Randy, I do plan on training him for sport. As of 2 days ago, I've changed the casual command to "fetch", but I still put my hand out directly out between my knees as a target for him. I also always grab the rope while it is still in his mouth and he never gets the chance to drop it on the ground.
As each day goes by, his speed gets better, and now he's starting to fall over himself to slam in the breaks.
The other thing I was wondering about is this:
Maybe 1 out of 20 times he will stop and lay down to chew the ball. When this happens, I stay still and don't say anything or look at him, I just leave my hand where it is to receive the ball, like a statue. Within 10-20 seconds he brings it and will push the ball at my hand. 2 questions - is this the right thing to do? And if so, should the "tug party" be the same as any other time, less or more?

Hey phaedra I would not give my pup an option to lay down and chew the ball. 10-20 sec is a long time. If you have him on a long line I would give him a negative word and reel him in while you are moving backward. Of course if he responds to the negative word alone then I would just move back to intice him to come.
Him coming to you is always a good thing so I would make it fun everytime.

Just my opinion hope it helps.

Phaedra,
Are you working on the recall at the same time he's coming back?
If you tell and show him (be animated about it) you want him back you should have more consistency in behavior.

I'd keep it short moving on to other 'play' and perhaps come back to the retrieve game later on to finish the session. But keep it all short exercises.

I'm with Bob S. in that if you want a straight ahead play period I'd separate it completely by not using anything close to any of the training toys. Like maybe an old soccer or basket ball.

Thanks to both of you. I do play with him with a Jolly Egg. I find that he really likes it, but that it gets him quite worked up sometimes because he can't actually pick it up.
The reason I had started to stand still and ignore him when he chewed, is that when I tried to reel him in and gave him any attention (even negative) it seemed that he would do it more.
I think I will just do 2 or 3 tosses at a time at leave it at that.
I am very animated and clap my hands (when not holding the camera) for him to come back.
I also have a Holee-Floater ball that maybe we could use to play, because he can pick that up, but it's not at all like a training toy.
I'll post a video later tonight of him with the Jolly Egg...

Phaedra,
Your dog looks very young yet. Myself, I don't do a lot of reeling in those young weeks/months.
I don't know what arena youz guys are headed but the thing to keep in mind is what you want the final look to be. After determining that you can start fashioning the play to reflect that look. Break it down into small pieces and steps for the dog before you start linking them together. The time passes quickly and before you know it, you'll have a full routine put together.

Remember, 'play' so as to reflect the final look you want. ie., you want a straight look you in the face delivery of the retrieve item, train to that before you work on the out. Or if the out is good but the delivery is sloppy work on that, etc etc etc.
However, I feel the same about working the out the same way I feel about forcing a recall to soon. Tug game is played for a good straight " hello! I'm here!" from the dog.
I like staying away from conflict with the dog as much as I can. All that stuff happens soon enough as it is.

So divide it all down in your own mind into one step at a time and work.....one step at a time.
And no rushing it before linking it together!

 Quote: randy allen

... Your dog looks very young yet. Myself, I don't do a lot of reeling in those young weeks/months.

I don't even do a lot of reeling-in with adults. Reeling-in, for me, is mainly for recall work with a pre-owned dog whose recall has been badly tainted.

The long line (which I love love love and probably own at least 4 of; don't get me wrong) is a wonderful safety device. If a gate can open or a new dog can physically get under the gate, that long line is his perpetual neckwear (with me present, of course). A dog can zig and zag all he wants -- the end of that 20' cotton line is not moving much and not going very far from my foot.

But its job as a reeler-in is relatively rare for me.

"Him coming to you is always a good thing so I would make it fun everytime."


There ya go.

I almost never have Zuki on a line anymore (unless in a place with lots of distractions) but I still move away from her especially if I see her getting interested in something else or sometimes if I have done the game to long and she is getting slow or wants to go "chew the ball" instead of bringing it to me. I would just keep "you" really interesting.

I'm thinking your distance may still be to far away.
"Maybe 1 out of 20 he will stop and lay down to chew the ball"
WAAAAAY to many reps for a young dog. Get 4-5 excellent ones and go to something else.
Your still working to a point of failure!

Oh I don't mean that we always do 20 reps at a time, I just meant that would be the frequency at which it happens... as in, not every session. If he had his way, we would go for ever, until he couldn't walk!
But I play with the Jolly Ball in between and walk the trails, or play tug for a minute, or do a minute of OB.
The distance is hard to gauge in the video maybe? It is about 15 - 20 feet, do you think that is too far?