Dutch Shepherd Forum

Hello everyone,

I am a first-year medical student who has just purchased an "intact" 8 month old Dutch Shepherd from a breeder of GSD/DSD/ & BM who is contracted to do security work in my area. He is well known around here and I do not doubt the authenticity of the breeding. Locals unanimously agree that he has the best dogs within a 100 mile radius (we are on an island). When he took me to visit his kennel, the dogs he demonstrated for me to showcase his training skills were quite impressive. Afterward, he brought out Xerxes (my new boy), and also his remaining brother and two sisters. (Throughout this entire proceeding i kept all 4 young adults in my periphery so I could observe their behavior). He then brought out his own personal dog and had an assisstant put on bite gear so that he could demonstrate the dogs abilities (seemed a bit unruly to me but I know absolutely nothing about schnutzhund or KPNV or any kind of "tactical" training for dogs.

Now to Xerxes and his siblings. He was brought out first, during this process he seemed calm and alert, collected, but not excited or irritable. He just stood there and looked around and then sat down while chaos wrang loud all around him. Next was his brindle sister who was truly a demonic monster. The breeder demonstrated her smell detection skill which was that no matter how much abuse or havoc she was forced to endure she will not break eye contact with item she has been tasked to locate, once she finds it. This dog later came less than two inches from taking my hand off when i passed by near her. Though I admired her boundless energy and amazing talents, the close encounter ruled her out as an option. Moreover the man began explaining that this dog was capable of even serving in war (Navy SEAL) and he would likely earn 15-16000 in the sale. I figured he was just posturing and trying to drive up the prices but am definitely interested to find out if the figure he gave is accurate in theory.The 2nd sister was bigger and more muscular and had more energy than the other bitch- I decided to consider her even though I had always said that I would get a boy when I got a serious dog like this. Unfortunately, she was just dumb as a brick. Next the brother was brought out. I immediately ruled him out as well when I watched him bite Xerxes' tail (and he later tried to lunge at me from a few ft away).

I was impressed at how Xerxes responded to his brothers attack. His body language was not subsmissive nor unaware, but he just simply couldnt be bothered. I fell in love instantly. Even then I was still a little worried that Xerxes seemed a slightly timid or shy at times. Hes a big boy and is a good 2-3 inches and 5-15 pounds heavier than his remaining siblings. The most amazing thing to me which definitely sealed the deal was that Xerxes remained quite the entire time. In the 4 days Ive had him now he has let out one solitary bark. I decided that confidence could be built up (IF NEEDED, there was a lot commotion that day and he is in a new, unfamiliar place so i understand and hope that he just naturally falls back into sync as confident and energetic).

Anyways, the breeder told me that the dog I purchased from him was a member of one of the security details. Even still- if he has previous training for this position it doesnt show. Xerxes does not respond to any formal command of any kind in english. He was not house broken- within 20 minutes of walking into my apt he began peeing on tile floor in the living room. I caught him in the act and took him out immediately. Not a single issue with bathroom since.

His impeccable behavior is very confusing and I have joined this forum seeking answers. He is obstinate, stubborn, amazingly intelligent, and obedient but rebellious and "outspoken." As I said- he does not listen to a single conventional command but he amazingly responds immediately and without hesitation to my "alphaness" I can leave meat open and unprotected and he will not touch it unless I give him permission. I practiced this by teaching him not to go in the kitchen simply by saying "Niet" authoritatively a couple times. I have been leaving him alone in larger intervals ever since he came and he has not caused any trouble. If i am not paying attention to him, he finds a place to sit/lay down, and does not move unless i call him or make movement. After being told once in every situation, he has learned not to touch the cords and wires that lie unprotected, he does not bump into furniture or chase his toys into places hes not allowed, he will not touch my food even if i leave it out and walk away. He will not chew or play with my socks, shoes, keys, dog-attractants. He does not bite or nibble unless I we are in a situation where Im purposely trying to energize him.

The first night, I made a few mistakes due to ignorance. I kept trying to make him walk through doors and on the leash, ahead of me- until I read that the alpha is supposed to walk first. I was desperately trying to correct this and was getting rather frustrated with him and he just completely shut down and stopped lisstening or walking, in the middle of the road in the midday sun of our equatorial beach paradise. I eased up on him by speaking in a lower voice, i stopped repeating my commands more than once, i stopped giving him praise each time he complies- he IMMEDIATELY began respinding beautifully. Today a man came and did some work on my apt. Xerxes completely ignored him and just voluntarily layed down in the wide open area between myself and the construction worker. The front door to my apt remained open the whole time and he did not attempt to run or be otherwise unruly. He was unfazed as the man hammered away at the ceramic tiles and cause a ruckus. Sidenote- i walk him 2 or 3 hours a day and play with him for an hour or two indoors daily.

To end this novella, I am simply amazed and thankful and blessed and am posting here as a means of saying "is this too good to be true?" are there any potential issues that could arise that I should be wary of? (with regard to foul play, etc). Any advice, criticism, feedback, on anything I have said would be greatly appreciated. I have never owned my own dog though my friends have always had large breeds and Ive spent a lot of time with them. Also- advice on nutrition, as I said hes a big boy and hes 8 months old and I want him to develop as large and muscular as possible. I am most concerned with developing a concrete, goal-oriented, long term training plan that will make Xerxes and impeccable "service animal" and on how to best go about retaining his obedience through the personality changes that are said to occur with DSD ~1 yr of age.

Ive spent like 3-4 writing this post now so Im going to get back to studying rather than post pictures of my beautiful new companion but thank you in advance to everyone for reading through this and providing feedback!

Welcome to the forum! First off I would expect to see more attitude from Xerxes in the coming weeks - it'll take him a few weeks to get better acquainted with you. It sounds like he was a kennel dog and not used to living in a home, which would explain for the lack of potty training. The great news about the breed is their wicked smart so they pick up on things fast. One thing that makes me wonder about his past "training" (I use this not in a sarcastic way, but simply as reference to not sure how much he's had) is if it was all negative, which would account for his seemingly "shut down" response when you got frustrated and the way he seems to take everything as an absolute. Negative reinforcement, or compulsion training, isn't recommended for this breed as they thrive better off earned respect and relationships with their handler. Personally, I am wholly positive in training, using bits and pieces of negative reinforcement irregular for very specific reasons. It's sort of like an artist who can use a brush for more than just one technique - they understand the technique, how to apply it, and when to apply it so it works with what they want; the right technique for a DS may not consist of only positive, it can, but it may also consist of other aspects of different methodologies. Also he may be trained in another language, as is fairly common for certain security details. Have you tried German, Dutch, or French? If he still doesn't respond to those, I would ask the breeder, and if what he tells you doesn't add up, then I would hazard a guess you bought a green dog, meaning it has no previous training.

One thing that worries me is you stated you're a first year medical student. This breed needs a TON of mental and physical stimulation or you'll start to see behavioral problems. A happy DS is a DS that works, the job doesn't have to be big like working security, but they do need a job. As a first dog, they aren't generally recommended, but some of us (myself included) made the leap and while battling a large learning curve, are very happy with the dogs.

As for your mention of "alpha".... Don't think in terms of alpha. That term, when used in the celebrity dog trainer methodology, is quite the wrong approach to take with any dog. DS respond better to the bonds their handlers have with them than "who's alpha". In fact, a friend of mine just had to put down his DS because he took the "alpha" road with him. After about the 15th time the dog went after him, he realized "being alpha" was what was causing the breakdown in the relationship, and by then it was too late. He had ruined the dog. Now, it is true that any dog will respond to authority in a tone of voice, but with DS you'll find that the stronger the bond the less authority you'll need to use, because they genuinely want to do what you ask because they know there's a reason for it.

For nutrion, are you thinking kibble or raw? For kibble you can look at dogfoodadvisor.com and generally anything that's a 4 star and up rated food will work. There's been a few posts on brands that we generally don't recommend because of numerous recalls and brands most commonly fed.

For "service animal" do you mean you'll be training him in protection, or an actual service animal to assist you? Just trying to make sure we understand your goals with Xerxes.

Take a look around the site - you'll find all kinds of topics and convos. We have a really great group of people who know a ton about this breed, and a lot of great info on here.

Owned-By-Hendrix wrote:
One thing that worries me is you stated you're a first year medical student. This breed needs a TON of mental and physical stimulation or you'll start to see behavioral problems. A happy DS is a DS that works, the job doesn't have to be big like working security, but they do need a job. As a first dog, they aren't generally recommended, but some of us (myself included) made the leap and while battling a large learning curve, are very happy with the dogs.

That's exactly what I was thinking. My sister in law is in her 3rd year and I can't imagine her having a dog let along a DS. I'd also get the dog vet checked for parasites and run a full blood panel for good measure.

Hi guys,

Thank you for your responses. So last night we ran into some contreversy, I live on a small caribbean island and there is no kennel club or anything like that nearby. A security guard for my school saw the dog and says there is no way he is only 8 months old. We are going to the vet today and I will have his age determined as well as have the blood panel done. I know that exercise is always key with these dogs. Growing up, I wasnt allowed a dog because my mom who grew up with 4 GSD would never keep a dog in our house because she thinks he wont have space. So far, it seems like Xerxes is getting enough. I am physically fit and highly active and I alrerady walk 3-6 miles a day so I just keep him with me all the time unless theres an issue like we need to get a bus and he wont be allowed. As far as the alphaness and training are concerned, I never use negative reinforcement on dogs unless it involves at most simply a commanding no and quick,hard, two-finger, rap on the nose if the dog is caught in the act of doing something wrong. My definition of "alphaness" basically just means i dont allow him to block my path, ignore me, or go in front of me. I definitely agree with your assessment about taking it too far like your friend and am wary of making sure I dont do that.

Right now I am really concerned that I got "ripped off" cause there are a few issues like getting the exact age determined, he hurt is foot last night and is limping. I think it may just be a splinter but we are on our way to a first vet check-up so I will keep you all updated.

im still learning with my own pup but just from experience, be careful with the tap on the nose thing. they can see that as being treated unfairly and go into defensive mode. figured this out the hard way when demon was still very little and he tore my arms into ribbons... careful with your big new friend, try to do alot of research on their behaviour in your spare time and good luck.

I wouldn't be concerned with the space of your home - the dog doesn't need much space inside (we live in a 1000 sq foot condo and its not an issue). The dog will get his exercise and stimulation outside the home provided you exercise him enough which it sounds like you are planning to do.

For the age question - how much does Xerxes weigh? Do you happen to know how tall he is at the withers (top of shoulders)? If you let us know we can probably roughly guess age...

I notice you said you are using "niet" for the no command - does that mean he has some training in Czech?

Best of luck with your new friend!

Welcome.

I haven't posted not knowing how to keep my concerns to a minimum--there was much about your intro that concerned me, including a "DS breeder" who would sell a working dog to someone who has never owned a dog, and then to someone who is as busy and pre-occupied as someone in your line of work/study.

But now you have him.

Learn marker training. It's highly effective. DSs are quick learners--what goes in the vault goes in the vault fast, and if it's something you don't want there, it's a lot of work to counter-condition.

Did I mention marker training?

You just hopped on a train that's in full motion and you have little time for learning curves. Once you "get" marker training yourself--the nuances and timing (it's not hard but there's do's and don'ts)--it'll be your best friend, aside from your new partner.

Leave the nose taps, swats, and any other such displays in the Dark Ages. It won't work, can turn against you (really turn against you), doesn't help the dog, and won't build the respect the DS requires. They are respectful as long as they get respect in return. They have an unusual sense of fair play. They are insanely intuitive. They are a difficult breed. But they are a magnificent breed that's a lot of dog.

They need tons of physical AND mental stimulation, daily and throughout the day. They are scary-smart beasts. Don't underestimate them. They need jobs, need to be kept busy. They need to learn their boundaries. They're lots of work, lots of hard work, but they are worth it...but you have to commit to putting in the time, daily and for years. The first few years are the most taxing.

We'll be looking forward to your accomplishments and how this dog will inevitably change your life. It will help to read through posts in Behavior, Education, and Whatever. And don't judge a thread by its title: we go off-topic quite a bit on this forum and there's a lot of valuable information squirreled away where you wouldn't expect to find it.

Raven wrote:Welcome.

I haven't posted not knowing how to keep my concerns to a minimum--there was much about your intro that concerned me, including a "DS breeder" who would sell a working dog to someone who has never owned a dog, and then to someone who is as busy and pre-occupied as someone in your line of work/study.

But now you have him.

Learn marker training. It's highly effective. DSs are quick learners--what goes in the vault goes in the vault fast, and if it's something you don't want there, it's a lot of work to counter-condition.

Did I mention marker training?

You just hopped on a train that's in full motion and you have little time for learning curves. Once you "get" marker training yourself--the nuances and timing (it's not hard but there's do's and don'ts)--it'll be your best friend, aside from your new partner.

Leave the nose taps, swats, and any other such displays in the Dark Ages. It won't work, can turn against you (really turn against you), doesn't help the dog, and won't build the respect the DS requires. They are respectful as long as they get respect in return. They have an unusual sense of fair play. They are insanely intuitive. They are a difficult breed. But they are a magnificent breed that's a lot of dog.

They need tons of physical AND mental stimulation, daily and throughout the day. They are scary-smart beasts. Don't underestimate them. They need jobs, need to be kept busy. They need to learn their boundaries. They're lots of work, lots of hard work, but they are worth it...but you have to commit to putting in the time, daily and for years. The first few years are the most taxing.

We'll be looking forward to your accomplishments and how this dog will inevitably change your life. It will help to read through posts in Behavior, Education, and Whatever. And don't judge a thread by its title: we go off-topic quite a bit on this forum and there's a lot of valuable information squirreled away where you wouldn't expect to find it.

This is fantastic advice!!!

Got him checked at the Vet, everything is in shape it seems except that we need to get his vaccination records. Age is definitely under 1 yr according to vet and the doctor was yet another person who knows the breeder and confirmed again his dogs are the best in the area He definitely turns heads everywhere we go- especially since i added a prong chain to his leash. I modified this so it hangs around his neck seperately then leash. I attached it via a caribiner such that his collar/leash do not change the tension in the prongs- but i attached a pull to the prong attachment and i give it a gentle tug with my finger any time he takes slack out of the leash. I just want to use this for a few days and I think he will be perfect. Taught him to sit this morning while we were in the middle of the vets waiting room! With regard to the command of "Niet" I taught him this because I wanted a distinct command of no so that he will not be as responsive towards negative commands from others. For obedience commands and when I talk to him, we are going to be using hindi- so Xerxes will be a multinational, multilingual, dog of culture. I am consistently amazed and impressed by how obedient he is and what a quick learner he can be. He had the three female veterinary students fawning over me by the time we left the office. Thank you everyone for you advice and suggestions. Keep it coming please! Will post pictures soon!

As far as the advice about the nose thing and the other suggestions regarding corrective behavior and learning curve- I hope you will all be happy to know that based on my reading and the dogs behavior i decided i will only ever command him firmly, patiently, and without changing the inflection of a soft tone. I do not repeat myself once i have given him a command. He has been 100% compliant so far even in foreign and chaotic environments like stores, coffee shops, and animal clinic. My friends and I were trying to puzzle out the dogs history for ourselves to corroborate the breeders claims and basically what we have decided is that he was a "benchwarmer" for private security contracting (we live in an area where crime is virtually nonexistent) and this is why he has good instincts, etc, but is seemingly untrained...

A few things make me think you know a bit more than what you're letting on....

How is it that you came to know about prongs...how to fit them and use them correctly, and when? Of course, there are different views on the latter. Personally, I don't use a prong in training (and I can't use one at all with my current guy) during foundation work. If a non-safety issue arises, I employ other techniques (that's just me)--but what you describe doing on walks, especially as a safety issue, can be a great tool. Also, in case you're still learning the ins/outs of the prong, the practice I embrace is to first teach the dog a command without it, otherwise, IMO, it's unfair to give a pop unless I'm 210% sure the dog knows exactly what is expected.

He seems to respond to light pop, yes? Awesome. The prong can be a great tool, just not when used in place of real training.

You seem to moving along okay but just so you are aware that the prong can, on some dogs, be rendered useless if overly used, and can shut a dog down if used improperly, too much, or at the wrong times.

I LOVE how you've mentioned not repeating a command a million times (assuming the dog already knows the command). Most folks don't get that...then they wonder why they have to tell a dog to sit three, four, or five times before it does. The dog knows the command but that's how they were trained the sit!

Sorry if I'm telling you anything you know, but we are under the belief that you have no experience and knowledge, or very little. If you're going to teach in different languages, you sound committed to keep him no matter what, otherwise you'd hardly risk rendering him "unhandable" by making him bi-lingual. Hindi! I think that's a first on this board.

Pictures can't come soon enough!

EDIT: Some of us here are fans of Michael Ellis (well, his training methods the last ten years). He's a great resource. You can find much of his theories/practices and videos on Leerburg.

Welcome.

your DS sounds just superb - a real gem.
and WAY to superb for a hard tap on the nose. hope you stick with your abandonment of that.

i have found these dogs are always mistaken for being MUCH older when they are puppies because of the way they carry themselves, their size, etc. AND because their obedience, attentiveness, etc, at such a young age makes them seem so mature with years of training. and then, when they are much older, they are mistaken for being 1 or 2 years old because they are so exuberant and alert and like non-stop freight-trains.

Hello everyone, Xerxes is constantly opening up more and more and he is continually exceeding my furthest expectations. To address the many who have said these dogs are wicked smart- it is clear to me the breed is in a league of its own with regard to intelligence compared to any I have personally come across before.

My boy is no longer using the prongs, he doesnt need them. In fact he is considerably more obedient without it The breeder is a former military hardass with a good repuation in the area and we do not get along very well- he is currently ignoring my requests for proof of age and vaccination but as I said both issues have been discussed with vet- based on the dogs teeth and general health/demeanor the vet said he is definitely less than one year old and probably 8-10 months.

My own conclusion is that the age must be relatively accurate because although the breeders personality and mine clash- he would derive no benefit from scamming me or being otherwise untruthful. He cares a great deal about his repuation and my medical school has a lot of involvement with the community in and around the area. Moreover- he didnt need to lie because he didnt have to sell anything! I basically told him I was going to walk away with the dog after paying anything he wanted, 5 minutes after seeing him :S

I actually got the idea not to teach him in english by the breeder, because his promotional videos on facebook highlight that he teaches his dogs to obey french. Still dont know what training he had, if any, but at this point it doesnt matter- i am going to operate as if he is a fresh slate and teaching him in a language that no one else could have will help cement this I believe.

Yesterday I began reading, "SHUTZHUND: THEORY AND TRAINING METHODS" -Susan Barwig, and the 2 chapter I have read so far have changed my entire outlook on life. lol. The prongs are off, I am not going to tug him or otherwise restrain him more than the leashs attachment does to my hand- we are currently in the inductive phase and I am learning how to play with him. This may be only for a week or two and definitely not more than 3 months (then to training phase). Tools like the clicker method, etc, definitely seem highly effective from what I have looked at but unfortunately I live in a remote third-world country, lol, (its considered second) and dont have access to these tools at reasonable prices. I will of course be incorporating the concepts and idealogy into any method i ultimately use.

His energy levels are increasing every day as he gets more comfortable and the food begins to serve his sophisticated palate. He took a gigantic dump in the middle of my living room yesterday while I was in lab and I couldnt even reprimand him for it because I was gone for like 3 hours and didnt know when it happened. It was clear though, from his behavior- that he knew what he did was wrong. I would bet good money that it never happens again based on his track record so far. It was my fault thought because I didnt feed him in the morning and being a n00b thought that meant he wouldnt need to go out first thing.

Based on my short reading of Barwigs book so far I am testing the idea of absolutely no commands of any sort to the dog for a couple weeks. Whats fascinating me is that he yields to my every subtle request,hint, suggestion- almost immediately (with as much accuracy as any 8 mo old puppy can) in the 18 hours weve been doing this so far. We had been having small problem with the mirror because he tries to jump on his reflection and his mind is like a homing beacon once he gets an idea in it he barrels forward without hesitation so he keeps running back. I have been gently coaxing him away and telling him not to worry every time and showed absolutely no frustration regardless of how much he persisted- i left the door to my room open on purpose today before class to see what would become. I have been taking risks with my property but I want to tease out all of his personality as quickly as possible so that I can "Xerxes-proof" the apartment in a way that will prevent me from having to reprimand him from things.

I am still amazed by what happened. When I came home he was in his usual spot presiding over the living room. He followed me into my room, laid down directly in front of the mirror and then looked up at me. I saw him staring but was lost in thought, he looked at himself in the mirror and then looked back up at me, still laying down in the same spot. He was definitely telling me "hey look the mirror and i have reconciled our differences." I dont know what else to say. Im still awestruck.

Thanks for the advice and suggestions everyone- please continue sending as much as you can.

Owned-By-Hendrix wrote:The great news about the breed is their wicked smart so they pick up on things fast. One thing that makes me wonder about his past "training" (I use this not in a sarcastic way, but simply as reference to not sure how much he's had) is if it was all negative, which would account for his seemingly "shut down" response when you got frustrated and the way he seems to take everything as an absolute. Negative reinforcement, or compulsion training, isn't recommended for this breed as they thrive better off earned respect and relationships with their handler. Personally, I am wholly positive in training, using bits and pieces of negative reinforcement irregular for very specific reasons. It's sort of like an artist who can use a brush for more than just one technique - they understand the technique, how to apply it, and when to apply it so it works with what they want; the right technique for a DS may not consist of only positive, it can, but it may also consist of other aspects of different methodologies.

I completely agree with everything youve said and have been using these ideas to mold my approach towards Xerxes and have been having great success!

You don't need a clicker. That's one of the joys of marker training. You have internet access; check out Michael Ellis on Leerburg.

The basic of marker training is: when you get a desired response, mark the behavior with a subdued but enthusiastic word (such as Yes!) and deliver the reward no later than three seconds. (I'd keep high-value rewards for those commands he might have trouble with or gets stubborn about.)

As training progresses, things change a little in marker training, such as delivery time, but that's the bare-bone of it.

If he has trouble getting something, break it down and then chain it together.

How are you approaching focus?

Raven wrote:
How are you approaching focus?

No idea i did not even think about that or ever consider it until I started reading Rawlings book :s

Marker training can truly help getting focus underway.

Bet you can't tell I love marker training.

Your most important commands will be for recall and to leave something alone.

He might know a command, but you can't consider it trustworthy until it's 100% reliable under distractions (you gradually increase distractions as the behavior becomes more reliable).

I'm not familiar with Rawling's book. I'm am curious, though, why you chose that or any book on ScH as a new dog owner. Wouldn't there be some principles that might sound good but don't relate to your present situation, IDK?

As someone who's read the book, it has it's good and bad principles. I would highly suggest reading it then deciding if you want to apply any methodologies from it. Most of the principles past chapter one had bad reactions with my dude, hence why I suggest not being married to this book. Another good one is Dick Staal's book (comes in an e-book version too) which is also very helpful. Read as many books as you can right now. It'll take a while for you and your boy to figure out each other.

What are you doing for mental stimulation if not currently working commands?

Ah he figured out the self awareness test. Good for him.

On a side note, if this is the breeder I've heard about in the Caribbean, I wouldn't consider him reputable, and the fact he isn't talking to you about proof of vaccination at the least isn't reassuring. But, the deal is done, and I'm not implying Xerxes is anything less just because of who he came from. My friend has a mal from one of the shadiest backyard breeders ever and it's a good dog. As of now I would disregard anything the breeder told you about Xerxes unless proven right by the dog doing the exact act that was described/mentioned/talked about and, like you're doing, treat him as a fresh slate. That's the fun part!

I also highly encourage marker training. One of the easiest and positive methodologies around and bonus, no equipment besides your voice needed to start out with.

Im working on the marker training- making tons of mistakes but trying to take it super slow in order to make sure that my learning curve doesnt turn into errors on Xerxes part. I will check out Dick Staahls book, I only chose the other one simply because it came up in the forum somewhere else and there was a hyperlink so I just dived in, no specific reason. Yea I think that perhaps some of his techniques will not work. For example- I have been having trouble today because out of the blue all of the excellent behavior Xerxes had been showing seems to have been forgotten and he is being quite stubborn. I think it may have something to do with the section I read that stated many of the original German SD judges thought a puppy should be left completely independent until one year of age to develop a good working personality in the animal. I think I will need to be a little more stern than I have been since deciding to let up. I am watching the training videos and thinking I will leave Xerxes alone for a couple days until I myself can practice my part and also so that I can find treats he will enjoy. Half the time he wont even eat it when given, and its not because hes still scared but I think I ssimply havent brought one that he has taken a fancy too.

If you've gone through all the treats and he's still not showing much of an interest, using his kibble can also work. Train him at meal time or take a portion of his usual meal and reserve that for training treats. You can also not feed him for a few hours or a day, to get him hungry, and then offer him the training treats. A day of no food won't kill him or harm him in any way. Or, you can see how he responds to a ball or a tug. Some dogs after a certain age lessen in food drive and want to work for a ball or a tug or a pipe or a stick... some toy.

Tug can used as engagement. Again, Michael Ellis has some terrific techniques on using tug to engage a dog on video via Leerburg. There's also (or there once at one time) some clips where he critiques owners, shows them where they were missing beats, etc. It gives people a chance to see it done incorrectly, and then how to improve.

In in earlier post, you said you'd get more stern. Maybe it was just a word you used, but I conjure up images when I hear that word.

Engagement: goes a long way. If you don't have that, you don't have much.

Consistency: part of successful training--and for your life together.

Focus: helps down the road with proofing. (Proofing = testing reliability, especially under distraction.)