Getting toys from a playful dog

My dog “Mick” loves to play fetch with a ball but then he holds onto it. I’ve tried pulling it loose so I could kick it for him again. Rather than tug-of-war, I squat and hold a tasty treat at his nostril and then put it near his mouth. When he releases the ball to take the snack I “capture” the behavior by saying, “Give”. He now earns the food by taking the treat when hearing the “Give” command. We love playing together. There’s something in this game for each of us.