When mine went through this phase I tended to play retrieve games with the chuckitt rather than just walked them. Mine still do have phases (bin day usually) so again I engage them with games and training until the phase passes!
One thing I've noticed is that mine now naturally interact with me at times whereas I see with other cockers on the park theirs don't as they often just walked them. This is mostly to do with the fact that we do stuff I guess (mine love using their noses so I just develop that while I walk with fun games). This has had the effect that they generally stay close.
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I have tried this, well actually i have tried to try it!!
Bailey will fetch in the back garden, and leave and drop (normally when treats are offered as a reward), but when we are out anywhere else he is NOT interested!
How can I engage him in retrieve when i can't let him off the lead because he wont come back!
If he is off the lead and I throw for him, he will always chase after it, but will never bring it right back to me, treat or no treat, even though he does this in the back garden perfectly. He brings the item so close and then runs off again because he wants me to chase him, I don't I run away in the other direction and of course he follows me but he NEVER gets close enough for me to get his lead on!
Honestly, i have never been one to just let him walk while I do nothing, when he was a little younger he was FANTASTIC i would just say come and he would run over and sit at my feet for a treat.
Now I can scream, cheer, wave my arms in the air, run way, squeak 7 toys at the same time, do cartwheels (you think I am joking) and he still wont get close enough for me to put his lead on!!
You may be thinking that I don't walk him enough, this in not the case, he is nearly 6 months old and he has 20 mins in the morning 30 mins at lunch time and about 45 mins after work.