GSD will not release toys, balls, etc. HELP! - Page 1

I have a rescued 7 YO neutered male GSD.  Very sweet with people, kids and dogs. Total Velcro dog - I am his only "person".  I've had him for 5+ years.  No significant behavioral issues other than the following.

All his life I've never been able to get him to release a ball/kong once he has retrieved it.  He will run after it, bring it back TO me if I insist, and NEAR me if I don't give any command, then lay down.  (He only gets these toys when we go outside.  He has separate inside toys.)

Once back, he will hold on to the thing for dear life.  I use a pinch collar and I can make him yelp, but he won't release.  (That goes over great at the dog park.)  He growls and tries to get away from me.  He doesn't bite since he refuses to release.

I've tried trading the item for treats - that worked until he figured it out and now will just look at the treat and hold the item.

I've tried blowing in his nose; worked at first, now he ignores it.

I've tried wedging my finger down his throat; worked at first, now he ignores it.

I've tried a shock collar.  Again, at first it worked but then he got so he ignored it even at the highest setting.

I've tried trading out toys - one kong/ball for the other.  Nada.

He holds the item and chews it, snapping at any dog who approaches.  Any person approaches and he just moves away, holding the item.

I'm not permissive with him.  He has rules for in the house which he obeys (no furniture, no begging, no chewing, etc.).  He has outside rules (healing, no jumping, general leash handling, etc.) that he does with ease.

This happens with house toys, too.

Any ideas?

My male tried this with me. Once.

We were on our way home from his former owner's place, and I stopped to show him off to friends. My friend gave him a toy to play with, and when I tried to take it back, he growled at me, and refused to give it up. I took my courage in my hands (he's a pretty BIG boy!) pinned him to the ground, and forcibly removed the toy from his mouth.

That was 4 years ago. Haven't needed to repeat the lesson since!

What I've always been taught is the top dog gets to keep the toys. That's ME, not my dog!

Do you allow him to take toys back to his bed or crate? This could reinforce his possessive tendencies (he's also possessive of you). I wouldn't give him any at all. Let him have a MilkBone or small piece of rawhide as a treat, but not something he can have for any length of time.

Stick your finder in his ear and tell him firmly "OUT".......has worked for me for any years and many dogs.

If everything you did and not worked then use this method while he is on your side ask him to out and immediately flank him on his side,feels like you are trying to pull some of his hair out from his side .if you are not comfortable with this have some one experience d with dog do this . Bernhard FLINKS  uses this method with hard dogs and it works

Two things...

1) In general I never allow resource guarding.  If my dog refuses to engage with me (doesn't always mean giving up the toy), then the game is done.  The dog is put up and the toy is taken.  Period.

2) At first Nikon did the same thing.  I used two of the exact same toy, so when he brought one back I'd ignore it and make the one in my hand come alive and then he'd drop the one he had.  Also he started on a long line so there was no option of not coming back to me, or running off with the toy.

The longest part for me was getting the dog to understand that the game revolves around me and that there is no benefit to running off and guarding the toy.  Once he figured this out, it literally took two five minute sessions to train the "out".  But first he had to learn there is a good reason to out, because it's a fun game and when *I* have the toy I can throw it again, make it dance, or tug with him.  When he has the toy, it is dead and he is alone.

Flanking works but be very careful, it could get you bit!  Ear pinch works too. 

The key to the game "two hoses" and the reason it works is in the beginning the person  always makes the ball or kong in hand look much more attractive than the one in dog's  mouth.  Have two kongs on ropes or balls on ropes.  Throw one.    When the dog is returning with the first one you threw, as he gets near you, start backing up real fast and spinning the other one over your head, even teasing him with it, just out of his reach, make it look like alive.  He should drop the first one, the second he does, throw the one you were spinning.  When he runs to get the one you threw, pick up the one he dropped.  repeat, repeat, repeat.   Use a release word too, the same word every time.  Sometimes with an older dog you need a lot of patience before they understand that by dropping the ball, something better will happen for him.

Another important element to "two hoses" is never play until the dog is done, always leave them wanting more from you, 

Just my 2 cents

EDITED TO DELETE:  My rant about dog parks, don't even know myself why I got my panties in such a twist since no one brought them up in the first place!!

Also it looks like I posted at  the same time as Liesjers, the poster before me, sorry for basically duplicating info.

If everything you did and not worked then use this method while he is on your side ask him to out and immediately flank him on his side,feels like you are trying to pull some of his hair out from his side .if you are not comfortable with this have some one experience d with dog do this . Bernhard FLINKS uses this method with hard dogs and it works


Flinks only uses the flanking for the out  on pups 4 months of age or less.

But first he had to learn there is a good reason to out, because it's a fun game and when *I* have the toy I can throw it again, make it dance, or tug with him. When he has the toy, it is dead and he is alone.



I told my husband to do this exact thing and it worked.

Kaiser used to make him play and he went along with it - Kaiser controlled the game. Now  my husband turns- walks away and ignores-then Kaiser trots over and drop its on the ground and backs up like  ok.... C'mon!! 
So husband  still makes him wait until he decides to play again.
Now Kaiser goes out for it brings it RIGHT back and drops on "leave it" .!

For fun and variety and to see if he is focusing- which is crazy because he is fixated on the object in hand ( literally) I will change the game-like "Go Hup" and then he leaps onto a picnic table and platzes and then I say ok  free.. and he SOARS off the table after the ball LOL.my God he will do anything for that game!!
Smart little  twits lol.......... not the husband..the German Shepherd LOL

Kat/Kai

Just a quick question, when a dog will not out,  is it because they are afraid of doing so.  They have been thru every avenue to let go and to this point just will not.  Or door number two is so possessive of the object they want to keep it.  This is so I can understand.
Always,
Cee