The Fetch Game Evolves - Fetch with a Terrier

This is extracted from an email I sent to Neil Sattin, regarding the evolution of Fetch with Marley:

we've tried some new stuff with Marley and fetch, and it seems to be working out.

He would get too wound up to even release the ball, crazy jaw action, he would yelp and lunge if it wasn't instantly thrown, and even slam into you upon returning with the ball. We had a devil of a time getting the final ball from him. I even offered him fresh lamb and he refused it.

The progression:

stop using the chuck-it.
always be in throw position (a non-verbal "ready?!")
switch back to tennis balls
short throws
allow him to keep the ball at the end and kill it and skin it
use the 'dead' ball as the last ball he gets when we end the game (so we just have a few dead balls on hand).

The game is now far, far more rhythmic than it was before, he drops the deadball before we even leave the yard and runs right to his crate for a treat. (no lunging at us for more balls)

I have to give credit to Jan Fennell, she had a terrier client who required the tennis ball to be killed and went into a total panic when he was unable to puncture one particular ball.

From an NDT perspective, I think the ball is full of energy (the bouncing on the ground , AND the feel of it in his jaws) being a terrier he's relentless at the kill, and as soon as it's dead (literally and figuratively - which is the same for him I guess), the fun is gone and he's done.

I have to confess that a few times the cat brought home maimed rodents to torture (we always rescue the birds) we have let Marley have the pleasure of killing and eating them. He's much faster at it than the cat - like lightning. I don't know if all the imprints of killing and ending the hunt have helped with the fetch thing, but things have certainly shifted.

Yet more thoughts on dog fighting

Marley and Stevie have been at peace for many weeks now. They play together, wrestling, they gang up on Baker, they act pretty normally to my eye. One of them always disengages if things start to shift. Four and five weeks ago I was still interrupting the slightest hint of posturing, which they were very responsive to. The past four weeks there has been no need they have been so congenial with each other.

Today they fought. I'm examining the contributing factors:

They got stiff with each other a few times yesterday. There's been a bit of tension in our house with Sean preparing for a trip and lots of end-of-year school activities. I have not been really connecting with my kids or the animals, just going through the motions of making sure everyone gets their needs met.

We had an extended family incident yesterday that left me extremely angry and sleepless last night.

I took Marley in for grooming where they used electric clippers on him, which I imagine loaded him up pretty good, it also removed all of the hair overlapping his eyes and gave his body more defined lines.

I was in lala-land when I put Marley in the yard, then brought out Stevie and Baker, anxious to let them all do their business, especially since Stevie had diarrhea this morning. They were stiff and posturing before I even opened the gate. What was I thinking?

They immediately ripped into each other, with no small amount of rage. I can only reflect that I was watching my own rage express itself, fueled with pent up energy from the clipping and a lack of morning exercise, compounded by Marley's new appearance and smell.

Where we go to recover from this and get back to the wonderful place we were may require some serious time in the dirt, literally and figuratively. It is no coincidence that I have been doing some intense gardening and have felt euphoric from my time in the dirt. The dogs have also enjoyed laying in the dirt, Stevie in particular, they all become very playful, most especially Baker.