Training Help - Page 2

Dock diving?

I would also start in a distraction free environment like the bathroom to give you a better chance of keeping him engaged. I too wouldn't throw the toy but interact through tugging. Also use the food. Also I always start with free shaping behaviors so the dog learns to think.

I had a golden doodle in my kennel for daycare. Damned if I could get the dog to play!! I started by going for walks with him and teaching him to 'heel'. Of course, like most pet dogs these days he had ZERO leash manners when he first came here. I did use treats to get him to focus on me

As he bonded with me, gradually he got interested in toys. Throwing the toy with my own dogs who would chase after it sort of gave him the idea, though he was too submissive to really chase after it when they were around.

Finally, with lots of patience, I got him interested in a ball, and he very quickly learned to fetch. It took lots of time and patience, though!

SS, environment has huge influence on how dogs interact with people. A dull home environment can squash a good pup's drives. The breed can't be blamed anymore than individual dogs can be blamed for not knowing how to play or respond to training. They need to learn how to learn.
What you did was probably more than the dog got from his owners his entire life.

I have reshaped many dog's food drive into something that can be useful for training...Go back to the beginning and find out exactly what and how the dog is being fed...If the dog doesn't eat his food fairly quickly then you should begin giving less food...Now I'm not suggesting trying to get the dog to eat his food faster...Just have him where he will eat his food without too many breaks...I want a dog that eats until it's ALL gone...

Then the thought should be that the dog gets fed while training...So suppose the dog gets normally fed 2 times a day...then skip one of the feedings and feed him while training...And if this still isn't enough then you might have to skip all of his meals and feed ONLY as he trains...To get him to want to work for you...So he will Work For Food...
I would also end every training session with a little bit of play...with whatever he likes to play with...Either a ball on a rope or a rag...Just a little play...this will release stress that has been created by the training...even if you don't think any stress has been created...

~Bob~

P.S. One thing that I'd like to mention and that is most people have no real idea of how to Play with their dogs...So don't be afraid to teach people how to go about this...and this is very very important...

When  I took on my last-but-one GSD, she was a kennel-raised Showdog

aged 3.5 yrs and did not have the faintest idea how to play.

Because I wanted to compete in Obedience I had to get her to do a

Retrieve exercise.    As she took no interest in a ball (or, initially, much

else in the toy bucket)  I had to start training with food rewards.  

She would not 'rag', every time you put anything in her mouth to "Hold"

she just dropped it, in the end I got her started by making her soft

'dumbells' out of toilet-roll innards and teaching a compulsory hold.

Then built it up from there, 'til eventually she would Fetch a proper

wooden one.  But all her Heelwork, Stays, etc were taught with food;

Even much later, when she would bash Hell out of a squeekie, and

occasionaly condescend to chase a ball, if I wanted to train anything

new I went back to food.   Some dogs are just 'like that'.

 

Doesn't sound as if there is the same difficulty with the  Doofus in question !

I was very pleased when Taz turned out to have enormous 'ball drive', made

training easier !

I stiil think your best bet is starting with leash work.

Nothing like a good walk to unlock a dogs natural prey drive imo. By teaching leash manners the dog learns to work with you. Yet leaving some off leash freedom to snif and encourage curiosity.

Taking him to different inviroments that stimulates prey drive, liker watching other dogs play, the chance to chase a squirel or what ever.

By taking him for a walk at the same time you'll build up expectations. This wiil give the dog some initiative and attention to detail.

Jugging by the breed make up i think balldrive might work better than fooddrive. I would get rid of all toys and keep one ball that i will take with me on every walk. I would present the ball with the leash to associate the ball with fun.

Then start by just bouncing the ball ocasionly on the pavement as i walk. Throwing it as the dogs drive progresses, and making the wright encouraging noises to get him into play drive.

Sometimes you'll have to work around a problem to get to the core of a problem.

Maybe he is a doofus or he is just to smart to be bothered. We all know about the lab, but the poodle is regarded as one of the most intelligent dogbreeds also.