Hope this is the right place to post this. This is going to be a long one.
I'm trying to think of how to phrase this-ok. Puppy Man has a favorite toy, sometimes I take it away for a few weeks because he is so obsessive with it, (he will grab it first thing in the morning and take it outside with him to pee) and we then work new toys.
It is not a tug toy-it is a fuzzy soft ball, about 6 inches in diameter. It is good for retrieving only-too small and round to play tug. He likes to take it and put it on me while he holds it-I mean he takes the ball and pushes it into me. All day long. Over and over. If I ignore him-I am on the computer, sleeping in the bed, etc-he moves it closer to my head. He has put it in my hair and held it there. When he sees I am going to touch it, he lets go and waits. He will glance at me, but mainly he is staring a hole into this ball.
It was inevitable that I develop the ability to throw this ball by rote. He grabs it, brings it back, I throw again-sooner or later. There is something very border-collie ish about his intensity with this toy.
Of course, now he is still super cranked to see the tug come out, but it takes me a while of hyping him to get him to really pull and fight for it. I suspect he wants to play fetch games and is ready to drop it. He will grip it hard, but I don't feel the pulling back right away like I used to. He still wants it very badly-will leap and jump, although I am trying to show him jumping does not result in success, and he is very quick and eager when he is chasing it.
I have been adding more focus exercises to our routine lately-he is VERY good at these- and I am wondering if the retrieving and/or focus stuff is hurting the fighting for the tug.
PS-if it's helpful to know, he is about 7 and a half months now.

When he is pulling, what are you doing?

With a young dog, acting a little is an art. Let him think he is big and strong and dragging you across the room.

I don't think the playing fetch is hurting the tugging, I am almost betting he has figured out he can't move you, so why try...

Alex, I think your very lucky to have a pup with intense focus and the want for interaction with you. Sounds like he's got you trained too! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I'm still learning with the drive, focus and grip work but what I do with my pup is: I don't let her pick anything up and carry it with her during our walks, she occasionally will grab something but drops it with a 'leave' command.

We have our 'working' toys, but also 'house' toys. When we play with a house toy, I encourage her to hold on to a toy with a 'good bite' and only release with an 'Aus' command. So far, so good. Puppyman, the little smartie that he is, will soon learn that play will be more rewarding if he hangs on.

I'm still learning too, so if anyone thinks I'm off base, let me know!

thanks for the replies.
Deanna, I have managed to control my own dominant impulses (surprise!)and I have always let him think he is dragging me-it is just that I feel lately he is not pulling as hard-I am acting my small little heart out but he doesn't have that fierce vocal tug like he did in the past.
He will become VERY intense on the tug if Princess, my bitch, grabs my end as well (she always pulls on my side). She isn't normally a tug play dog, but sometimes she will help me out when I'm really talking excitedly-I think she believes she is rescuing me. Then he literally can pull us both across the room-I don't have to act.
I know I probably shouldn't let this happen, but we're all three having fun when it does...
This technical training is hard stuff!

You know, I have to ask...
How terribly bad is it if I just say "the heck with all this precise method stuff" and just play and have fun for now...?
I seem nowadays to worry and think WAY too hard about what's going on and I think maybe he knows it.

 Quote:

Originally posted by alex mankowich:
You know, I have to ask...
How terribly bad is it if I just say "the heck with all this precise method stuff" and just play and have fun for now...?
I seem nowadays to worry and think WAY too hard about what's going on and I think maybe he knows it.

Hey alex,
nothing wrong with thinking ahead about what you are going to do with puppyman but don't sweat the small stuff....... have a good time and enjoy him and the time you spend playing. That's what having a dog is all about anyway, right? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

this is supposed to be fun for both of you!!!