# Karma!!



## Dooney's Mom (May 10, 2011)

OK people, I failed as a foster and now have an excellent Schutzhund prospect. Karma is 4 months old and I can't wait to start training her for Schutzhund!! I want to make sure I can get toy drive from her, so what is a good way to start this out? Those that have dogs that focus on tugs, or whatever your focus object it.. Did you go through different objects until you found your dog let you know their chosen toy, or did you just pick what you wanted to use and build your drive off of that particular toy? She is teething and doesn't seem to like the tug right now, but I think it might be because its too big for her right now. Should I go ahead and buy her a smaller tug and transition her to bigger tugs as she "grows into" them? I was going to ask our trainer today, but it was a very busy day (CGC test was given) and we got side tracked. Any other major DO's or DON'Ts I should follow?


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Hi Wendy - if Karma has not shown any toy drive to date, how did you determine that she would be an excellent Schutzhund prospect?


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I pick the toy that *I* am most comfortable using, but most importantly my dogs are/were focused on engaging with me, not just possessing a toy. With Pan this came very naturally. He had no interest in toys until he was about 6-7 months, and then when it kicked in he always wanted to play WITH me, was never possessive, and never had outing problems. Nikon had more toy drive earlier on but at first was very possessive so I had to work hard at building games and interaction together, not just loading him on a toy. I personally do not like using toys as lures, but as ways of releasing pressure and unloading drive while engaging with the handler. So my dogs will play with balls, tugs, old dish rags, a stick....whatever I pick up. But I do have certain things I prefer to handle (namely the medium sized Gappay ball). My tip would be make it about the bond and having fun together and not about loading the dog up just for a toy because you may have trouble later on fading the lure/reward if all your dog really cares about are toys.


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## Dooney's Mom (May 10, 2011)

Castlemaid said:


> Hi Wendy - if Karma has not shown any toy drive to date, how did you determine that she would be an excellent Schutzhund prospect?


Oh I didn't say she doesn't have toy drive- she has it for sure. I just dont' know how people determine what toy they use or if the dog chooses it. I want to pick one thing to start using with her for training- she loves just about every toy I have in the house, particularly the "invicible" snake thing I have for her. She has the fancy proud prance while walking, she looks at me, she fires up on the flirt pole and the pillow. Plus my trainer and several other people with lots more experience than I said she has excellent potential. Her mom is SCH1 (though I know that really doesn't mean everything- Dooney has SCH titles and world titles in her pedigree and she isn't going to be a SCH dog)


Liesje- Thanks for the information!!


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Just depends on what you like to handle. I like the ball because I often throw it (far!) plus it easily plops into my pocket, hood, or hoodie pouch. I don't mind tugging on the string with one hand but I've developed blisters on my fingers. I also like being able to have a ball under my chin or toss it between my legs. Other people like to shove a tug in their waistband and/or prefer tugging with two handles. Sometimes I use other toys but I just personally prefer the ball.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Oh, I misunderstood your post - if she has that much drive and has shown good potential, then as Lies said, doesn't really matter what you use. I like to use little tugs that I can carry under my armpit or hide in a pocket, but it doesn't matter what I use: ball, frisbee, rag, tug, stick, whatever - you get a dog that has drive and loves to work, focus on on what you like to work with.


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## robk (Jun 16, 2011)

Castlemaid said:


> Oh, I misunderstood your post - if she has that much drive and has shown good potential, then as Lies said, doesn't really matter what you use. I like to use little tugs that I can carry under my armpit or hide in a pocket, but it doesn't matter what I use: ball, frisbee, rag, tug, stick, whatever - you get a dog that has drive and loves to work, focus on on what you like to work with.


I will take any object that is convenient and use it. One of my favorite things to use is a small piece of rubber a/c hose. He can grip it but it also fits nicely in my pack pocket or under my arm.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Pups tend to target the string instead of a ball, so I would not go with a smaller puppy ball, just go to the medium size from the beginning. 
I change up the toys often. 
I use an orbee ball on a spongy string, 12" two handle synthetic tugs(the same size for a pup too), I use the dummy retrieve bumpers , elite w/ handle and gappay balls(my least favorite, that string burns when tugging!) 
Karlo gets bored using the same training toys so I change them up often. I was using the retrieve bumper for the send out only, but now use them in the rotation of reward toys in obedience. 
He really loves the bumpers and doesn't kill them like some dogs do. I bought several and used them as directional rewards, they are really reasonably priced.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

want to share the pedigree of this one?


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## Dooney's Mom (May 10, 2011)

carmspack said:


> want to share the pedigree of this one?


Sure. I have to find the mom's pedigree. But in the meantime here is her fathers

Ulix vom Haus Pixner - German Shepherd Dog


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## Dooney's Mom (May 10, 2011)

Castlemaid said:


> Oh, I misunderstood your post - if she has that much drive and has shown good potential, then as Lies said, doesn't really matter what you use. I like to use little tugs that I can carry under my armpit or hide in a pocket, but it doesn't matter what I use: ball, frisbee, rag, tug, stick, whatever - you get a dog that has drive and loves to work, focus on on what you like to work with.


 
Thank you very much everyone for the input- I am so excited to start this pup out "right" from the beginning. Trying to build the toy drive in Dooney during OB is a pain. She is flat in her OB but man does she rock protection work!

I hope to get some video of her this weekend. It is hard when TrickyShephard and I are both doing puppy work at the same time for either one of us to get video.


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## Dooney's Mom (May 10, 2011)

Here is a mating check with a littermate sibling to the mom (Pink) so all info is the same for the lineage (spelling)

Line-breeding for the progency of Ulix vom Haus Pixner and Hanna Vom EnZ - German Shepherd Dog


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