Dog has issues?

[Bob Kontak]

My sister's pappilon has a ritual when he retrieves a thrown ball. He rapidly weaves back and forth in in a 15 foot swath s-pattern on the way back with the ball in his mouth on the return. Nose to the ground like he is searching for something before he drops it the ball at my feet.

Is this some instinctive thing or just an ideosyncrasy?

[enzo1]

[RWebb]

yes, tell your sister to exchange the pappilon for a Collie/Golden Retriever

[aigel]

The issue is that this is a companion dog - hasn't been bred for retrieving and certainly doesn't sound like it has been trained to properly retrieve! Who knows what it is thinking!!!

That said, have fun with it - it will wear the little thing out quicker if it doubles its path!

G

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by aigel

The issue is that this is a companion dog

Thanks! No training whatsoever. He does love running after the ball. Just odd why he would not haul ass back to me to have another go.

Relieved. Was thinking I would have to put him down. :-)

[svandamme]

Some dogs are just plain dumb.

[stomachmonkey]

Sometimes the retrieving part is easy, it's the letting go that's the problem.

[jjwood]

Sounds like an old autocross dog, still weaving in and out of cones. Old memories die hard.

[teenerted1]

it's a game. he is just making it fun for a longer period time.
i'venever seen a pappilon run in a straight line for that matter.

besides that tennis ball is probably bigger than his brain.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by teenerted1

besides that tennis ball is probably bigger than his brain.

And it's a mini tennis ball.

I bet you are right on the game idea. I have been remodeling a bathroom in the basement and come out to the driveway to make cuts. He is waiting outside the door with the ball so it makes sense he would milk it since he knows I will disappear for 10 minutes after the cut is done.

[WolfeMacleod]

Originally Posted by svandamme

Some dogs are just plain dumb.

I got one of those. If you threw something for her to go get, she'd look at you like you're an idiot. Same if you open the door to let her out when she's gotta go. She just stands there...Dumb as a box of rocks. Can't figure out "door open, go poo"

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by WolfeMacleod

If you threw something for her to go get, she'd look at you like you're an idiot.

Not that stupid. He absolutely freaks out for the chase and pulls the stomachmonkey picture game when he finally gets back to me but meanders around on the ball return. I think teenerted1 nailed it. He is just pimping me to get more play time.

[rouxroux]

TAke the dog to agility. It'll love sloloming the "weave poles"....Our pooches think it's their weekly trip to "Doggie Disneyland".