I totally agree with you that play is play, but is there some reason you don't have him just give the toy to your hand?

internal frustration and laziness on my part ... see below

leih merigian wrote:(I'm sure as hell not gonna bend over and pick those toys up!)

Early on I learned that a Chuck-It was our best friend. I no longer had to bend over and touch that nasty tennis ball. With the Chuck-It I generally carry three tennis balls. The third is because one of them almost always gets lost during play in a couple of the places we go. Sometimes two of them...

I haven't bought a tennis ball in YEARS! There is a park to the north of me that has a bunch of tennis courts and a quick walk around the courts will yield me 2 or 3 balls most of the time.

90% plus of the time when we are out playing with the chuck-it it is a moving game. The ball is thrown to the front, side, rear, bounced hard, etc... The ball is dropped on the fly. Cino is running at me full speed with the ball in his mouth and drops it as he is passing - and as I'm throwing off in a new direction. And... the whole time I am walking across the field, through the woods, along the creek, etc...

...so I have created the problem. Plus I just got tired of forcing the "hold the object, sit, wait, throw and release him."

Took him out again today and didn't put up with him dropping it in inconvenient places. Today he had to go back and get the toy -- but today he was also dropping it in places I just did NOT want to go and get it. Like the edge of the river with a two foot drop to a one foot wide muddy spot.

---

funny thing is, where I shot those videos there is a gazebo that overlooks that area. When I was walking back a couple mentioned to me that they were watching and they were impressed with how well he retrieved the toy, brought it to me and how fast he was. ... I was thinking about what a little shit he was and didn't bring it back to me well enough.

Plus! When we are playing at the river and the creek ... when he brings it back there is the whole water shake thing!!

Well, with the continuous influx of tennis balls I bet that at least you don't have an out problem, just a drop zone problem.

Well, Eric, that sure 'splains it!

vneerland wrote:Well, with the continuous influx of tennis balls I bet that at least you don't have an out problem, just a drop zone problem.

Exactly!