I hope this is the right place to post this question. Anyways, in December 2002 i adopted a 1 year old neutered GSD. He had been thrown out of a car onto a busy highway, beaten and starved. When i first brought him home he had no idea what to do with a bone or any kind of toy. I doubt that he had ever seen either. He has come along very well. Despite his history he is a very loving dog and amazingly not aggressive or fearfull at all. I can fire a gun right next to him and he will watch with interest. Anyways, i would like to be able to play with him to exercise him some more. We do go on several walks a day but i would like for him to stretch his legs and run. I thought a good way to do that is to play fetch with him but he looses interest in that after the second or third throw. I have tried different toys but after the initial first or second time playing with them he gets bored and walks away. The one time i really saw him getting excited and running was when a baby bird fell out of it`s nest right into our yard. I thought the poor thing was a goner. Boy was i wrong....he actually ran to chase away the crows that started picking on the little bird. I watched this for a while and he never let up, he went as far as to lying next to the bird to protect him. So, any suggestions to get him motivated..after all i can`t keep dropping baby birds into my yard. Sorry this post is so long. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
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here is a pic of him, still can`t believe someone threw him out like a piece of garbage

What about tetherball? Alfie will play fetch, but only if Xena isn't present. when she is there, he just turns right around waiting for me to throw the other ball, then Xena goes after the other ball and so I have to put Xena in a down while Alfie gets a few chances.

Anyway, they both go batty over tetherball. I don't even inflate it because they pop it instantly. I attach it to a broken brrom handle with a loop at the top for hanging the broom up, and just swing it around me til one of them catches it, then they prance around all proud until I tell them OUT! and over and over again till they are beat.

BTW he's GORGEOUS! Such a pretty coat!

Very pretty dog!
I have a dog from a similar situation who had been kept in a yard away from human contact until she was 6mo. old. She only knew how to communicate with other dogs from the way she grew up. Other dogs were all she ever knew. She was not a very affectionate, playful, or driven dog. I assume it relates back to her puppyhood. There is a window of oppurtunity in their youth where they gain social skills with human and other animals and if they miss that, it can affect their adult behavior and can be hard to repair. Some dogs become aggressive and some just never feel completely comfortable with the situations. Obviously our dogs chose avoidance in stead of aggressiveness, which I consider a good thing! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Your dog was a rescue from a bad background, so there's no telling what he has or hasn't gone through. I would just have patience and understanding with his development. My dog progressed but never was as playful and loving as a dog who came from more desireable circumstances. I still consider a baby-step of trust to me a sucess. We may not have fun and silly play sessions but I still know we have a more special relationship than she would ever have with anyone else.

I don't understand why more people don't run with their dogs. And by run I mean romp with them doggy-style, rough housing. It's the only type of play my Riley liked (well, also recently he learned how fun it was to play tug), gets him really worked up--my puppy LOVES it--and even my 11-year-old Shih Tzu that I just got last month from its owners and didn't look like it would be interested in anything but food and sleeping gets excited by it. You know, makes you look crazy, gets dog drool and dog scratch marks all over you, but it's a great bonding opportunity and also gives an incentive to 'come'.

I just start by talking to them in an excited voice, running around in circles, teasing them by quickly 'tagging' them with my hand, etc. Usually I also give a rough play-growl, which is something I can't explain to you here but sounds like a roar. Then I run back and forth.

Yeah, I can just see myself 50 years from now..."Here's the crazy lady with the crazy dogs. RUN." Good thing I'm still at the stage where I can pass off as 'some kid'.

Thanks for all the input i really appreciate it <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />. He is very loving and affectioned ( he gives the term velcro dog new meaning ) and i probably should have mentioned that he absolutely loves to play with dogs. My friend has a GSD and when she brings her over there is no stopping mine. He will run around and play with her for hours. The difference is she runs after the ball ( this GSD is absolutely obsessed with balls, i think she was a retriever in an earlier life lol )but my GSD runs after her. He couldn`t care less about the toy. The most response i`ve ever gotten from him is by throwing a football; he actually loves to tackle me but he is very careful about it so as not to hurt me when he does it. Maybe i should give up on the toys and just sign him up for pro football <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Your dog sounds and looks great.

My last GSD hated the ball but loved a frisbee.We used to call him the the dragonfly slayer he would spend hours trying to jump up and get dragonflys that is how we figured out he might like a frisbee.

Who knows? Your dog sounds very happy as is and you might not want to fix what is not broke. Besides making you feel guilty about not exercising him pretty much makes you walk him and hence you have your own personal trainer.

Maybe you could try to take away all of his toys, the only thing he sees now is the ball on the string when you are playing with him, slam it on the ground and move it in a short jerk like movement to promote prey drive if he has any, when he start chasing it, throw it very short and praise like hell if he bring it back, you might not have any sucess for a couple of weeks of playing daily but if he has any prey drive you might be able to bring it out of him after awhile, remember don't give him the ball to play by himself, only with you. When I first got my dog, he has no interest in the ball at all, now he will chase the ball or anything and bring it back to me until he pass out. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I just wanted to say you have a very good looking dog, and I agree; it is unbelievable someone did not appreciate what they had.

Thank you all for your adcice and kind words <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Hi Cristine,
I can relate to what you are describing. I rescued a belgian shep mix (?) thats what we think anyway. She was in the shelter for 3-4months. It wasn't until about her 6 month mark out of the shelter did she seem to put the pieces together about playing with a ball. My sister's dog who is ball obsessed had been over several times, with my girl watching him play and chase the ball. One day, my sister moved the ball in jerkey motions in front of my dog's face, while we talked excitedly, she threw it, Sam ran after it, picked it up, and proceeded to run like a maniac!! She will still play, but it seems to be when she is in the "mood" She has to first sniff and check out the area when we are playing. It is nice to see her "cut loose" so to speak. Keep at it, you never know. Somedays, we just kinda chase each other around, that really gets her charging around. Your dog is a beaut!! Thanks for rescuing!!
Regards,
Linda