I feel for you. Having a dog that wont retrieve is frustrating. How long have you been working him? Just since he turned a year old, or since he was a puppy? The first step in training a dog is building the dog's desire to retrieve. Use a tennis ball, use Hot dogs, use anything that gets him to want to find whatever you throw. I had a friend who threw hot dogs, then threw tennis balls with hot dog juice on them, and gave the dog a hot dog upon his return with the tennis ball. Just find something that your dog likes to play with, even if it is your shoe. Build the desire to retrieve, then work on it with dummies and bumpers.... I do encourage the use of treats for a job-well-done. They tend to remember those things well. Also, the more excited you get, the more your dog will... just remember that. Good Luck.

Jill