I forgot to add that when you pop the ball out of the dogs mouth you immediately go back to drive building by playing keep-a-way. This continues the drive building & also sets the dog up for the 'out' -down the road- in learning that loosing the ball doesn't end the game.,.. a new game starts.

 Quote: Scott Garrett

I found that the important thing was to let him win each and every time. I've even stopped taking the tug away from him after the sessions.

Really? I thought I read somewhere that it wasn't a good idea to let puppies win because of establishing pack structure. Or is this just for dogs that don't have high prey/play drive? lol, I never let my pup win.

Good point, Anne. My pup's problem there is that he'll decide to stop on his own at times.

Sharon, you should be careful with letting pet dogs win with tug because it can cause dominance issues. Otherwise you want the pup to win to build its confidence.

May I ask what type of ball Anne or Scott are using? I understand the bulding of drive like Anne is speaking of with taking it, and the dog will try next time to bite it even harder. But what will happen if the dog is not ever able to hold on to the item not due to them not trying?

All in all, what I am trying to say is this orbee ball is my issue, not a ball on a string. If I were to use a regular tennis ball on a string, I wouldn't have an issue due to the fact that her drool on the orbee ball is what is making it impossible to grip it. Does this make sense?

Scott, I will try you idea with building her confidence on the ball, but let me just say it isn't her confidence or her bite that are an issue. A tug is a joke and just like Anne said about her female, my girl will not let go with anything but this orbee ball. This is where the slobber comes into play. She can drool all she wants on a tug and it just gets absorbed into the tug or tennis ball.

Sharon, the trick to playing tug is to always be in control which controls the dominance that you're speaking of. By this I mean, you start the game and you finish the game. And the biggest key factor is to make sure you end the game leaving the dog wanting more.

I'm using one of these clipped to a thin puppy leash: http://www.allk-9.com/bite-suit-tug-15-x-8-1-handle-p-180.html?zenid=90a0be9aeba5a89d68817fde49e527ad

My thought is that she just doesn't know she can chomp down on it yet and might need more confidence at this point since she always loses it. I don't have an Orbee so I don't know how hard or soft they are but, my GSD pup has a Dental Kong that he can just squash with his bite. He won't hold onto it worth anything if I pull on it, though. So, continuing my train of thought, I think that your girl might be at the same spot with the Orbee.

Where is it written that you HAVE to use an orbee ball??!!! Believe me no dog is slobbier than my male. I have arthritis & my hands don't work as well as they used to & I have to use a medical glove in order to hold onto the ball string with him he gets it so slippery. If the dog looses interest, I would suggest that you stop just short of the time that you see him starting to slow down. Pups & young dogs (even the ones that are just loaded with tons of drive from day one)have short attention spans. You might be pushing that limit if they are loosing interest. Just a thought. You do want to kinda leave him wanting more. Some dogs are just not ball lovers ....so you find something else that they like. My male was not all that ball happy in the beginning but by the time he was about 8-9 months old he'd do anything for his ball. My female will work for whatever you have in your hand, always did. She is the type that will go until she drops. She is the kind that the owner needs to know when enough is enough. My male likes the orbee because it is squishy. He is a handler soft dog but NOT so much so that if you clunk him with the ball he will shut down, but he just preferrs a soft ball in his mouth. If you dog doesn't mind if you clunk him, or likes another type ball or toy...use what works with the dog. I would also say that the less drive the dog has the more you might want to let them win, to encourage them. A more drivey dog will need less wins for encouragment to play the game. Also, some dogs just don't seem to have the drive that you need to get them to work in drive. I saw a couple, one in particular at a Mike Ellis seminar that you couldn't engage for love nor money in a ball or tug or anything. So they are out there. Just my thoughts.

It has been said that some dogs with weak nerves won't hold a bite. Perhaps temperment testing might give insight.

However, I am not an experienced handler.

I'm sure some of the experienced dog people will chime in here.

I just have a small pet, but she won't turn loose of anything or give up on it if it's too large to bite.

Oh, about the tug winning & dominance thing....,I don't think that is an issue. I would only say the tug playing with a very mouthy puppy will encourage the nipping & maybe you shouldn't do that if you don't want to encourge that in a 'pet'. I believe most dogs like to play tug. It is not breed oriented. I had a toy poodle & a collie years ago that LOVED to play tug. Pack structure addresses dominance not playing tug. Read some of Ed's articles about pack structure & dominance issues for some info on that.

Yes, Anne, I've read that dominance is a pack structure problem and not an issue with playing tug.

That's why I don't worry about how I play tug with mine. She is also one of those dogs that is a live wire. But, even at that, I have to know when to end the game.

I NEVER let her end it. The toy is mine, no hers.

I never said it had to be an orbee, but my question was directly related to an orbee as I titled this thread as such. I am reading your post Anna and I am at a loss as to who you were responding to. I never said anything about my dog loosing interest in anything now. It was more of an in the long term as in over a few months or more of repeatingly losing an item no matter how hard she holds on to it. I actually referenced my little girl to your females personality earlier as well. And as for slobber, it isn't an issue with anything but this orbee ball.

Nora, if the whole thing about weak nerves and temperament testing was directed at me, I would just like to clarify. I by no means have a dog who isn't holding a bite. I think I posted earlier that my dog will not let go of anything except she can't get a grip on this orbee due to slobber. If I didn't put that somewhere else, I have now so hopefully that clears things up.

With this post, I think my point was lost somewhere due to a lack of explanation on my part. I am sorry for that as now I am seeming to confuse others. I would no way ever believe my girl has weak nerves, lack of drive, or a dislike of this orbee toy. Like I put originally, she really likes it and only wants it more as it slips out of her mouth. This question wasn't meant to be about any type of ball on a string but specifically an orbee ball on a string.