We have come to a point in our training that Levi no longer gives two hoots for treats. His only interest is in the toys that he is retrieving when we play fetch. I am sure that this is an opportune time to start working with his drive but I don't have a clue what to do next and at this point I can't afford to buy Ed's video on Building Drive and Focus. (although I do want to buy it!) I would appreciate ideas. The only thing that I have done is to get him to Platz and won't throw the toy until he stays in a platz. Then I will throw it for him. Other than that, I'm flounderin in the dark.

Are you guys playing tug? Flick that rag around, let him get it after a couple of attempts, tug on it with him, let him win. He's 6 or 7 months now? I forget.

Also, read up as much as you can on Ed's articles. Lots of info you need to know. Here's a couple for starters, there's more.

http://www.leerburg.com/drives.htm
http://www.leerburg.com/terms.htm

oh yes, we play tug! Lots of times I will have him fetch something and when he brings it to me I will say drop it and when he does I will praise him. Then other times when he brings it to me we will engage in a friendly game of tug. Sometimes I will try and get him to platz or sitz, then reward him with the toy. Other than that though, that is really all we are doing. Is it okay to keep doing this for a while or should I constantly be trying to teach him something new? Is he getting bored w/this routine? Ed said that too much prey isn't a good thing that a dog can get stuck there. I don't want him to get stuck in prey and he is ignoring treats for the toys now. Do you think he is fixating on the toy/prey already? I just don't know what to do next. I have read both of those threads you suggested Sandy and now only worry more that I will make some kind of mistake to screw him up. Sometimes......GRRRRR!!!!

Robbin, I'm very new to bite training for protection (in Lear's case or SchH for others) so I'm hoping someone with experience will validate or invalidate what I'm going to say. I don't believe for a pup his age that he can get "locked in prey" because that's all he's working in at this age anyway and that's as it should be. It may get rougher looking as time goes by but he's still working in prey, not defense or fight. You want to build his prey drive at this age. It will take an experienced and knowledgeable trainer to (later) bring the defense or fight drive out of the dog. But without the prey drive, these other drives may never surface. So I wouldn't be worried about him being fixated on the toy/prey. It's my understanding that prey drive builds confidence for other drives to manifest later.

At this stage of the game I wouldn't be concerned with your pup being stuck in prey. It is much to soon to be concerned about that. Continue building his prey drive and working on your relationship so you have the best bond you can have. It doesn't take a great trainer to bring out his defense drive: it takes a good trainer to do it correctly. If your dog has the correct genetics the defense drive will appear at some point given the right stimulation regardless of how much prey drive the dog has. Prey drive is not related to defense drive as far as causing it to manifest. Fight drive however is directly related to defense. No defense drive, no fight drive. It's true though that confidence is built in prey drive.

Robbin,

What you want to do is play "keep away" from your dog with the prey item. Make the toy "come alive" with lots of quick movement, but keep your body as motionless as you can while doing it; the dog should focus on the toy, not on you.

Make the dog miss when he grabs for the toy and when he is at the peak of his drive let him win and play tug, let him carry... Then later when the dog can be put into drive easily, bring in obedience to your training. Make him chase the item and miss when he grabs for it, give a command (eg. sit!) at the peak of his drive and stop moving the toy. When the dog obeys you drop the item as reward for obedience.

That is the short short short short short version. Typing out all the details would give me carpal tunnel syndrome! To be completely honest, the drive DVD is invaluable to a trainer of any dog (even just your average pet) with a reasonable degree of prey drive. I am not the type of person to recommend that someone spend money here or there but that video really is worth its weight in gold.