"Ball Drive"

OUbrat79 · 01-21-2013, 09:49 PM

Ok I know ball drive is usually something they either have or don't have. My puppy kind of has it. He wants to play with the ball but will leave it to play with whatever else is around him. Also he thinks when I throw a ball for him the object of the game is keep away. Is there anyway to keep him focused on the ball and train him to bring it back?

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**Liesje** · 01-21-2013, 10:03 PM

For bringing out the ball drive, I've put a puppy on a harness and tied him to something (tree, hitch of my van) and then I "tease" the puppy with the ball.

For fetch I use two of the same balls, so if the puppy wants to run off with their ball, I run *away* from them and start making the ball *I* have look really exciting so he runs back to me.

Shaolin · 01-22-2013, 01:18 AM

I like the game we play at SAR called Two-Ball. You throw one and as he picks it up and brings it back, you throw the other one. Finn didn't have much of a ball drive before that game, but now I'm sure he'd sell *my* soul for a throw of a ball.

**jocoyn** · 01-22-2013, 01:21 AM

Good info on how to teach it. Once he gets the game down you don't need two balls.

Two Squeakies: Building the Retrieve and Motivational Out

Mrs.K · 01-22-2013, 06:00 AM

How old is your pup?

OUbrat79 · 01-22-2013, 08:20 AM

He is 4 months old. I have tried the 2 ball game but I can never get him interested in the second ball. It's like once he has the first ball he's good.

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ksotto333 · 01-22-2013, 08:30 AM

Tessa really didn't have any ball drive at that age. I still threw for her every day, often with the two ball method. Sometimes it was successful sometimes not, but we had fun. Around 6-7 months she just fell in love with it. Other than me it's her favorite thing in the whole world.

onyx'girl · 01-22-2013, 08:37 AM

Get a couple ball on rope toys. Once the pup knows how fun it is to tug with you, he'll bring it back for more game on. Though with a teething pup, you have to be gentle with tug, but you can do it in a way that still gives the pup the knowledge that you are the one that controls the game...and running off with the prize is boring.
The small ones are fine for puppy mouth, but I'd go with a medium as he'll outgrow the small one and they can be a choking hazard for older pups.

**jocoyn** · 01-22-2013, 08:43 AM

You need to control the environment more (like in a hallway) and make the 2nd ball more fun. That is why the article - some good pointers there. The fact that she wants to chase the ball is most of the battle.

MichaelE · 01-22-2013, 09:23 AM

Lisl is crazy for just about anything you throw. She's on it like a hound or a retriever.

Her favorite toy is a squeaky rubber bone that only squeaks when the air is coming in, not going out. I'll squeeze this toy and sail it across the yard, and the whole time it's squealing. It's usually still making noise when she gets to it.

I guess she thinks it's something alive. She loves it though.

01-21-2013, 09:49 PM	#1 (permalink)
OUbrat79 Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 101	"Ball Drive" Ok I know ball drive is usually something they either have or don't have. My puppy kind of has it. He wants to play with the ball but will leave it to play with whatever else is around him. Also he thinks when I throw a ball for him the object of the game is keep away. Is there anyway to keep him focused on the ball and train him to bring it back? Sent from my iPhone using Petguide.com Free App

01-21-2013, 10:03 PM	#2 (permalink)
Liesje Moderator Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 16,433	For bringing out the ball drive, I've put a puppy on a harness and tied him to something (tree, hitch of my van) and then I "tease" the puppy with the ball. For fetch I use two of the same balls, so if the puppy wants to run off with their ball, I run away from them and start making the ball I have look really exciting so he runs back to me. __________________ Liesje & the K9s Nikon (GSD) U-CH SG Alta-Tollhaus Bono SchH1 KKL T1 FO PA TF-III FDCh-S CL1-R UJJ U-CA HIT TT CGC Coke (All-American) VPC's Coca-Cola CGC, couch warmer extraordinaire Indy (All-American) Blue Horizon's Indigo Girl, flyball star in training Rainbow Bridge Kenya (GSD) U-CH Alta-Tollhaus-Krieger Lamb Chop CL1-R CL1-F RA HIT TDI TT CGC vom Blauen Horizont / Blue Horizon GSDs

01-22-2013, 01:18 AM	#3 (permalink)
Shaolin Elite Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Great Mills, MD Posts: 1,168	I like the game we play at SAR called Two-Ball. You throw one and as he picks it up and brings it back, you throw the other one. Finn didn't have much of a ball drive before that game, but now I'm sure he'd sell my soul for a throw of a ball. __________________ RIP Sebastian GSD/Rott 5/12/2002 RIP Cheyenne The Western Lady Collie 9/6/2012 Finnian The Irish Lad WGSD: SAR Abeni the Little Warrior: Pomeranian rescue. "Res nos operor ut alius algo" "Go mairidís beo"

01-22-2013, 01:21 AM	#4 (permalink)
jocoyn Zombie Queen Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: South Carolina Posts: 12,077	Good info on how to teach it. Once he gets the game down you don't need two balls. Two Squeakies: Building the Retrieve and Motivational Out __________________ Nancy www.scsarda.org Beau -NAPWDA Certified Cadaver Dog Waiting at the Bridge (italics=GSDs) (hemangiosarcoma=blue):Grim , Cyra, Toby, Rainbow, Linus, Oscar, Arlo & Waggles

01-22-2013, 08:20 AM	#6 (permalink)
OUbrat79 Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 101	"Ball Drive" He is 4 months old. I have tried the 2 ball game but I can never get him interested in the second ball. It's like once he has the first ball he's good. Sent from Petguide.com Free App

01-22-2013, 06:00 AM	#5 (permalink)
Mrs.K Crowned Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 8,646	How old is your pup?

01-22-2013, 08:30 AM	#7 (permalink)
ksotto333 Master Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Ohio Posts: 753	Tessa really didn't have any ball drive at that age. I still threw for her every day, often with the two ball method. Sometimes it was successful sometimes not, but we had fun. Around 6-7 months she just fell in love with it. Other than me it's her favorite thing in the whole world.

01-22-2013, 08:37 AM	#8 (permalink)
onyx'girl Crowned Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: SW, MI Posts: 21,347	Get a couple ball on rope toys. Once the pup knows how fun it is to tug with you, he'll bring it back for more game on. Though with a teething pup, you have to be gentle with tug, but you can do it in a way that still gives the pup the knowledge that you are the one that controls the game...and running off with the prize is boring. The small ones are fine for puppy mouth, but I'd go with a medium as he'll outgrow the small one and they can be a choking hazard for older pups. __________________ Jane~ Kept by Onyx, Kacie and Gideon v Wildhaus aka Karlo

01-22-2013, 08:43 AM	#9 (permalink)
jocoyn Zombie Queen Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: South Carolina Posts: 12,077	You need to control the environment more (like in a hallway) and make the 2nd ball more fun. That is why the article - some good pointers there. The fact that she wants to chase the ball is most of the battle. __________________ Nancy www.scsarda.org Beau -NAPWDA Certified Cadaver Dog Waiting at the Bridge (italics=GSDs) (hemangiosarcoma=blue):Grim , Cyra, Toby, Rainbow, Linus, Oscar, Arlo & Waggles

01-22-2013, 09:23 AM	#10 (permalink)
MichaelE Elite Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 1,293	Lisl is crazy for just about anything you throw. She's on it like a hound or a retriever. Her favorite toy is a squeaky rubber bone that only squeaks when the air is coming in, not going out. I'll squeeze this toy and sail it across the yard, and the whole time it's squealing. It's usually still making noise when she gets to it. I guess she thinks it's something alive. She loves it though. __________________ Bear, Anna, Molly, Ossie, and The Countess Lisl von Schlaf An Unhappy German is a Sour Kraut!

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