How do I get my puppy to drop the ball?

Question

My 4 month old german shepard will chase after the tennis ball and bring it back to me but she will not drop it. How do I teach her to drop it??

Answer 1

We trained our dog with the command "Leave it". It works for balls or anything else you don't want your dog to touch. Start with leash training. Put your dog on a leash, put a treat, or toy, or something your dog is interested in in her path. If she goes for it, pull a little on the leash and say "leave it", repeat this until she does not go for the object. After she has that mastered, work on it with playing fetch. When your dog brings the ball back, put your hand on the ball and say "leave it.". If she does not drop it, take it out of her mouth, but do not throw it again. Put the ball in front of her and repeat the command. It takes a while to train, but it's very effective. The treat training method for dropping the ball never worked for our dog. He would drop the ball to get the treat and then pick the ball up before we could pick it up again. That's why "leave it" works better for us. Once he drops it, if he starts to grab it again before we pick it up, we just give the command again and he backs off.

Answer 2

Easy, I did this with my dads golden retreiver and my two boxers. When the dog comes back with the ball, show her a treat or another ball and tell it to "Drop" the ball. I just say drop and raise my hand with the other ball or treat. The dog becomes fasinated with the suprise that itll drop the ball. Do that for a month then try just using the command instead of the treat. Make sure you use one word everytime you try doing this and try to use it in the same tone.

Answer 3

Here's what you do take a ball your self pick it up
and drop but make sure your puppy is paying attention to
what you are doing and she will soon learn
how to drop a ball!

Answer 4

i don't know how you get them to drop it...but for my dog it just took trust. When we first started playing ball when he was a puppy he would get but when he brought it back...he would not drop it...we would try to get it and throw it again to show him it was a game...but I think he just thought we were going to take his toy. Eventually he ended up going to get the ball and if we are not paying attention will drop it on the couch a few times to get our attention that he wants to play.

Answer 5

What I did for my puppy is when she brings is to me I kept telling her to drop it and tried to take it out of her mouth so she would know what she's supposed to do. When she did drop it I would praise her alot and give her treats. After you do that, they will like that they are getting treats and praised so the puppy will keep doing it to get more treats and attention.

Answer 6

Give her a treat when she brings in back and then add the word drop into it. she will have to drop the ball in order to eat the treat. don't overdo the training on the first day.

Answer 7

With my 5 month old Lab cross puppy he doesn't like to let it go either, does the same thing, brings it to you but doesn't let it go.
I say "Give" and put my fingers in under his lip/teeth. I learned it from Cesar Millan, they way you do it it makes the dog let go of anything most of the time with out hurting the dog.
You pretty much curl your fingers on the upper part of the dogs teeth and lip, then the dog will let go of it's ball or what ever he/she has in his/her mouth.


-Danny

Answer 8

drop the bowling ball on their foot with steel-toed shoes there's no way I'd kick a cute puppy!~

Answer 9

Place your thumb and ring finger on his jaw and squeze slightly where the jaw bone meets the top jaw bone and say drop it. Then praise her. If that doesn't work ignore her until she drops it

Answer 10

try offering a treat to her. when she reaches for the treat tell her give. then throw the toy again and do it all over again. i hope this works. also find a obedience trainer and get her in to training.