Possessive over ball - Collie/Cocker

[VictoriaSonny]

Join our free community today.

Connect with other like-minded dog lovers!

Login or Register

Hi!
I’m looking for some tips and training tools that aren’t on YouTube (I have done it all) to re train “drop” when my almost 2 year old Sonny has a ball or now, anything.
I taught him drop and he was great at it. Recently he has decided not to give his ball back to me and growls when I hold it in his mouth. He has never gone for me or tried to bite me when I have eventually prized it out of this jaws but the growling is getting louder now.
I have tried holding it until he lets go, (YouTube tip) .. I have held it for 45 minutes and still nothing. High value treats, nothing. Meat, nothing. Another ball, nothing. Another toy, nothing. I just cannot break this habit now and it’s starting to stress me out! He loves playing fetch and drops it at my feet when he retrieves it but only when he is ready to chase again. But he used to drop it on command. Other dogs have stolen his ball many times so I’m wondering if it’s because he think he won’t get it back? can anyone give me any other tips to retrain this? Shall I stop giving him balls for a while if he can’t listen to my command am I not helping by letting him get away with it? I just don’t know what to do! Shall I retrain a new word until he gets that? And start again? Please help!
Thanks! X

 

[JudyN]

Do you need him to drop it? Just let him hold it as long as he wants. By pressing him to drop it, you're making it clear to him that it is 'valuable', and you want it, so he has to hold on to it for grim death.... If Jasper had something he shouldn't have, I found it was far more effective to walk away as if I really wasn't bothered if he had it or not. After a few minutes I might do something like open and close the fridge door and call him, so he didn't associate it with what he had in his mouth (which he was probably bored with by now anyway).

In the meantime, keep working on 'drop' with things he finds more boring and is more than willing to give up for a high-value reward. It can also be helpful to work on 'Bring it to me' - as Jasper is so guardy, if he did bring it to me I'd know that he was actually willing to give the item, rather than me trying to take it and find out his wasn't.....

 

[VictoriaSonny]

Do you need him to drop it? Just let him hold it as long as he wants. By pressing him to drop it, you're making it clear to him that it is 'valuable', and you want it, so he has to hold on to it for grim death.... If Jasper had something he shouldn't have, I found it was far more effective to walk away as if I really wasn't bothered if he had it or not. After a few minutes I might do something like open and close the fridge door and call him, so he didn't associate it with what he had in his mouth (which he was probably bored with by now anyway).

In the meantime, keep working on 'drop' with things he finds more boring and is more than willing to give up for a high-value reward. It can also be helpful to work on 'Bring it to me' - as Jasper is so guardy, if he did bring it to me I'd know that he was actually willing to give the item, rather than me trying to take it and find out his wasn't.....

That is fantastic advice Judy! Thank you so much! I’m going to just not take it off him, not try and do what you’ve suggested. Thanks so much!