[Tollerowner]

Chloe, a 3 year old Toller, and I frequently walk a a 5 mile wooded trail around a college's athletic fields. 2 months ago she found a lacrosse ball. A week later she found a second one. Now she is finding 6 a day! They are usually from deep brush or a marsh an covered with mud. Presumably she finds them by scent, as she couldn't possibly see them.

BUT.... when she finds one, I throw it for her. Being a narrow trail, it occasionally winds up a foot or two into the woods. Despite seeing where it went, she sometimes can't find it. Today I actually saw the ball, and she walked over it twice without finding it. At the end of the hike there is a field of tall grass. I throw a ball in and she loves to go after it; her tail wags like crazy. About 50% of the time she can't find it, despite seeing where it landed.

Today on the beginning of the hike she went directly to where she a ball she couldn't find Monday in the grass was and got it. She also found a ball she lost last week just inside the woods. (yes, two of the 6 balls she found today were ones she previously lost)

So, she can find balls that have been in the mud for years, but not those that just went in and she knew pretty well where they are. That seems very odd. My theory is that it takes a while for the ball smell to color the area enough for her to find it; but that is just a wild guess. Any ideas?

 

[pandora]

No real ideas but if you live near golf course you could turn this into a money-making hobby.
When I was a child we live near a golf course and my friend's dog it was a cross corgi had an absolute passion for golf balls.
we would throw a small pebble into the bushes and Nikki would come charging back with a golf ball which we would put in a bucket and throw another pebble....... when we had enough golf balls we would walk around to the golf club and offer their lost golf balls for a reward. He kept us in ice-cream all summer long and it kept Nikki happy and healthy.

 

[RonE]

Go figure.

When I'd throw a tennis ball for Esther the Plott hound in the deep brush, she would often come back with three in her mouth.

She had a big mouth.

 

[Tollerowner]

No real ideas but if you live near golf course you could turn this into a money-making hobby.
When I was a child we live near a golf course and my friend's dog it was a cross corgi had an absolute passion for golf balls.
we would throw a small pebble into the bushes and Nikki would come charging back with a golf ball which we would put in a bucket and throw another pebble....... when we had enough golf balls we would walk around to the golf club and offer their lost golf balls for a reward. He kept us in ice-cream all summer long and it kept Nikki happy and healthy.

She has found 1 golf ball, 2 baseballs, 2 tennis balls, and maybe 50 lacrosse balls. I think she is a specialist.