# New pup



## Danny Antle (Apr 23, 2011)

I have had my new female Dutchie about two weeks now and she is a fireball! Typical I guess as I have handled a male in the past for my dual purpose police dog. I decided that it was time to get a puppy to learn more about raising a police dog. My question is pertaining to bite work. My female is seven months old and she has over the top ball drive. She just doesn't seam to stick around the tug. She will bit into it shallow and even play tug but does not stay on the bite and will go off and explore other things. She has had NO bite training, just prey drive building with a ball on a flirt pole. She definitely seeks out the tennis ball on the rope and will chase forever. She has all of her permanent teeth. Let me know if I am on track with starting with the bite rag, then bite pillow and so on. Sorry no videos yet and am new to the site.

BTW she is a Land of Oz Jett grandaughter and was picked by me due to having the best, in my opinion ball drive.


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

7 months is a weird age, I would just wait.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Not a fan of using the flirt pole unless it's really needed. If it's really needed to engage the dog you may be creating false drive the dog doesn't have. 
You'll never be able to do tug work at the same speed/quickness as the ball on the flirt pole and it just may not be interesting enough for that reason.
Wait, as suggested, then toss the flirt pole OR tie the tug to it and see what happens. That will create more interest for the tug...hopefully.


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## Courtney DuCharme (Feb 5, 2011)

Bob Scott said:


> Not a fan of using the flirt pole unless it's really needed. If it's really needed to engage the dog you may be creating false drive the dog doesn't have.
> You'll never be able to do tug work at the same speed/quickness as the ball on the flirt pole and it just may not be interesting enough for that reason.
> Wait, as suggested, then toss the flirt pole OR *tie the tug to it and see what happens*. That will create more interest for the tug...hopefully.


Rogue loves her tug on a rope  she is 6 1/2 mos now and going into a "la la stage". We started off with ball on rope- but switched to tug. Mainly she likes tugs and the Air Kong on a rope (like tennis balls) but she hated rubber balls. I use a jute tug as in SchH she will be on a jute sleeve. She gives alot of "fight" if you slide down the rope and grab the tug and "play" with that. Otherwise if she is not chasing the tug- she just prances around with the tug in her mouth or holds her ground while you (try to) drag her.


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## Brian Anderson (Dec 2, 2010)

Chuck-it makes a sponge ball that I have started using. I can only find it in one pet store (Petsmart). It has a strap for a rope and like a shag carpet cover on it. Its great for bite development and targeting. It's my favorite toy for young dogs. I will take a picture of it. You might try it ... I have gotten a few young dogs to work it when they didn't show interest in anything else. I start them on that then transition to a puppy sleeve and tug.


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