Okay, I have:
-tried the 2 ball routine to get my dog to bring the other one back...to no avail. She just hovers around me and maybe brushes against my knees.
-tried treats (anything you can imagine) to no avail as she has zero interest when she has that tennis ball in her mouth.
-tried ignoring her and turning my back all the while playing with the other ball mysel <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> f hoping it would entice her to play.
-tried the long lead and pulling her into me with an excited voice and praise...only to have a fight on my hands getting her to give the ball to me. Usually I have to pry it from her mouth.

So now what am I to do??????????? Someone must have more tricks up their sleeve???????
(on another GSD chat, they suggest that my dog does not trust me that is why she is doing this)

How old is she?
Bernhard has a good method at teaching it during play in his video.

Hi
She is 14 months. I have had her for 7 months. She is a rescue. Good dog. She did it at first not problem, not she just doesn't want to come back to me. I should add, even in the house, she grabs and shoe and runs like hell. I do not run after her, rather I calmly approach and say "out"...to which noting happens and I have to remove.

Colleen,

Patience is the key with this. What I do is get the dog to come back and in to a sit in front of me. Then I take hold of the toy and tell the dog to out and wait. Sooner or later they all give it up. Some it takes much longer than others. Just don't get impatient and take it away that just reinforces the idea that the dog has to hang on tighter so it doesn't lose it's prize. Keep in mind that the longer the dog has been doing this the longer it will take to change it. The key is to get the dog back to you, in a sit and then get a firm enough grip on the toy that the dog can't pull it away from you, then wait.

Well Colleen,
My first question would be do you do obedience with your dog. Its like I tell my clients,"obedience is not a series of tricks you teach your dog,but a relationship you build with your dog!" So if your trying to do tricks thats one thing,but if you want a working relationship with your dog you have to do obedience with your dog and start from square one.

Hi Colleen!

Fun hey? My GSD used to do the same thing. She also used to love to "accidentally" drop the ball close to my feet and then snatch it away before I could pick it up. It's kind of funny, but gets old fast.

I would suggest a combination of some of the techniques listed above. Put your pooch on a long lead and call her to you. Wheel her in and then get her to sit. Take hold of the ball and give the "out" command, then wait. Don't pull on the ball, just wait for her to let go. Eventually, she will. Now release (from the sit)and priase her (give her a treat if you like) and throw the ball.

Now repeat over and over and over and over. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Also, I would say it has nothing to do with your dog trusting you - it has everything to do with stubborness and possessiveness. Be firm but patient.

A lot of people worry about the dog not releasing the toy. Bernard Flinks says that taking the toy away all the time leads to problems with carrying. He does not teach the out until the dog is old enough- yours is- and he shows the pinch method on his video. It would be too hard to explain with words and do it right- please try to get the 'Building Drive' video. I teach out from a puppy and my dogs are very reliable. When I want what they have I just press gently on the 'lips' on side of mouth on teeth and remove the toy while saying out. It is one of the first words they learn and is painless. A word of caution- again from Bernard; if you keep taking the toy away, they are going to be reluctant to yield it to you. He shows what we call 'into my arms' where you just momentarily hold and gently pat the dog and then allow to run with its toy. If I had a dog that wouldn't come back to me easily I would only play on a 30 ft. leash. Another idea is to totally ignore the dog til he drops the ball. If he doesn't then he doesn't want to play. I have never seen a dog that won't eventually drop it if he wants to play with you. Maybe try switching to a different toy, a tug, and make the game more about you. Throwing the toy away from you is not the best way to bond with dog. You want the dog to feel that you are the most fun thing around, he returns to you to relieve stress and not running around the field chewing on his ball. I hope these ideas help.

Okay there is some good advice there.

I was starting to get a complex re: dog doesn't want to be with me etc. Glad to know that it may be stubborness...and ohhh is she stubborn.

So I will give each and go and be patient.

I was worried as our schutzund club saw "promise" in her, asked me to come back next week, but if she won't bring it back and release...kind of pointless. I wouldn't get very far in the sport.

Thanks everyone.

Hey'
You know I guess Im not real sur if your question is about the dog not coming to you, or it wont retrieve and come back to you. If it wont retrieve and come back because it has a huge play retrieve, then Id say put a force retrieve on the dog. Then practice it on a double flexi,2 people, and practice retrieving different things not as fun as a ball.

Something really simple!!
Take some type of temp fencing(use plastic found at Home depot or Lowes) Place this fence along side of another fence or building wall. Come out no more then 4 feet from statioanry fence or wall. The length should start out being short. No more then 10 feet( increase lenght as you make progress.

This setup will make your dog return back to you without being able to run free. Thus forcing the dog toi retrurn with out using FORCE.

As for getting the object from dog, takes time.

What do you do with whatever object you use.? The dog should never see or have it in it's psssion unless you give it.

Maybe these Ideas will help. Hope so!

I have used treats everytime the pup or dog came back. Use whatever your dog likes.

Make this a game without any corrections, dog not returning , no treat or toy. THIS MAKE TAKE A FEW SESSIONS.