How do you play? - Page 1

I am curious how others play the game of "2 ball/tug" with their dogs? 

If I am thinking of what you are describing I use 2 balls or a ball and a tug to practice the "out" command.

I never use 2 balls...Sometimes I make a "trade" treat for the ball (has never diminished ball drive) with puppies or young dogs that like to run off with the ball, depends on the dog of course.  A bitch I bought was trained in force retrieve in Germany, then the guy that imported her used 2 balls because she didn't like to out...when I bought her from him, he said getting her to out the ball was one of the things he strugged most with, he used A LOT of compulsion training with her too but I had her outing in 2 days simply by having her out and giving it back to her immediately, repeated several times...never had a problem again.  She had too much anxiety, afraid she wouldn't get the ball back, super ball drive though.  Other times...I just play fetch, they know when we aren't working and when we are just playing.

I really want to keep my two balls out of a game of tug. HA HA.

I think that you should play with the dog and let him tell you if you suck at it or not. If he wants to play all day, and just gets stronger and more pushy then you are doing it right. If the dog wants to go lay down without the toy, then someone is sucking at this.

Great forum, just stoped playing with my guy in the back yard..

throw a ball. once he is close say HERE. it works on fast recall.

then suprise a tug comes. and pay time it is. with alittle sit inbetween. and again..
it great. he tired and he gets the training he needs for the day.

well there is the off command for when he decieds to take my spot in the bed.. damn im getting replaced in the bed with the dogs :(

That is pretty funny...I guess my thread title and content could have various innuendos.  I am not necessarily talking about 2 toy games for outing in specific.  Building drive and focus to play with the handler in specific with the use of a "live toy" and a "dead one".  So playing the game in such a way that the dog just drops the one he has to get the one you have (minus the command of out).  Jeff, you do not have you use your balls.  lol.