Ahh, there's a little more to it then just a little more to it. LOL.

The "In my arms" is an excellent way to bond with the dog and to build trust between dog and handler.

However, one must not forget that it's an OBEDIENCE exercise as well. If it's done properly it's a non-conflict and very comfortable way for the dog to learn obedience in bitework.
Of course people who miss this point and who reel in the dog each time with a leash while grabbing onto the dog (in the "in my arms" position) don't achieve the goal of teaching the obedience during bitework.

Bernhard and Ed both explain it beautifully in the "Preparing your dog for the helper" DVD.

I love that DVD... Herr Flinks is a genius and Ed has such a talent for setting up explanations and presenting the training steps in a way that's logical and clear to follow.

If I had to pick my one favourite, most valued DVD from my (extensive ) Leerburg collection, it would be that one (the 310 that Connie linked to).

You can read all the explanations you want to on the work, but there really is NO substitute for watching Bernhard demonstrate the techniques and listen to his thinking as he works the dogs

What I would give to be able to attend one of his seminars...

The great thing with Bernhard's methods is how quickly you see results in the dog and how rewarding the work is for both dog and handler. Amazing is an understatement!

It sounds like your doing things correctly as far as I caN TELL. Try working the into my arms without the ball and see how he acts.
There is definitely conflict but it may be between the two of you on a purely relational basis and the ball just magnify's the problem. Try calling him into your arms several times a day without the ball for a while then go back to it.
I might even try going back to the ball after a while but when you call him into your arms start by just a quick rub down his side and quickly go back into running him in a circle. You'll have to keep a close eye on your dog when you do this because it's the contact with hin that produces risk in his mind because he thinks your going to take the ball. Risk and intimacy on any level are directly correlated between all living beings. Your going to have to approach this without being in a hurry.

Well, I'm back from the Flinks seminar. He (Flinks) seemed to approve, mostly, of my ball play and into-my-arms techniques. But a couple of things he corrected me on that might help you, Ali:

1. Don't hold the dog by the chest. You don't want the dog to feel trapped. One hand strokes the side of the dog, and the other goes either on the dog's shoulder or under his chin. Under his chin prevents the dog from dropping his head and chewing (especially important later with a sleeve).

2. You can stroke the top of his muzzle, but only about 1/2 way toward the eyes - don't block his vision. And don't stroke the top of his head -- he demonstrated this with various people to show them people don't like it, so why should the dog?

3. Adapt the technique to the dog's temperament and your goals. With mine, a rap on the muzzle helped him understand I don't like the chewing. But with a Mal who must also spend a lot of time with the public, Flinks found the dog just got more nervy and chewy if corrected, and advised eliminating all conflict: Don't hang over the dog (this is a dominant stance and is threatening to the dog); don't look directly into the dog's eyes; make training very light in tone -- even the bitework must be done without conflict, as much in prey drive as possible. The helper should not be a bad guy but rather a play partner. You could see the Mal calm down and chew less once Flinks took this approach. Oh, and he also made the handler run "Faster! Faster! He can't chew as much if he's running fast!" So make sure you aren't challenging your dog too much, and wear your running shoes

Others who were at the seminar - feel free to chime in and correct any misinterpretations I made.

Good luck,

Anita

I just remembered another thing Flinks stressed: If you're using a tug, make sure it is big enough and firm enough for the dog. You need to change tugs as the dog grows. It must be wide enough around to "fill the dog's mouth completely" - in other words, don't use a small-diameter tug on a dog with a big mouth; the dog must be able to get a solid grip on it. And as the puppy gets older, you should move to harder tugs. Too soft a tug will encourage chewing - it's hard for a dog to clamp down on a "fluffy" object. (He also said bite suits can ruin grips because they, too, are fluffy.)