LilBailey Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 Hi all I have been working with my BC x Kelpie for quite a while on her tugging. She has gone from a dog that wouldn't tug at all to one that really loves the game of tug. EXCEPT when she has a ball. The main issue with this is that I'm trying to get her to tug at flyball (For focus purposes) . So far she will do a run and if you can get the ball off her she will tug well. I have used many methods for getting the ball off her quickly but so far nothing we do can get her to drop it in her own. The TugIt with a chicken neck works well for one run instant ball spit but then the more runs the more ball holding she does. Trading for a peice of food has the same effect. I have even tried diffrent types of balls to see if there is one that isn't as good a tennis ball but they all seem to be equally as good. My new plan is this: please give opions *One run (with no ball in the box as she will do this) for a good tug session *One run (with ball) for good tug session, with out ball having to be removed from her mouth Then finish Do this 3 times in a training session for 2 or 3 sessions THEN *One run with no ball, good tuuging *One run with ball, good tugging as above *2nd run with ball, good tugging If at any time she does't give up the ball then the game finishes and we quietly walk back to the trailer and she gets in untill the next time. My theory is that she now likes tug and if I can make the main fun part of Flyball the tugging game at the end and ignore the ball then maybe i will get some where. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 What about trying one of those orbee balls? Balls on a rope Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LilBailey Posted January 19, 2010 Author Share Posted January 19, 2010 Yeah she has one of thosem, I used it as way to get her to learn to tug. She still won't spit the one she has for the new one though. I think it is a possesive thing. Mine Mine Mine. And the one the dog in the other lane has is mine too so I'm gonna chase them for it, and coz I'm a hearding dog I'm gonna bark and do circles around them till they give it to me. GRRR if only she knew that is the reason she isn't alowed to do flyball atm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LilBailey Posted January 19, 2010 Author Share Posted January 19, 2010 Hay my reply ran away.... I used one to teach her to tug but she still doesn't like to let go of the one she has in her mouth. I think it is pesseive (SP?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoemonster Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 preggers brain you did post! Orbees hurt too when they fly through and grab them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 A tennis ball on a rope? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoemonster Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 If its the same as Ed its not what the tug is, its the getting them to understand the swapping of ball to tug/reward Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LilBailey Posted January 19, 2010 Author Share Posted January 19, 2010 Yeah it is the swapping. I'm sure that when I came back in here my post was gone.... I'll blame frankie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoemonster Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 Paul I can see you posting, you have no trouble with Ebon swapping do you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulp Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 Is there something that you play with at home that she really loves to grab a hold of? When I first started flyball with my dog I had a similar problem, he just didn't want to give the ball back. At home his favourite toy was a kong frisbee so I bought that to training and problem solved, he will take the frisbee (now known as the donut as he has torn the middle out of the "indestructible" kong) over a ball anyday to the extent that I have created a monster and the frisbee was banned by our captain at the last comp as he decided he didn't want to go for the ball at all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulp Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 Paul I can see you posting, you have no trouble with Ebon swapping do you? Yes I do have a problem, he won't swap if he won't go for the ball in the first place! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoemonster Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 True, very true! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LilBailey Posted January 19, 2010 Author Share Posted January 19, 2010 Paul The Rogz frisbee is way better than the Kong one. But know ball wins hands down. But at least she plays with other toys now where as she never used to. The plated ball/rope ones are good. So are plastic bottles (thanks Vegas) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulp Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 Paul The Rogz frisbee is way better than the Kong one. But know ball wins hands down. But at least she plays with other toys now where as she never used to. The plated ball/rope ones are good. So are plastic bottles (thanks Vegas) The Rogz frisbee may be better but Ebon just loves his Kong, I have other frisbees and they just don't have the same attraction for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corvus Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 You could try practicing a swap game... Perhaps if you had two balls and practiced in the yard throwing the second when she returns with the first. Or would she hold onto the first rather than spitting it out and end up standing over the second with the first in her mouth? What if she misses the point with the ball and thinks you end the game when she brings the ball back? Or maybe you could try a sheepy tug or something similar. She might like that better than the ball. Especially if you start acting like it's better. I know dogs pick their own rewards for the most part, but you can sometimes influence them, especially those herding breeds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cramet Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 will she let go or "out" on command if she doesnt it is a good this to practus (spl) if you dog "outs" then u can play switch/swap games very easily u can do this 2 ways eather by playing fetch or playing tug il use the tug method since thats what use want to achive but the same still applies when playing fetch u start the game and when its time to stop tugging you hold tug still untill the dog "outs" on command or let goes on its own (ur choice ur game) once the dog lets go you start the game again with the new tug/toy but dont play the tug for to long 30odd sec or so at the start and you play the game for a few minutes and come back later on and have another go (when u are happy with what u are seeing when the dog is playing tugging make the sessions longer but take ur time) a good tip for starting the game is to make quick movements and a sound i like to use "pssssss" as the trigger also quick games of keeping off is a good why to make ur dog possive but make sure u monitor it because if u do it to long the dog will eather loose interest quickly or narky depending on the temp of the dog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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