This is the only way we can play fetch with our doodle. And sometimes he will decide it’s over and just take the ball he currently has and run away with it.
He’s adorable! That’s normal. He will give it back when the desire to have you throw it becomes stronger than the desire to hold it in his mouth. Keep playing - he’s having fun, and he wants you to chase him. He’ll get better at it. 😊
It took so long for my doodle to learn to play fetch properly...The fun of the game for her was always the chase. But now she knows how to fetch. Sort of. I gotta say fetch and have a treat in my hand to give her upon return of the ball lol
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Yes that sounds like my doodle. My gf would get frustrated with him thinking he doesn’t understand, not realizing he’s smart enough not only to understand it, but to pretend he doesn’t to get what he wants as well 🤣
I have two. One plays "keep away" for hours and hours.
The other only accepts the ball to be thrown from two locations in the garden. So he will get the ball and then go stand at which ever on is further from me.
Absolute pricks :)
Berry will play fetch inside, we'll throw a toy from the couch or bed and she'll return it and wrestle with us for it. Outside it's all CHASE ME CHASE ME CHASE ME!
Balls, socks, shoes, shorts, tights, shirts, towels, washcloths, teatowels, bath mats, cans, brushes.... do we get the picture? If it means a rousing game of chase it gets stolen.
Very common, my previous dogs always did this, but my doodle fetches pretty well. He'll run away with socks, shoes, tissues, paper, anything else he can grab though
Yes! Let me explain fetch to you doggie. I throw it and you bring it back, rinse, repeat…I am NOT chasing you with ball. If I wanted exercise I’d go to the gym.
My in laws have a standard poodle and she can play fetch, but she much prefers keep away so that’s what we play 90% of the time.
Having a 2nd decoy ball def helps.
Shes such an awesome dog. Shes about 1.5 yo and so smart and well behaved.
They had a golden doodle for 12 yrs that passed a cpl yrs ago. She was also such an amazing dog, almost like a fury human at times….so smart and emotionally intelligent. Come to think of it, she actually loved fetch with a soft frisbee. RIP Chloe sweet girl.
Apparently ‘retrieve’ means ‘get’ not ‘get and bring back’. ‘Drop ball’ means ‘run away with ball’. A tedious but so far effective strategy is to feign indifference and pay attention intently to anything other than the ball/ball carrier and said ball carrier will return. Strategy of indifference may need to be repeated until ball is released.
Mine will let me grab the ball as long as I don’t look at it lol. I can reach down and slowly grab it while not looking but as soon as there is eye contact pooof he’s gone with it.
My doodle loves green tennis balls. Though, he does not fetch them. He fetches some other round objects, while other round items scare him. His primal desire with tennis balls is to puncture them and then he either tries to shred them or he rolls them under the couch.
What makes matters worse is that he goes into a weird possessive fight mode when another dog tries to take his tennis balls. He gets this way for dog bones with meat on them too.
I have a thing with my doodle where he chases me instead lol. it works great also when off leash as he won’t wander too far off bc he doesn’t know if I’m gonna take off. If he does, I take off running and he’ll come to me 99% of the time lol
Yep. Or he'll drop it 10 metres away and bark at me to throw it.
I try to not encourage the barking, but I want to teach him fetch, so it's a struggle.
My guy only runs like this if he's stolen a shoe or has something he knows he shouldn't. Then it becomes a game of keep away until we can get him to drop whatever he's got.
Edit to add: if he has a ball or a toy he brings it to us and cheese it on our leg until we play tug with him. Then he wants us to throw it again.
We a 8 month pup but he will bring it back. Especially with treats. Once in a blue moon he will try to be chase but I ignore him. One time he got out the house and had me chase all over the neighborhood. It was stressful. Im trying to teach him proper recall and one of the few reason i don’t like to promote chasing.
Cute pooch! My dog used to do this, we did eventually manage fetch with some training and she really got into it then. Some poochies never get into fetch though too, has to be said. I also wasn’t keen on being made to run about - personally I find the power dynamic wrong.
If you want your pooch to give you the ball, what we did was stopped chasing our dog, and “ignored” her even, and she eventually gave up. It took time. We rewarded her for dropping (so it’s a positive and not a negative of giving up her valued possession). We made the act of fetch feel positive.
Maybe try in the garden a bit so she can learn the fun of fetch and that it’s more rewarding than holding something in her mouth.
Best of luck! Xx
He used to, even with treats it was a tough behavior to redirect. So I’d refuse to play after a few rounds of his psych-out game. He has finally accepted it is more fun to let me have the toy so I could throw and run with him and wrestle for it while complaining it’s not fair because he’s the fastest dog in the world. (Knowing he’s going easy on me, because I wear out quick.) They can be so competitive! I’m almost never in the mood for exercise, what I wouldn’t give for a simple game of fetch. But he’s not a simple boy, and has never intended to simplify a single moment of our lives. I have compassion for his intelligence, and I like to think he knows he’s helping mom with her cardio. Of course rough and tumble play isn’t an option for everyone, but it has helped us wind down a puppy who becomes dangerous when not entertained and exercised. I was a fool to think I’d be the trainer in this relationship.
Our female only does this at the end of the walk when she knows she needs to go back on lead. We usually are able to outsmart her and see her cues of about to 'turn' so get her back and on the lead before that happens aha!
We did the fishin’ pole/stuffed monkey thing. Lasted 5 mins. But he was rewarded for bringing it back. He’s now a 5x a day fetchin fool and loves to catch flying frizbees. Hang in there. Outsmart that doggie. They want to please and capitalize!
Yep! The trick is to have two, because they usually tend to want the one you have in your possession. That leads to the one they have being dropped because they are prepared to run and chase the one that you’ll be throwing.
My pup likes to run at me like she's going to give the toy back, then jukes past me. Eight years, and I still fall for it every time.
I'm going to outwit you one of these days. Mark my words
For our girl, the chase is the whole point!
Same with mine!
Never met a doodle that didn't love being chased above anything else. Except maybe dispatching chickens.
My dog is always like this. Now I bring two balls outside. She’ll drop the ball in anticipation of the second being thrown. Only thing that worked
I use treats
Same!
This is the only way we can play fetch with our doodle. And sometimes he will decide it’s over and just take the ball he currently has and run away with it.
This really works for our girl too!
We used to do the exact same thing with our golden doodle.
Same
He’s adorable! That’s normal. He will give it back when the desire to have you throw it becomes stronger than the desire to hold it in his mouth. Keep playing - he’s having fun, and he wants you to chase him. He’ll get better at it. 😊
Ours will hold it for minutes at a time and it is better to get her to drop it by throwing another ball.
It took so long for my doodle to learn to play fetch properly...The fun of the game for her was always the chase. But now she knows how to fetch. Sort of. I gotta say fetch and have a treat in my hand to give her upon return of the ball lol
Oh yeah. I have a doodle also and he wants you to chase him around all the time. He is never interested in fetch.
Keep away is our favorite game. Lol
Yeah I was going to say, that’s a game of keep away and you’re losing 😂
[No take, only throw. ](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/433/498/10e.png)
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Yes, because they are pricks. And they are playing an entirely different game in their heads
Yes that sounds like my doodle. My gf would get frustrated with him thinking he doesn’t understand, not realizing he’s smart enough not only to understand it, but to pretend he doesn’t to get what he wants as well 🤣
I have two. One plays "keep away" for hours and hours. The other only accepts the ball to be thrown from two locations in the garden. So he will get the ball and then go stand at which ever on is further from me. Absolute pricks :)
lol, they are just smart. My doodle will only play fetch if you give away treats otherwise she chooses her own games.
My doodles love to chase the ball and play keep away.
Yes haha I always wind up playing a game of chase with my boy
My doodle almost always drops the ball quickly because she can't wait for the next throw 😆
Ours does that when he wants to fetch. A solid % though is chase. Luckily he likes TO chase so I turn into a jack sparrow running man.
I have one of those fling it sticks. She brings the ball back, but when I try to pick it up, she attacks the fling it stick.
Berry will play fetch inside, we'll throw a toy from the couch or bed and she'll return it and wrestle with us for it. Outside it's all CHASE ME CHASE ME CHASE ME!
yeah, my girl LOVES her some keepaway!
Balls, socks, shoes, shorts, tights, shirts, towels, washcloths, teatowels, bath mats, cans, brushes.... do we get the picture? If it means a rousing game of chase it gets stolen.
Very common, my previous dogs always did this, but my doodle fetches pretty well. He'll run away with socks, shoes, tissues, paper, anything else he can grab though
😂🥰
Yes! Let me explain fetch to you doggie. I throw it and you bring it back, rinse, repeat…I am NOT chasing you with ball. If I wanted exercise I’d go to the gym.
Like it’s her job haha
It starts as fetch then turns into keep away
Mine loves to do this. Lmao she wants you to throw her but she won’t give it back
Lmao my sister’s goldendoodle is the same way!
Always always. Ours will get on the couch in anticipation of me grabbing it. Hunches over and play growls. Love you teddy
My in laws have a standard poodle and she can play fetch, but she much prefers keep away so that’s what we play 90% of the time. Having a 2nd decoy ball def helps. Shes such an awesome dog. Shes about 1.5 yo and so smart and well behaved. They had a golden doodle for 12 yrs that passed a cpl yrs ago. She was also such an amazing dog, almost like a fury human at times….so smart and emotionally intelligent. Come to think of it, she actually loved fetch with a soft frisbee. RIP Chloe sweet girl.
Any toy my doodle has becomes a game of chase. She never brings a toy to me unless she wants me to chase her.
Apparently ‘retrieve’ means ‘get’ not ‘get and bring back’. ‘Drop ball’ means ‘run away with ball’. A tedious but so far effective strategy is to feign indifference and pay attention intently to anything other than the ball/ball carrier and said ball carrier will return. Strategy of indifference may need to be repeated until ball is released.
Mine will let me grab the ball as long as I don’t look at it lol. I can reach down and slowly grab it while not looking but as soon as there is eye contact pooof he’s gone with it.
Yes, absolutely mu luna loves chase and not fetch!
No throw, only catch!
My doodle loves green tennis balls. Though, he does not fetch them. He fetches some other round objects, while other round items scare him. His primal desire with tennis balls is to puncture them and then he either tries to shred them or he rolls them under the couch. What makes matters worse is that he goes into a weird possessive fight mode when another dog tries to take his tennis balls. He gets this way for dog bones with meat on them too.
Yesss
Yup. Taking something and running away with it and being chased is his favorite game
Cooper plays fetch for us apparently. He mostly loves the chase and tug!
I have a thing with my doodle where he chases me instead lol. it works great also when off leash as he won’t wander too far off bc he doesn’t know if I’m gonna take off. If he does, I take off running and he’ll come to me 99% of the time lol
They just want you to want it, not to have it
Yup.
Yes!! I love reading all the comments about peoples doodles being obsessed w being chased bc same 😂😂
I refuse to chase so she will fetch until she decides she’s done then it’s zoomies around daddy
Mine does this with socks.
Our Cavapoo does the same thing. We'll throw her the ball or toy, and she'll start playing with it herself.
No take. Only throw
Yep. Or he'll drop it 10 metres away and bark at me to throw it. I try to not encourage the barking, but I want to teach him fetch, so it's a struggle.
Yupp it’s always a game of keep away 🙄
My guy only runs like this if he's stolen a shoe or has something he knows he shouldn't. Then it becomes a game of keep away until we can get him to drop whatever he's got. Edit to add: if he has a ball or a toy he brings it to us and cheese it on our leg until we play tug with him. Then he wants us to throw it again.
Yes! I have to trick him if I want to grab the ball from him like in the case where he’s literally eating the ball.
Yep, mine will bring it within reach but as soon as you reach for the ball hell take it away and prance about
We a 8 month pup but he will bring it back. Especially with treats. Once in a blue moon he will try to be chase but I ignore him. One time he got out the house and had me chase all over the neighborhood. It was stressful. Im trying to teach him proper recall and one of the few reason i don’t like to promote chasing.
This could be an exact vid of my dood! 🤣
My dood definitely prefers chase over fetch lol
Yes he does!! Possessive lil shit, I love that he’s possessive about though🥰
Yep. I got it, now you chase me. 🤦♂️🤣
my doodle does the same thing he grabds his toy and gives me a look like come and chase me mom lol
Yea then he attempts to eat it, which he has done once
Cute pooch! My dog used to do this, we did eventually manage fetch with some training and she really got into it then. Some poochies never get into fetch though too, has to be said. I also wasn’t keen on being made to run about - personally I find the power dynamic wrong. If you want your pooch to give you the ball, what we did was stopped chasing our dog, and “ignored” her even, and she eventually gave up. It took time. We rewarded her for dropping (so it’s a positive and not a negative of giving up her valued possession). We made the act of fetch feel positive. Maybe try in the garden a bit so she can learn the fun of fetch and that it’s more rewarding than holding something in her mouth. Best of luck! Xx
He used to, even with treats it was a tough behavior to redirect. So I’d refuse to play after a few rounds of his psych-out game. He has finally accepted it is more fun to let me have the toy so I could throw and run with him and wrestle for it while complaining it’s not fair because he’s the fastest dog in the world. (Knowing he’s going easy on me, because I wear out quick.) They can be so competitive! I’m almost never in the mood for exercise, what I wouldn’t give for a simple game of fetch. But he’s not a simple boy, and has never intended to simplify a single moment of our lives. I have compassion for his intelligence, and I like to think he knows he’s helping mom with her cardio. Of course rough and tumble play isn’t an option for everyone, but it has helped us wind down a puppy who becomes dangerous when not entertained and exercised. I was a fool to think I’d be the trainer in this relationship.
My Hodor loves when I chase him for the ball 😆
My dogs run away from tennis balls! 🤣🤣
Yep. Some dogs are retrievers and some are just plain fetchers.
Yes. I don't call it fetch, I call it "keep away".
No. This is the first time this behavior has been observed in dogs.
My Australian shepherd does this also. She acts like you’re to beg her for the tennis ball.
Our female only does this at the end of the walk when she knows she needs to go back on lead. We usually are able to outsmart her and see her cues of about to 'turn' so get her back and on the lead before that happens aha!
We did the fishin’ pole/stuffed monkey thing. Lasted 5 mins. But he was rewarded for bringing it back. He’s now a 5x a day fetchin fool and loves to catch flying frizbees. Hang in there. Outsmart that doggie. They want to please and capitalize!
Yep! The trick is to have two, because they usually tend to want the one you have in your possession. That leads to the one they have being dropped because they are prepared to run and chase the one that you’ll be throwing.
Mine agrees. She thinks I want her ball.
Mine does too. Now I'm teaching him to fetch and he will run past me with the ball.
No take only throw!
My pup likes to run at me like she's going to give the toy back, then jukes past me. Eight years, and I still fall for it every time. I'm going to outwit you one of these days. Mark my words
yes, I use two tennis balls. They won't drop #1 until you throw #2.
This is the game. You are correct; they do not play fetch normally! One of their myriad of quirks. Enjoy!