This is sheer genius.
Our border collie / cocker spaniel mix was a doggie genius, could do obstacle courses with no problems, but was not the slightest bit interested in fetching. When he was young, and we threw a ball for him in the field, he looked at us as if to say “why would I want to chase after that?” However, he would herd other dogs in the field, and kids too if we let him get away with it.
Our Golden, on the other hand, was not allowed to fetch while in guide dog training. When she was returned to us as a breeder we got a ball for her, and she fetched with absolutely no training. At six it is still her favorite thing in the world - I haven’t tested her to see if she’d prefer it to eating, but she might. So I think this behavior is very much inbred.
Daughter (and family) rescued a Heinz dog (some collie, some shepherd, lots of other breeds) which came advertised as a ‘self exercising dog’. Like the dog referenced above, he would fetch until he puked.
The new dog is an Airedale, and doesn’t fetch. She MIGHT sniff out what you threw, and give it a vague sniff, but then her interest is gone.
Where Old Dog had a serious jones for popcorn, New Dog isn’t interested. Old Dog would snap kernels you flicked at him, out of the air, and after you were done with the bowl, he’d lick it shiny. New Dog doesn’t care to know about human treats.
Consensus: New Dog is cute but terminally dense.
an seanchai
(I had a cat, a Himalayan, who would chase and fetch a wadded up empty cigarette pack until he collapsed, panting, with exhaustion 
. Didn’t have to be taught, it was all his idea. We had to restrict him to 10 throws a day.)
On the same line as throwing the tug toy - the only thing my most active dog will fetch is a frisbee. We found the Kong frisbee and it’s saved me a fortune. $1 frisbee’s sound cheap but when they last about a dozen throws each it’s just not worth it. The Kong is flexible, floats and lasts forever.
Now she’ll come up to me when I’m sitting down and put the frisbee on my knee. It’s adorable enough that I occasionally give in 
Saw this blog entry today and thought some folks might find it helpful/inspirational. Apparently this person has been able to teach greyhounds to fetch.
Thanks, lavenderviolet, that’s very helpful.
If the issue is motivation, I don’t know either. I know my dog can fetch, but she doesn’t want to fetch. She’s very good at catching, but every 3rd throw or so, she’ll just turn her head and let it bounce off her neck. She does the same thing when you call her: she can understand everything you say, she knows you’re talking to her, and she knows what we want her to do…she just doesn’t want to do it.
All retrievers are bred to…well, retrieve. I have a golden too and I can tell she would make a great hunting dog.