fetch

Question
Hello. I don't use clicker training but maybe you can still be helpful? I have a 7 month, female, blue heeler. I am very familiar with the breed but this little girl has me stumped. She knows a handful a tricks (sit, lay, stay, roll over, load, and back up) but I can not get her to learn fetch. SO I have concluded that I must be doing something wrong because she is to intelligent not to be able to learn this trick. I need her to know this trick so that I can help her use some of that high energy these dogs are famous for. I live on an 80 acre farm so she gets a lot of exercise, but I enjoy doing this with my dogs. she has a high interest in toys. when I throw the toy in the yard she doesn't bring it back. she doesn't necessary run off either. I haven't been going to get it from her because I didn't know if that was wrong. I don't want to encourage "chase". so I wait till she loses interest and get the ball. she fetches in the house just fine brings it back and everything but out side I just cant figure it out. Any tips?

Answer
Hi Leslie,

Since you have been able to teach your dog to fetch inside, she knows how to do it, so I don't think I need to explain the procedure for teaching this. What is probably happening is that your dog is distracted outside with competing stimuli that she deems more reinforcing than the game of fetch.

I would recommend using a high value (in her opinion, not yours) reinforcer such as Braunschweiger or some kind of tasty meat such as steak. She doesn't get the treat until she brings the ball completely back to you. One you have reinforced her using a 1:1 ratio (one or more treats - one after another if you give her more than one) for a while, you can change your reinforcement to an intermittent schedule which will keep the behavior strong. In other words, the possibility that she could get one or more of those high value treats will keep her bringing the ball to you outside.

Cindy