Try tieing a tug on the end of a stick with some rope, and bouncing it around. I heard that works.

Robert

VanCamp
This how the Pit bull Owner/Trainers explain the dogs seemly not being interested in the prey item or as you stated low prey drive.

Their explaination could also explain why the Pit bull seems to drive right into prey like actions once it realizes how much fun it is to bite the prey item.

When you see a Pit bull play drive (I guess we'll call it), It looks a lot like tremendous prey drive. Once the dog knows what you want, it seems to enjoy the work.

His pit bull dog maybe going through the same thing, it is a little away from the field it was breed for. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Reguardless of what "they" say... if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck....

If that is the case, then I must have a dog with really low confidence on my hands.... :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

I would have to go with low prey drive. My brother has had numerous pits over the years and I have never seen one that wasn't crazy to play tug.
Schnauzer girl
You play tug with a duck? That is so cool. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Lareen qouted
How about a dog with huge drive for animals of all sorts, and any sort of wheel, bike, skateboard, stroller, etc - very steady with all people - strangers etc - so not a freakshow - but no drive at all for any balls, toys, tugs?
******

What type dog is this, is it a Pit Bull or mix Pit Bull? This is common with APBT that they would have strong animal aggression and even show aggression toward things they preceive as strange or weird. Like a moving bike wheel or skate board. But still show no aggression toward people, in general.

I re-read your post, the dog seems to enjoy things with wheels on them not chasing things that are moving with people on them. So I erased the 3 potential incidents.

The wheel addiction is strange, is this when it the wheels are moving or still? Do you want to break this,, habit?

I have a question! It is my understanding that in the past, Pit Bulls that showed any aggression toward any human, period, were immediately shot. It was extremely important that Pits have zero aggression toward humans, and in order to keep aggression out of the breed, no Pits who bit a human were allowed to live, let alone breed. If that is the case, then wouldn't it be difficult to train a Pit for PP? Wouldn't it go against the Pit's genetic wiring to bite a human, for any reason?

I'm not disagreeing with the low prey drive, statment inreguards to the Matiff or Pit Bull terrier. I'm just stating that is their (owner/trainers)reasoning. When another trainer may say he just don't have it, you have to approach these type dogs, differently. Be more patience and animate the prey item more. Also trying to give the questioneer a topic to research, and let him know that he may have to dig a little deeper,before he gives up.

It seems easier to get a GSD/Mal to respond to the dancing prey item then it is a Pit bull, Rottie or Bull Matiff. But they all can do the work if trained correctly. Difference in breeds, and in their genetic purpose.

It seems that some dogs just seems to know what to do, but its only because that what they've been breed to do (herd/chase).

And by no means was I saying that a sharp dog or alert dog is low in confidence. He could be high in prey drive which is really what you want, from both breeds it just takes a little longer to get it from certain breeds.

Once its there it does not look like they were ever a low prey drive dog (in the pit bull). So I can see where they get their excuse/logic. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Yes, L. It is not what the breed was bred to do. But, just like any other breed, there are breeders that breed with different goals in mind.

I lived in an area where Pit fighting and cock fighting were commonplace all the while I was in HS. All the people that had fighting pits had another breed in an enclosure to keep the pits safe so that no one would steal them.

And people wonder why I get sick to my stomach when I hear a southern drawl....

Yes Good, but it ins't a matter of it not being there to begin with. You can not create prey drive, however you can supress it, which I mentioned in one of the first posts. It is either in the dog or it isn't, if it has been suppressed then yes, it may take longer to show, but it is not an issue of confidence. It is usually an instance of confusion in the dog (IE, I have been corrected for this, my handler is with me, what do I do?)

L. Swanston
Old time dog fighters(old time idiots) bred for gameness and didn't want to be in the ring with a "man biter". Some of the newer dog fighters, (newer idiots), don't understand gameness and breed for aggression. Most game bred pits are to people soft for PPd. I've seen both kinds and I still never saw one that wasn't crazy to play tug. From what I have learned from this board about putting defense in your own dogs, this is exactly what some of these "newer idiots" are doing. That is part of part of the reason for the bad rap a really great breed is getting.