The female GSD puppy that I'm working with confuses me sometimes.

Like when I use the ball/toy to praise she is all over it. But the fetch she will only go after it and half retrieve it, when she was younger she would bring it to me.

After noticing this I thought maybe her prey drive had demenished, but you bring out the tug and she really goes after it, after 2-3 strong pulls, I let her take it and she relieases the bite and places it between her legs. Then look up at me. Should she carry the tug, until I recover it?

Ok so here is my problem, its reading this. What does it mean? Is it a lose interest in bring the ball to me or maintaining the bite or does she lose interest in the game or maybe don't understand the game.

I always thought the fetch & retrieve showed her willingness to play/prey drive and please/interact with the handler.

I don't think its a lose of prey drive like I 1st suspected or is it? Maybe a lost in her willingness to please?

Maybe she is "testing the limits"

Mine would do that but darned if I refused to throw the second ball unless she brought me the first one.

Is she still chasing it like crazy, not bringing it back and have you done two ball?

Also, I actually let her "strike" at the ball (on a string) in my hand when she brings the second one and drops it.

Maybe you are playing too long, to the point the dog is losing interest in the game. One of the hardest things is realizing when to stop the game, leaving your dog wanting more. If you want the dog to continue holding the tug, you need to have a leash or long line on her and run her a little bit then make an attempt to grab the tug and play some more. As far as the ball, maybe her drive isn't as strong as it is for a tug which she may view as a better reward. You can test which toy your dog prefers which is what Bernhard Flinks does by holding a tug and ball in each hand then criss cross them and see which one she focuses on . Listen to your dog, she will always tell you which toy she prefers. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Have you tried the two toy game to keep your dog in drive and to build the retrieve?

here's a totally different twist on it:
do you make her out EVERY time she retrieves the ball? if so, this may be why she is reluctant to bring it back to you. try petting her, talking to her, etc. while she holds it firmly and calmly in her mouth. don't make her out. see what happens. if she wants to play badly enough she will be giving you the ball because she wants to chase it. (kinda like the slobbery dog toy scenerio when you really want to watch a t.v. program and they keep bugging you to play)
personally, i don't like the two toy method. out means out, not a trade-off. two toys also promote hectic behavior and chewing. they don't want to give up the one they have yet they also want the one you have in your hand. that's when the chewing begins, just as when you force an out every time they retrieve.

Ok, I threw a lot out and got alot back.

Nancy you may have something she may be testing her limit, or making up her own game, but its not keep away. I can walk up and get it, she follows my hand, snaps chases and jumps at the ball.
Maybe I just need to work on the retrieve.

John I'll have to try the leash or long line run in a circle with tug in mouth, then retreive to make her maintain the bite. We only play for a short while maybe 3-5 minutes. Now after this I usually start feeding, I may need to extend the time from play to feeding she maybe trying to rush past play to eating.

Chip I may try the two ball/toy thing, do you think that will help the retrieve?

Pat she use to come to me and drop the ball, then it went to a come to me and I'd grab the ball in her mouth she release it and we play again. Now its a mad dash to it, pick up let it go. Either she will do a half retreive of the ball drop it and she will come or leave the ball at the spot that she bit it and she will come.

I think I need extetnd the time in before work and feeding. I think or can I make that work for me?

I personally wouldn't feed my dogs right after an active play session. They need to calm down and be relaxed before I feed them which generally is a minimum of an hour or so. As far as the retrieve goes, you can always put the dog on a long line, throw the ball to the end of the line and when she picks up the ball, pop the leash a couple of times while calling her to you and really praise her up for coming to you. Some dogs retrieve's are not as strong as others. Are you tring to get a formal retrieve? Or just get her to bring the toy to you? Maybe start from a closer distance as well, like the end of a 6 foot leash. Don't throw it across the yard and expect her to bring it all the way back. In addition, you probably should be working on improving her "drive" for the ball. If you don't have Ed's Drive, Focus & Grip video with Bernhard Flinks, you should get it. It is really worth the money spent. JMO

yes, the fact that she used to bring the ball back to you, but has since quit is telling me (like i said previously) that she doesn't want to give up the ball every time she brings it back. she wants to win. i saw this behavior in one of my own dogs......before the DRIVE, FOCUS AND GRIP video. she would also run like mad to go fetch the ball, stick, kong but then either avoid me or drop it partway back. (thinking she could go back later and get it, but wasn't wanting to give it up to me.) after making many mistakes, i am now a believer in building grip first and worrying about outs later. use the flinks video and the methods. "taking the dog in your arms" builds a calm dog, firm grip and trust between you and the dog.

I think she lose interest playing with you, she has more fun playing with the ball, somehow you must make her think that playing with you is more fun than with the ball itself or anything, the ball,the tug is just ahelping tool, you must be where the fun come out, you describe what my dog was at 4 -5 months, what works for me and my dog is that when I throw the ball out and he went and retrieve it and bring it back but not to me or just run pass me, then I ignore him and go sit on my chair, and wait him out, he lay down and chew on the ball for awhile or whatever and finally got bore with it leave the ball, I would pick it up and doing the prey game and let him tug the ball meanwhile I am very vocal praising him, playing tug like crazy, he must get into his head that I am fun, playing with me is fun, now my dogis 13 months, I can use a tug, a ball, a stick anything that I pick up and throw and he bring it back and play with me, everytime he yank the tug or ball or stick or whatever out of my hand, he would immediatly bring it back and shove it in my hands for me to play with him again, I also train the out using Ivan's technique so there is no issue, out is game, not losing the toy. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

use the flinks video and the methods. taking the dog in your arms builds a calm dog, firm grip and trust between you and the dog.

First please don't dog me on this, I can only hope one day I will be as good as Flinks pinky finger, I do have that video btw and do practice the into my arm and calm him down, but what I don't understand is the idea of a sneaky steal of the tug or ball, well I do understand that this will promote a firm grip all the time, but isn't that conflict with building trust? I mean you bring him into your arm and calm him this will build trust and calmness am I correct? but then why trying to steal the toy away from him to promote firm grip?