Using squeaky toys for training - Page 1

I'm in the process of finding better methods of training with my two dogs.. I've bought my dogs a donut squeaky toy for Xmas and decided to take the toy out for training yesterday and couldn't help but to see how better focus my female was when I held the toy under my arm. What I do is squeak the toy whenever my bitch looks back (after the squeak she goes back to being focus again) I then toss the toy and let her enjoy it.. When she goes near me I tell her to platz, She doesn't like sharing her toys, which is the reason why I tell her to platz. Has anybody else tried this method of training before? If so how are the results?

I don't use a "squeaky toy" per say..BUT I do use this hard rubber orange ball (cant remember who makes it) that when it is turned, it makes this wierd sound..Catches his attention for his FAVE toy...The ball. I have had WAY better results this way!!! So in a WAY, yeah, something with noise works better....For him.

i don't use squeaky toys -- and i do not entice my dogs to look at me -- better when they ecide for themselves o offer a behavior to then reinforce that behavior -- if you train thaty you doog needs a cue for it to look at you ... then that is exacxtly what you will get --the dog needing to look at you buit dependent on your cue first -- secondly -- she does not like sharing toys -- in aspects that is a big plus !! will translate to other aspects of training ..but that is another subject -- however woithout ruining that aspect of wanting to posses .. you can't get what yopu want simply .. because you have not educated/communicated to your dog that it fulfills it's [not your ] needs/ desires/motivations to surrender the object to you -- lastly -- i never never train with an item that has to be thrown , such as a kong or ball -- because if the dog is away from me to get it's reinforcement/reward .. then i canot reward the dog myself /it elimanates me from the picture of the reward and whence it comes from -- i cannot pair myself with the reward and ultimately become the reward in and of myself -- that is my relationship should hopefully be as/more important as any reward.

My ball has a rope on it. He gets the ball after I give him the "look" command... the ball goes under my armpit while training, and I use the look command in the process. All this leads up to eventually removing the ball all togeather... If that helps more in the "style" of what I use??? In order to get the behavior that you are looking for (ie the "watching" behavior) dont you need to give it a command? But once you give that command for well, pretty much everything, it comes down to not needing the command, but the behavior that becomes a "standard" in all that you do? Just trying to figure out how exactly do you praise something you dont have a "name" for....

i don't use squeak toys either. i find that in retrieving them, the dog likes to make them squeak and the grips become chewy. (by force of habit) if you are trying to build a full, calm grip the squeak toys will undo everything you work for with the rags and tugs. pjp

Basically it is operant conditioning and clicker training, the reward, positive reinforcement, is the squeaky toy.

Xmas? Uh, don't you mean Christmas?

not entirely operant conditioning -- there are two forms in reality that get thrown into the operant consitioning category -0- true operant conditioning : the operator .. your dog , has a behavior reinforced --better the behavior is not enticed but offered on at's own accord -- i fouind that especially the GSD, a [deductive] thinking .contemplative animal has the behavior ingrainmed within when it has decided to pre3sent that behavior on it's own accord -- yes you can entice the bejavior -- but i have seen the dogs work better overall if they [ the operant] offer the behavior and then you [the conditioner] mark that behavior and reinforce it -- you will see the dogs learn and assimilate faster -- the behavior comes part of them -- so as a write about attention -- i rather the dog offer me the behavior on it's own accord and then reinforce --the behavir of attention will become part and parcel of their repitiore and being --they offer ..i never have to ask --and it will not so easily extinguish since the dog offers on it's own accord -- this ios why i tell people don't train your dog in attention -- rahter condition your dog to be attentive to you -- that isd --it is not a routin , nor under the asupices of a cue/command -- my dogs gluie their eyes on me always ..anywhere, anyplace and any time -- not just because it is a heeling roputine -- that is training to me -- attention is nnot a formal exercise as much as an extension of you relationshiup and communication -- i prefer to have a canine connected to me in thjopught /mind and spirit -- not a mechanical robot

When you train with a ball or Kong the dog does get it's reward. The reward is the chase. That's why they hotfoot it back to you. They want to chase it again. Of course your dog must have good high prey drive for this method to work. I do agree for dogs with medium to low drive other training methods are needed. I have in fact trained lower drive dogs and had to use alternative training methods with good success. Just my opinion.........

I have actually bought the squeaky part of the toy and sewed in a small pocket in one of my shirts and will tap it to get the focus then when they hold it they get either a toy or food, depending on the dog. I teach a sit focus first then start the healing focus...but I didn't want the chewing issue so I don't give them the squeaky toy but a hard rubber ball on the rope, most of myne are very food motivated and are very happy to get the food instead of the toy...it also gets the dog to get the reward from me, and not away from me...I had a problem with a dog when I first started teaching this way (with the toy) she would not work into me, she would move away anticiapating the toy being tossed...so I don't do that anymore. but I do believe in teaching a "watch me" command...I use Fusse....I do work my dog in agility, and herding so I want a dog that will work away from me, and found if I use the command to watch then they don't have issues with just watching me all the time. This has worked well for me.