Dogs

[spudmuffa]

I am often perplexed about who was the first man to teach a dog to retrieve a stick? And why?

[RATTER15]

many dogs will retrieve a stick without training, it a natural thing with some breeds, man has just taken advantage of this retrieval trait as a good form of exercise for dogs.

No longer be perplexed!!!

[Bellringer]

They weren't taught to retrieve sticks, they were taught to retrieve game. Sticks/balls etc are just a substitute to allow retrievers to do what they were bred to do.

[scotchollie]

My Irish Wolfhound, Bejaysus, does not retrieve game at all.

This afternoon I took Monopoly, Cleudo and Kerplunk down to the beach and threw them as hard as I could.

He looked up at me, belched and ran the other way to chase a tourist.

I ask you!

[Thunderbird+]

The first man to do this was an aboriginal hunter who was crap at making boomerangs, the rest is history.