<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> I wasn't sure where to post this.
I have a question in regard to my GSD. I have started training him for narcotics detection. He has a very high ball drive and has worked well with a scratch box in the back yard. I've worked scent association with the scratch box and he's indicated on marijuana hid in different ares of the yard.

My problem is that when he's put of the back yard he doesn't want his ball. If I put the scratch box out, say in a parking lot, and put his ball inside, he was attack to scratch box to get the ball. But, take the ball out and thrown it and he's not interested. Of course to do good detection work he must have ball drive everywhere.

I can take him to my back yard afterward and he will play ball intensively. I tied him out the other day, outside the fenced back yard, in an attempt to tease him with the ball. It failed. He wasn't interested. He appeared to want to sniff anyround instead of play ball.

Also, if I take him in the house for awhile, he will play ball like crazy.

Any pointers would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Highlander

Before you started his training did you take him away from his home area and test his ball and hunt drive? How was his drive then? This dog is about two years old now?

Sue

It sounds like you need to teach the dog to play in places other than home. My Giant was the same way. He is really bad about it because he will play fetch in the house, but not outside. I will play tug out side in the yard, but not away from the house. I believe he got this way because I didn't play with him any place but home as a puppy. To him if you are away from home you work and that is it, no play. After some concerted effort I did finally get him to play with some of his toys away from home, but it has to be is favorites and he isn't really excited about it.

What I would do is crate the dog for an hour or so before you take him out and then go to places other than home and just play ball. Attaching the ball to a whip to get more action on it will help get more movement and stimulate the prey drive a little more. Once you can get him to play then go back to working with his scratch box.