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Member Posts: 4 | Hi all, I am new to the forum. I would appreciate It if someone could give me some advice on my pup. 5 month old bandog bred from working parents, has a lot of ball drive but loses interest in ragging a tug within 2 minutes. I've never really had this problem before, I have always had pups that love to rag from a young age for hours but it seems as though this guy likes to chase the flirt pole and tennis ball rather then rag one on one. I have his sister and she is opposite she will rag a tug all day and both of his parents worked the springpole. He does patrol his pen which is about 15m by 10m and will bark at strangers but I just can't get him to rag a tug toy with me for over a minute. What are everyone's thoughts on this? Many thanks | |
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Site Owner Posts: 1428 |
let him watch another dog work it to build frustration and drive via competition. | |
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Member Posts: 72 |
I had a similar problem with my ASK pup when he was that young also. I had always had Bulldogs with insane prey drive right from the get go, and I guess I expected it from him as well. He too would chase the flirt pole or tugs/rags but would only bite and tug very briefly. In wanting to develop his drive, I think I over did it constantly trying to get him to play more vigorously and that actually only diminished his drive. At the recommendation of Mr. Robinson I started giving him social isolation in his crate for an hour or so before attempting to play tug and that seemed to help a lot! I work full time now so he's out on his chain in the yard for about six hours a day now, and when I get home we immediately start playin tug and he goes bonkers for it. Maybe it is maturity as he is currently nine months old or so, but I think it's the isolation and fewer sessions that's really brought him around. He even get's his tugs on his own and initiates the play sessions himself now. If I stop playing with him he'll bring the tug and jab me with it then I start tugging again so that he makes the game happen. I'd say his prey level for the flirt pole or rags/tugs is probably six or seven out of ten still which I'm happy with. However his actual animal prey drive is intense. When I take him for walks in the woods he'll chase anything that moves if it's close enough that he thinks he can catch it. We also have wild rabbits that feed on the clover in my yard at night, and when I let him out to the bathroom he chases those suckers like crazy. Hasn't been fast enough to catch one yet though. He even hunts for them constantly if they aren't in the yard. I plan to build him a springpole soon, and I hope he really likes it. Hopefully my sharing helps? Maybe he just needs time to mature also? | |
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Member Posts: 4 | Thanks for the advice guys, I did tie him up next to my ambull pup and let him watch the ambul rag. I also made sure to not allow the bandog pup free access to the garden for an hour before doing this, it's been a week and he's improved greatly. As soon as I tie him up now he is pulling against his line and barking for the rag eager to get hold of it, he does stay on until I let him win, I think before maybe he had too many distractions with the older dogs and kids etc. | |
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Site Owner Posts: 1428 |
Thanks for the update. | |
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