Hi everyone!
I just got a 20-months-old solid black male GSD just three days ago. With lots of help from some members of the board, I finally got him, and I am very happy with him so far. Especially I had bad experience with neurotic/shy GSD, this dog is very confident/stable with some civil aggression toward the strangers. He is so far known to have low ball/toy drive. Considering all other factors and temparament, I decided to get him with hope of developing grip/focus training.

Guss what? I just tried 2-3 minuts of short sessions building drives at home as soon as he is out of crate. He seemed like he did not know what I wanted at the beginning. Also I am sure that he was careful of this new environment and myself as well. But after few sessions in couple of days, he is actually pretty good. He runs after the prey item and attempt to close his mouth pretty hard. I acutally got my fingers almost bitten during this session. I know it is too early to tell because he does not have bond with me yet.

My questions is:

How should I direct his trainig about simple fetch game vs. grip training? When I throw a ball, he goes after it and he brings it back. However, he does not hold the ball tight as grip training session and I can actually pull the ball out. And I immediately throw it and he brings it back. According to Flinks video, we are not supposed to teach out, and he should not out the prey item during drive-buildning work. So how should I do between fetch session and grip training sessions? I think he has pretty firm grip when I did those very short sessions and potential for decent prey drive. I do not want to ruin this potentials by playing fetch, where he does not hold the item tight enough. What should I do? Please give me advices. Thanks bunch in advance.

Taejun

I wouldn't worry much about him biting the ball hard, I would work here on him returning to you sitting in front of you and release the ball into your hand. This is actually three to four different commands and eventually automactic responce. So this more Obedience training then bite work.

You can use the ball on the string that is so popular here to stimulate prey drive and start his bite work. I'd continue to train him like he was a puppy, usually a dog being trained for Protection or SchH are trained from 8 weeks up some dogs are ready to work seriously at 20 months. But don't feel like you have to play catch up just take him/her slow and steady.

I'd progress from the string and ball, to puppy tug harder tug of war and then to puppy sleeve. You should see some promising traits at 20 months. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

This is almost a 2yr. old dog.

Do not try to do and Ob. with this dog at this point if your goal is to do sport work. This will kill what little drive you have and not allow it to develope. I would get a ball with a longer string and play with the dog with that. Allow the dog to chase the ball on the ground, kinda what you see on the tape. Allow him to catch it often. Then once he has it, I would pull a little on the string , and so on until you can make a little fight with him. Then try the bringing into your arms type thing briefly. The trick is to keep him in your arms just long enough for him not to spit the ball out. I would also train the come, or arm command at a different time. This way the dog will understand when he has the ball what you want. Also when he is biting the ball or tug while you play, tell him "good packin" or whatever word you use; this way when he brings the ball back, you can tell him packin and reassure him that you want him to hold the prey, and not release it so quick. I would not fool with the out for some time.

Thank you all for good advices.
Actually, his drive and grip is getting harder and harder. He likes "into my arm" command, and he is holding a ball on string very calm. No hint of chewing at all. I start to believe that he has fairly decent drive. He seemed to get an idea that this ball on a string is my toy. When I train drive building sessions at home without a leash, he now tries run away from me with it. I call him happy voice, "come" then he actually come to me with ball holding.

One problem is that he does play tug-of-war pretty rough when he grips to the string (very calm and hard grip). However, when he is holding the ball part, then he does not grip as hard as string part. I still keep my session only 2-3 minutes, twice a day. I let him win often. Please give me other advices for me and my dog. I like him a lot! He is very calm/stable/confident. He likes to stare at strangers with pretty intense eyes <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> Then he is very well socialized with children and women <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

In case you wonder about his pedigree, his sire is from Alf Stoffelblick, goes back to Nores from Jagerstand. His dam is from Jago, Mink and Troll combination.