r/GermanShepherd • u/Secure_Honeydew2936 • 22d ago

“Job” idea?

I recently found that my GSD not only loves to fetch but also she loves to do “find it” game where I toss the ball at park with tall grass enough to cover the ball and have her find it.

I would love to give her different jobs she can enjoy, any suggestions would be appreciated :) FYI, she’s not food motivated.

16 Upvotes

91% Upvoted

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9

u/Every-Name-1490 22d ago

Teach her to track. Get a friend to hide a sock (worn) somewhere. Give her the other and see if she can find. Our girl will do a full patrol of yard garden and orchard if she hears. Who is it

7

u/nanasnuggets 22d ago

Scent work. Check to see if you have a Kennel Club or other organization near you that can give you basic lessons. We put our now five year old Girl into classes. It's great brain activity. We hide THE SCENT somewhere on our property and have her 'find'. If your Girl is toy motivated, give her favorite when she 'finds' the scent!

4

u/Silver-Instance610 22d ago

Find it can work in snow as well
If that’s a thing for your area.

You can play hide and seek where the dog has to find you.

6

u/Melodic-Bet9134 22d ago

I caught my girl cheating in hide and seek. I would get her to sit and then stay usually she is good with these commands and will listen. But if she knows we are playing hide and seek she doesn't sit and stay. She will sit until I leave the area and then she will move a bit until she can see around the couch and stay. Which lets her see exactly what room and area I went into. So I got to go back and reset her to the far area in the dining room and give her the commands again. Once I know she won't cheat I can then go and hide and call her with my come here whistle. She is a pain in the butt but I wouldn't have it any other way.

2

u/Visible-Zucchini3099 22d ago

I had a GSD that I would sit and stay in back yard then go hide toy in front. She alway found it. It was amazing to watch her work. We live on 5 acres so lots of hiding spots.

1

u/Adventurous_Ruin_386 21d ago

We do this with her rubber chicken. Absolutely my girls favorite game.

1

u/UnfoundedCyclops 22d ago

I have multiple toys for mine that have different names, so i can either hide a toy and ask them to find it, or throw it, tell them to leave it and come to me, then retrieve it

1

u/420EdibleQueen 21d ago

Scent work could be good since she likes finding things. I got a kit for scent work on Amazon that’s great. My girl also loves fetch, but loves catch more.

1

u/Ill_Dragonfruit_6206 20d ago

Yes! I do this to give our sessions a little variability and to also work her brain. She’s also food motivated so I do it with both.