I guess it depends on what your trainer friend trains. It sounds like he trains pets, basic obedience stuff. If on the other hand you want to take Levi into protection dog sports, like Schutzhund, tugging is part of the training. I've played tug with Lear since he was 8.5 weeks and he has never been toy aggressive or possessive. If Levi starts targeting your hand instead of the rag as you flick it around, just put the rag on a rope. It could be (and likely is the case) that your trainer friend is not familiar with protection dog sport training.

Tugging is based on letting the dog win the tug. You flick the rag, the pup goes for it, you let him get it, you tug on it for a few seconds then let him "win" it when he pulls hard. It's part of bite training for the protection sports.

So it depends on what you want to do with Levi, what your future goals are. But Levi is doing what comes naturally to him.

There is no doubt that I want Levi to be protective. That is one of the reasons tht I chose a GSD in the first place. I wanted a good family dog but one that would be protective of his family. I don't tknow if I want to to Schutzhund, granted I do feel guilty about that, he comes from a very long line of SCH trained dogs. However, I am not in a very good place for training. Most everyone that is anyone says that the club that I am able to attend will teach me noting but bad habits. I doubt I could afford a personal trainer. This is why I am looking into agility because it will give hime and I a purpose and something to do w/o costing me the bank. Still, I can see the toy aggression starting to surface between the dogs. I wouldn't want one of them to get torn up over a ball. Problem is I can't play with just one of them w/o the others all diving into the fray. I guess I'm going to have to take them seperately or something. It's a gigantic pain in the rump having three dogs. I do believe that from now on I will be a one dog woman. Still, I have my lab and my border collie for a while, they are still young, lol. Anyhow, still looking for suggestions on good games to play with him w/o tug aggressive issues

I couldn't see your photos Robinn.You know it's ok to have more than one ball to throw when all your dogs are present>I do that with my female and male when we're at the park just playing.I'll throw 2 balls at once to avoid conflict.I also like to play hide toy and seek.. You tie your pup and have him in a sit or down and walk away in front of him and hide the toy in a bush or behind something ( let him see it).Go back to him and untie him and tell him"where's your ball(or whatever) and let him go and see if he'll look for it and more and more try not to show him where you 've put it. What I do is that when I go back to my pup before I let him go I pretend to throw the toy and then I tell him "seek" and he goes like crazy trying to find his toy, I make it harder and harder each time..By the way that is how you teach a dog to find many things for you later on.This exercise is an open window to many other things.I'll tall you later but It makes them focus on the game and use their energy in every level..and sniff for your scent/human scent on an item.I was wondering how he was doing and growing ,see if you can fix your photo.I want to see how he's turned out so far.I can't believe you guys out in Arizona don't have a good club to go to! I thought you guys did.I know a guy out there that has a nice little club , they do PPd stuff but love to train.I'll see where he is located exactly..

Not to hijack, just as a sidenote: I did some research and "interviewed" a couple of trainers I was most interested in. They evaluated Lear and while they were evaluating, I was checking 'them' out I found one I really really like, based on the DVD's from Ed, articles from Ed, info and advice on the forum, and how the trainer responded to Lear. He's trained for SchH, PSA, Mondio, and PPD.

I don't really want to join a club so that's not an issue for me. This guy comes out to a park near me.

Sandy, can you get into my pics of Levi???

No. When you click on the link in your signature, it brings you to a page that asks you to register. You cannot just see the pics. Try tinypic.com or imageshack.us instead.

Let's try this one...

http://s140.photobucket.com/albums/r36/Azfireangel1/?action=view&current=1174959686.pbw

Robinn ,he has developed into such a nice looking gsd, super..

Robbin, I did get to the pictures as a slideshow. If you want other than the slideshow, individual pics, here's the url: http://s140.photobucket.com/albums/r36/Azfireangel1/
Wow, Levi has grown! I love that look on his face - he's great looking! They grow too fast

Never got hold of anyone in horse rescue, called a couple near us - can't get anyone to call me back. Maybe they just don't want dogs out there, but could at least call and tell me.

One thing you might try with throwing a ball, and this depends on how well trained to "stay" your 3 dogs are (and can be used as an opportunity to teach them to stay until released but IMO needs a foundation in the stay first). While on lead, preferably a short line that DOESN'T have a loop on the end, have the dogs at a stay by you, throw the ball, release one dog by name to go get it and bring it back. Alternate dogs to get the ball.

Start with one dog, stay, throw ball, release. Then try with 2 dogs (holding the lead), then the 3 together. It probably isn't as much fun for the dog as racing madly to get the ball (I've done it with Lear - he still enjoys it) but it teaches restraint and the dogs won't be arguing over the ball.

I think the reason Lear enjoys it is cause it's a challenge for him, to stay put while his toy is skipping across the lawn, looking to me for the release and bolting off to get it. Your dogs might enjoy that mental part of it too.

Or as Angelique said, throw one ball per dog at the same time. Sometimes though, one dog will go after one ball, drop it when he sees the other dog with his ball and still do the arguing thing. You have to see how it goes. Might work just fine.

Wow, Robinn! He's grown up so fast! I love watching them develop...the progress from adorable to handsome is so fun to watch!