Tug Drive

Does she actually bite on the flirt pole?  If so, start there.  Lots of dogs - even German Shepherds BRED to chase, bite, and tug - find tugging too confrontational at first.  Both of my boys started with some distance.  I don't use flirtpole but that's b/c of their size (I don't like them flying and jumping around that much while joints are developing).  What I usually do is put a rag or small tug object on the end of a leash, then I harness the dog and tie him to a tree or post. I whip the rag or toy around out of reach of the dog.  When the dog starts barking and lunging and going insane I flip it close enough for them to bite on and then tug a bit using the leash to keep some distance.  As the dog gets more into tugging and more confident, I literally move down the leash.  When I'm ready to actually tug with the dog, at first I turn sideways to avoid frontal confrontation and leaning over the dog.  Contrary to what lots of pet trainers say, when building tug drive I *never* command the dog to give up the tug!  I either let them win or I choke them off, kick it out, and let them go crazy again.  When you are building tug drive you are doing just that and do not want to enforce a lot of obedience.  Later on you can use tug games as rewards during obedience but first you have to build the game with you and the confidence in the dog and that means the dog wins.  Often I make little grunty noises as the dog is tugging and I let him pull me around a bit.  Sometimes I even fall over and let the dog rip the tug from my hands (or, if you have an extreme tugger like Nikon, the dog can drag you across the yard on your stomach holding onto the two-handled tug!).

And when I ask her to drop it, we start playing again as soon as she lets go.

LMAO at the image of Nikon dragging you across the yard

What if you backtied her and then had her watch you play with another dog that loves tug or flirtpole?  We use this strategy to get dogs barking in bitework.  Sometimes you get a dog that is just so mentally stable and confident that it won't bark, lol.  Last week we tied Pan to a post while another dog did bitework because Pan will bark and scream the entire time and he gets all the dogs ready to go!  I would say if she doesn't respond at all while backtied, you don't necessarily have to use that method but that does seem to indicate she is still very inhibited about that style of play.  Often I start at some distance.  I sort of kick the toys around like I'm playing with them and having the best time ever by myself.  When the dog starts showing interest (barking, whining, pulling on the harness) I move in closer.  I want my movements with the toy to be reactions to what the dog is doing so the dog learns that s/he is controlling the game and builds confidence and drive over being able to control me and the toys.

I'll back tie her tomorrow and play with Maze and the flirtpole and see what happens.