# Low ball drive



## vol38501 (May 5, 2011)

My new 5 month old GSD, Bella, has zero ball drive. She will on occasion go smell what i threw and maybe mouth it a little but nothing else. I know i may be expecting too much too soon, since i have only had her 3 days. She wants to please me and has learned sit and we are working on down. She follows me where ever i go and wants my attention. She is very calm and relaxed maybe too calm and relaxed. She also has no desire to play with any toys just the occasional chew and that's it. Should i let her get more adjusted to her new surrounding?? Any suggestions would be wonderful!


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## Blazings (Jan 24, 2011)

Well.. it could be just the dog. I used to have a dog who liked to play, but didn't give anything about toys or anything like that


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## jprice103 (Feb 16, 2011)

Do you know the environment that she came from? I got my puppy from a non-reputable breeder (didn't know any better at the time...thought I was doing good not going through a pet store or puppy mill) who had the litter of puppies in a stall in a cow barn. When we went to get her, there were NO toys at all in with the puppies. When we brought her home and bought her tons of toys...she had no clue what to do with them. It took her a good week to figure out they were something to play with and fun! I'd say just keep showing her how to play and eventually she will get the hang of it!


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## MrsWoodcock (Oct 21, 2010)

jprice103 said:


> Do you know the environment that she came from? I got my puppy from a non-reputable breeder (didn't know any better at the time...thought I was doing good not going through a pet store or puppy mill) who had the litter of puppies in a stall in a cow barn. When we went to get her, there were NO toys at all in with the puppies. When we brought her home and bought her tons of toys...she had no clue what to do with them. It took her a good week to figure out they were something to play with and fun! I'd say just keep showing her how to play and eventually she will get the hang of it!


AGREED!! My husbands dutchie/mal loves balls, but as far as a tug, or a flirt pole doesnt get it.... he is Starting too.. id say keep working with her :]


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

I'd give her more time to adjust since you just got her. Might take a month or more for her drives to come out. Also, what lines is she? With some lines, the drives will kick in later.


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## vol38501 (May 5, 2011)

Castlemaid said:


> I'd give her more time to adjust since you just got her. Might take a month or more for her drives to come out. Also, what lines is she? With some lines, the drives will kick in later.


 I don't know right off the top of my head what her lines are. I was told what they were but do not recall but i do know her father's name and akc number. Charlie von Bishop # dn16513501. I wrote that down before i sent in her papers.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

you have to teach her how to retrieve. then you can teach
her "find it". you hide something and have her find it. a trainer
will be very helpfull. train and socialize.


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## Ace952 (Aug 5, 2010)

Sometimes it can take awhile. Use a flirt pole in the meantime.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Backchain it - that's where you teach the end of the behavior first and then work back towards the beginning. With mine when they were puppies they would all follow a ball if I rolled it a couple of feet and I didn't have any trouble working on it from there. But if I had, what I'd do is teach them to take the ball from my and then give it back standing right there. Then, give the ball and run backwards a few steps, encouraging her to bring it to you and give it up. Until she's consistently bringing you the ball after you've handed it you her you can start rolling it away from you. Work up gradually to being able to throw it, and again, start with short distances at first.


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## debbiebrown (Apr 13, 2002)

you can also get a ball on a rope and drag it, it looks more like prey and it may snap her interest........

some dogs aren't real ball crazy and you might have to experiment with different toys. a tug toy may spark interest play and tease the pup a bit with it, then through it and teach her to bring it back.....she is also still young, alot of my pups ball drive varied, but most were 6 months to a year before things really clicked.....you can shape ball drive, or toy drive with the right motivational training.........some dogs are naturals and others need a boost in that area....


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## benjamin1 (May 9, 2011)

It could use has not got use to catching balls or that the dog does not like toys and chasing balls.


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## jherring (Feb 19, 2011)

My dog will wrestle with his toys when I play with him but he does not have much interest in bringing them back when I toss them away.


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

It has only been 3 days. As stated above, her natural tendencies and real personality will appear gradually. For fetch start with baby steps. Reward her whenever she gives you something. Sit on the floor and toss/roll it very close so that she barely has to move to give it to you. When she gets to 100% add a few inches. Take it slow and don't expect much, let her decide when the next increase in distance is. This worked too well with my dog, now she is pushing things into my hand to throw for her or to tug. The rewards ended long ago.


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## webzpinner (Mar 7, 2011)

Tried for a year to get JAke to play fetch. He refuses. Makes my boys cry, since they see other kids playing fetch with their dogs.


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

webzpinner said:


> Tried for a year to get JAke to play fetch. He refuses. Makes my boys cry, since they see other kids playing fetch with their dogs.


Not saying this is true for you but a lot of people try to teach fetch by throwing the ball too far. Just as with a child you have to build confidence by almost dropping it in their hands (jaws) and get 100% success ...... then move away inches at a time. But I agree that there are some that just don't click. My dog started out as a retrieving maniac. Now that she is mature she is only good for a few throws then she seems to think, "Why does this idiot keep throwing it away? I'm only going to get it for him so many times, then he can get the dang thing himself!" She seems to retrieve out of a sense of responsibility rather than a lot of dogs who would retrieve until their muscles and lungs give out.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

So.....anyone try backchaining?


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## webzpinner (Mar 7, 2011)

PaddyD said:


> Not saying this is true for you but a lot of people try to teach fetch by throwing the ball too far. Just as with a child you have to build confidence by almost dropping it in their hands (jaws) and get 100% success ...... then move away inches at a time. But I agree that there are some that just don't click. My dog started out as a retrieving maniac. Now that she is mature she is only good for a few throws then she seems to think, "Why does this idiot keep throwing it away? I'm only going to get it for him so many times, then he can get the dang thing himself!" She seems to retrieve out of a sense of responsibility rather than a lot of dogs who would retrieve until their muscles and lungs give out.


Jake has zero interest in balls. Not rolling, not tossed, nothing. He tosses an old football only to himself, but that's it. Anyone else pick up a ball, he looks at you like your stupid. Hehe.


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## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

Stosh doesn't have any interest in playing with balls either- but he LOVES frisbees. He like carrying them around, chasing when I throw them along the ground and snatching out of the air. But it wasn't until he was about 6 mos old.


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## suzzyq01 (Feb 15, 2011)

Sonar could have cared less about the ball until I found the ones that squeak. Now he will chase it and bring it back squeaking it the whole time.


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## vol38501 (May 5, 2011)

She is getting better, not at fetching but at playing and chewing. She will go check out what i toss and mouth it a little. I've praising her and letting her know that's what i want. She doesn't seem to have a real "drive" for anything but petting. I even bought one of those balls you put things in to see if the smell would help, peanut butter, ham, turkey, cheese. Nothing!!!! but give her a good rub and she's happy!!! But on the good side she is learning her obedience very well. A good consistant sit, a decent down, a 20-30 second stay and only one pee accident in a week. I'm very pleased.


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## MicheleMarie (Mar 29, 2011)

my rescue shep mix had no interest in toys but i wanted her to play fetch. then we went to the dog park (a good one) and she watched other dogs playing fetch-she picked it up in 2 days after that! 
i agree with starting small though...just roll it a few feet away and praise when they pay attention to it.

be careful...I CREATED A MONSTER!!!!
my dog will do WHATEVER it takes to get through, go around, jump over etc. to get to that ball. she's needed stitches a few times even trying to get the ball. almost to the point of obsessive....and she HATES every other toy accept the kong lol

my puppy has natural ball/toy drive...but we are working on tug at the moment


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## kr16 (Apr 30, 2011)

My dog never played with a ball, rock, stick or anything ever. Didnt swim in my pool. Never played hide and go seek. She also never destroyed the house which was a positive. The kids didnt like it, but she was a great sweet dog. She didnt even bark at the door. Lol she was quite unique for a Shep. My new pup im picking up tomorrow hopefully will be a little more playfull. Have a feeling this one is going to be the complete opposite.


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## Kobe12 (Mar 9, 2011)

I thought my GSD had low drive, but after reading this apparently not. He will fetch anything the further the better, but I'm pretty sure he doesn't have a high drive he just doesn't jump for anything. I think it looks cool when a dog jumps 3 in the air to catch a Frisbee. But jumping would be to much work when he knows its eventually gonna land. And he doesn't stop barking he's doing it rite now barking at absolutely. Nothing


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## vol38501 (May 5, 2011)

A little update......Bella is now playing more and actually did "fetch" a few times for me today! She also played a little tug with me also. I kept it all on her level and stopped before she got too disinterested. I was very pleased!! I think a lot of her problem was never having the oppurtunity to play as a young pup and the fact that the vet said she had a slight case of pano. After a couple of days of meds she is a completely different dog.......LOTS of energy and spunk!!


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