# Can you teach 'Ball drive'?



## narci (Sep 6, 2011)

I was wondering if you can actually teach/build a dogs ball drive?


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## jcbpaisley (Mar 6, 2013)

Try a squeaky ball? If he likes other toys, teach fetch or other "ball games" with toys he likes, then transition to balls?


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

hi Rocky, here's some info.http://thebark.com/content/prey-drive-fact-or-fiction


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

narci said:


> I was wondering if you can actually teach/build a dogs ball drive?


Kodi didn't have a lot of ball drive until he learned a formal (obedience) retrieve. Once he learned that, his interest in balls suddenly "clicked". He's a fetch machine now!:biggrin1:


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## miller123 (Aug 13, 2011)

You have to teach Oreo ball drive? Wow maybe they aren't brothers after all! Miller has been fetching since the day we got him, Over the last few months we have been building up distance throws and have moved on to a chucker now, which goes the entire length of the soccer field near our house. 10-15 Throws and he is pooped! But anyways back to the question, you can teach ball drive to a certain extent, but if a dog doesn't want to play ball, he just wont get that into it. Try reinforcing any contact with the ball with high value treats, if he knows clicker training, C/T (click and treat) any movement towards the ball at first, then a sniff, nose touch ect. If you roll the ball away and he goes towards it C/T. Soon he will learn that the ball means very good things, i recommend using real cheese, chicken, beef, liver treats for this because they love those things. Only bring the ball out a few times a day for a few minutes to work on this, so it leaves him wanting more. Stop and try again later if he seems to be getting bored. Thats all I can say off the top of my head, hope it helped


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## sandypaws (Aug 8, 2012)

My Bailey had lots of ball drive to the point that he would wear himself out if I didn't end the game. He would never end it himself even if he was ready to keel over with exhaustion. Tyler, on the other hand, never had it and still doesn't. His only interest was to try and get the ball before Bailey and the then run off with it. Poor Bailey would look at me with very sad eyes, kind of pleading for me to do something. Tyler would look at me as if to say, ha, ha, I got it and Bailey didn't. Now that Bailey's gone, Tyler has no interest in balls at all. I've tried several times and he watches it roll and that's it. Guess they are all different.


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## Ruth4Havs (May 13, 2013)

I am teaching Chester to fetch and start by getting his attention on the rope toy, and toss it while saying, "Fetch!". Once he has it in his mouth I call, "Bring it back, Chester!". Now, I need to figure out how to make him give it to me....lol


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## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

Abby won't have anything to do with a ball and never has! I give up! She will fetch her other toys, though.


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## narci (Sep 6, 2011)

Oreo does fetch the rope in our house and he brings it back. He won't fetch the rope in the park because he's too busy sniffing the grass lol.

I guess I'm going to have to work on transferring his attention from rope to ball.

Any tips?

Oreo is an odd dog. He rather play with people then other dogs and yes, we did socialize him with other dogs throughout his life. Daycare, dogs coming over, him going to other dogs house, 5 days outta the week in dog park.

He spends most of his time sniffing grass and going where his nose takes him. We sort of knew that when we picked him up from the breeder as out of the litter, he was always the one following his nose rather then playing with his brothers.


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