Why doesn't anything seem to motivate my Dog to fetch??

Get a chuckit ball. Once the dog gets it cheer (!!) and call back happy voice. Even if the dog drops it at first, the concept is there ' get it.."..

If the dog does not even chase, as crazy as it sounds- you run to get it happy- it wont take long for the dog to catch on this is a great game. I have videos of what I do, but I had a computer crash last week, and not all files are loaded, so let me see if I can find one I posted on youtube.

Here we go- hear the energy in my voice? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQuqNev1bcQ

 And this one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n74V5W5hP5s If you can teach a Borzoi to fetch- you can teach any breed... LOL

Some dogs, believe it or not, just don't like to fetch.  I have one.  Bruder enjoys his flirt pole which can thoroughly tire him out.  He will run with Heidi when I throw the chuckit for her...which helps in my case to tire him out.

I also have a couple of inexpensive agility pieces that Bruder enjoys thoroughly...he loves to weave. 

You can also tire Bradie out by doing obedience work with her on a daily basis (short sessions several times a day if possible).  No offense, but it sounds like she needs it...which all dogs do.    I wouldn't allow Bradie to push off anyone and nip.  And, hitting her with a hand towel is not accomplishing anything except perhaps scaring her and making her weary of your husband.  Conversely, she may see that as a game...and will continue to nip to continue "the game."

Sorry, I may have missed it in another post.  How old is Bradie and why type of dog is she?

Has she (and you) taken any obedience classes?  Its a great way for you to learn the proper way to teach; and also tires the pooch out.

ann404

 Bradie doesn't seem to care much for treats. She may or may not eat them. I've tried many, the only thing that gets any attention is real meat.

IMO, most dogs really dont like "dog treats". All that crappy stuff sold in stores made for dogs really isnt that high value to them. Sure, some dogs like them, but for most its not high value enough for training purposes. Plus, most dog treats really are not healthy.
If you have a dehydrator, you can put some beef or chicken in there and make your own treats, or just use cooked meat.

ann404

 PS: I thought fetching was a natural dog behavior??

 No, its not. Some dogs like it, some dont. Most dogs dont do it naturally anyways, they have to be taught to retrieve. I taught Bailey to retrieve things, he still doesnt like to do it though. He will retrieve because he knows he will get a reward, but he doesnt enjoy retrieving just for fun.

Quickly I want to add that I just brought her inside. Just me and her. I started throwing her toy saying yes if she went near it, and then she started playing some fetch. She would bring it back, but try to get pass me. Still way, way more then any other time. The only thing I can think of is we were inside the house and alone. However I have a huge yard, why won't she do it outside? I'm thinking the time before when she was playing it a little may have been inside as she was smaller then??

 go to youtube and search for teach your dog to fetch, or teach your dog to bring back a frisbee...something like that. There are TONS of how to videos out there.

ann404

PS: I thought fetching was a natural dog behavior??

Not at all. Some breeds are natural retrievers (Ex: Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, etc) but there's always exceptions to that, some dogs just enjoy the game of fetch (like my Cocker Spaniel), some dogs don't enjoy fetch at all (like my Gram's Maltese). You can train a retrieve, here's a LINK explaining how to.

Ruby likes fetch...but not nearly as much as Stewie does.  Stewie will literally fetch until he's pink in the face and ready to pass out. Ruby will fetch maybe 15-20 runs...and then is done.  If we really want to tire her out we play fetch with a Kong ball.  I put peanut butter or cheese in the kong ball and have her fetch that.  She needs some sort of "reward" in order to want to run and get it.  We have also used the "Everlasting Treat Ball" and that has worked well. She is very proud to bring it to us and "share" what she has found.  Maybe up the anty by making the ball or frisbee or whatever you are fetching with tastier!

For fun and exercise I like to do things the dog enjoys naturally.  To me it would be too much work to train the dog to enjoy something just to use as a game or exercise.  Two of my three dogs do not fetch.

Have you tried a flirtpole?  Most dogs like the chase more than the actual catch and retrieve.  The flirtpole brings out the prey drive but utilities the chasing aspect, there's no need for the dog to bring back the object every time.

ann404

She would bring it back, but try to get pass me. Still way, way more then any other time. The only thing I can think of is we were inside the house and alone. However I have a huge yard, why won't she do it outside?

It's very likely that her drive to 'play' as predator far far outweighs her desire to play in a more organized fashion with you dictating what she does.  The initial response of chasing a ball is prey-driven, but then is a predator going to bring the prey BACK to you?? NOpe -- that's not natural at all.  Instead (even inside) she wants to keep it away from you.  THAT Truly is far more normal. 

It takes the dog figuring out that if they want to KEEP playing *with* you then they have to bring the ball back so you can throw it again. 

She's likely trying to get YOU to chase her -- and if you go after her even once ... that reinforces it. 

Again, and I've encouraged you to do this before -- my very first suggestion is for you to get this dog into formal obedience classes.  Good basic obedience can wear them out ... but you truly have to do something like NILIF (Nothing In Life Is Free) consistently 100% of the time in order to get the dog TO respond to you on a consistent basis. 

But if they get their way even one time out of 5 that's encouragement enough for them to continue to try to test you and to endeavor to have things their way. 

 Here's the way I taught my dog, who is not fond of fetch, how to retrieve a dumbbell: http://www.dogscouts.org/Dog_Activ-_Retrieve.html

I would like to caution you about your husband and the towel thing.  That will usually make a dog more mouthy, and not less.  So, your daughter really had the better instinct about what to do in that situation.  I also think you should find a positive trainer who can help you communicate with this dog in a way that the dog will understand.  A good trainer can help you find ways to motivate your dog, and not all of them involve food or fetch;-)

Yep I really want to see us enroll her into some training. But like I've posted, it's not that easy. Yes, I know we could make anything happen if we really wanted to, but it's just a very hard time for us and been this way for a while, like a lot of other people living here.

PS I looked -up the flirt-pole, and my first thought was will this make her more assertive in jumping and chasing? I sure don't want to add to the problem.

 Oh and hubby was told not to hit her with anything, but like he said, we can't let her do that, it's our kid. Which I agree with totally but I told him that it would make her do it more. Again thank you for all the links and advise, it has been a huge help.