Getting My Dog Into Drive?

[Purpley]

Hi there,

I am really having issues getting my dog into drive when he is at training. I have been using a motivator, and when I get it out at home he gets heaps excited. I don't let him have it all the time, its put away and bought out on my terms. I throw it around and throw it to my OH, so he gets to the 'I really want that' point (thanks for the tip Shoemonster). Which is all good, and I think 'yes we have found something' that gets him motivated and kicks him into drive - that is until we get him to training. Then he has major disinterest in anything.

He is quite food orientated, so I have tried to use food to kick him into drive, but even that doesn't seem to hold the drive. He is released from his excercise ('free') and then I treat him. He eats the treat and then just sits his butt back down. Doesn't get excited.

He loves tennis balls, have tried them aswell. All good at home, or out, but get him to training and no interest at all.

I really am at a loss as to what to do.

Am I completely missing something - and its me, or is he just hard to motivate and kick into drive???

[Griffo]

could be low drive

If he is doing it at home and not elsewhere then it is probably nerves.

Consider contacting K9 Force, he is the king of drive.

Are you attempting to train your dog in drive? Remember that correcting a dog reduces drive and frustration increases drive.

Edited October 17, 2007 by Rachelle

[Nekhbet]

what else are you doing during your training? what equiptment are you using and can you write down a few steps as to what you do if the dog doesnt comply?

Use what motivates the dog at the time. ALso, if you are used to not having motivated training sessions the dog can be habitually supressed when formal sessions begin. Have you tried incorporating a few commands when the dog is playing and already in the heightened state?

[Purpley]

After reading through the triangle of temptation stuff, I think I seriously need to go right back to the beginning with him and start again.

I trained at a club that was very military like (up, down, drop, stand etc) and there really wasn't any off time. So no 'realease your dog' as such. They did say praise your dog, but that was more of a quick pat, good dog, that was it. We used correction collars.

I now train at 2 clubs. One is similiar to the above, but they tell you to release your dogs, and thats when the motivators come out. Which he completely ignores. I have tried balls (which he normally goes nuts for), Orby, tug toys, food. All the things that he normally goes bonkers for. But it is like he switches off when he is there. They use correction collars too.

Other club is very socialisation based. Lots of positive training, happy wagging tails etc. They really focus on the dogs enjoying it. Can use flat collar or correction collar. Again, completely ignores the motivators. Will take food, one piece, but there is no excitement about it. Last night I tried running with him, clapping etc (must of looked pretty silly), but he still looked disinterested, and sat his butt down.

The first club I ever went to, made me nervous and I had a few issues with instructors picking on me, ending with me in tears. Is it possible that he is picking up on me?? I feel comfortable at the new clubs, so I think I am pretty relaxed.

Urgh, maybe its me!!!

[dogdude]

I use food drive, but dont claim to be an expert.

You need to build drive to the point of distractions slowly.

Trying to work in drive from no distractions, to maximum will get you nowhere fast.

Build the drive slowly, include some small distractions if the dog is still in drive (I dont mean training exercises, but drive building) raise the bar a little each time with distraction.

It is important to use a marker word, as well as a release word, to keep the drive on an upwards scale.

When you start to include exercises, keep them very simple and short, by breaking them down as much as you can.

A dog will not stay in drive for the duration of an obedience class. The dogs learn to heel better (ie: find and maintain position) by heeling in a large circle, or a straight line, without all the stop start, turn here, turn there etc, when you start training heeling in drive.

Better off using the clubs as distraction later on for your drive building, and then you can use it to slowly add distraction to your exercises.

It will take an experienced trainer over a year to acheive a dog that heels properly, (competition level) so dont try to rush it, if you want to trial.

Go to some seminars like K9 or Gina O' Keefe etc and you will pick up drive building techniques.

[Sayreovi]

Have you tried taking him down to the club grounds during the week?

If he is fine going into drive at home with no distractions, take it too the next step of new area and no distractions. Its too much to ask IMO going from your yard to a new place with heaps of dogs and people.

If you are using food for just normal training, are you feeding him the morning or night before training?

[Nekhbet]

If you trained him to not react or get excited he's doing what you want him to do. And can I ask why you train at 2 different clubs that use 2 different methods? The biggest things with dogs is patterns and consistancy, thats how they learn. If you are not consistant they create something that is. If sometimes you do it 'positively' and sometimes you use the more traditional correction method, then sometimes you work another way the dog will just go 'ok you know what I'm just gonna sit here because I dont know what else is expected of me'.

Pick a method and stick to it. If you dont feel confidant and happy dont train your dog. And dont pretend for the sake of the dog because he'll pick up the fact you are anxious or unhappy. What your first club essentially taught was the ultimate in drive suppression. They were taught to remain calm and quiet with minimal reward being enough of a motivator, hence obedience now shuts down that exhuberance. If he is learning his obedience well then can I ask why you NEED him to get into drive?

The 'drive' you mean is Prey Drive. The innate need for the dog to chase, catch and kill its prey. Feeding a dog wont push it into prey drive, thats simply receiving a reward but some dogs motivation and excitement does stem from the prospect of being fed (could argue a modified form of prey but we wont go into that genetic argument)

[Purpley]

I train at 2 different clubs, as they both offer 2 different things, using the same methods. Club 1 is more obedience based which I wanted to do. Club 2 is more a socialisation doggy manner type of club, which I also wanted (with young kids). They also offer alot of distraction work and different things like walking on different surfaces etc, which isn't offered at a general 'obedience' club.

After talking to a trainer, I don't think drive is the problem. He seems to have 2 modes work mode and home mode. Work mode is triggered when the correction collar goes on, and he doesn't seem to be able to grasp the concept that 'play' is allowed whilst he has it on. So at home I am going to work on the 'free' aspect of training and really show him its fun etc. The trigger seems to be the correction collar, as when the flat collar is on, he is more relaxed and allows himself to have a good time - eg flyball training he is either in flat collar or harness, and he is a completely different dog. Having said that, he is obedient at home, so he can have fun and look happy, whilst doing as he is told.

TO- Yeh I thought of that today, and am going to do that.

I actually don't think it is effecting him as much as it is me (stupid human emotions). I just want him to enjoy the training, and because he is in that 'work' mode he doesn't look like he is.

Thanks for the replies.

[alpinebase evita]

Hi there,

I am really having issues getting my dog into drive when he is at training. I have been using a motivator, and when I get it out at home he gets heaps excited. I don't let him have it all the time, its put away and bought out on my terms. I throw it around and throw it to my OH, so he gets to the 'I really want that' point (thanks for the tip Shoemonster). Which is all good, and I think 'yes we have found something' that gets him motivated and kicks him into drive - that is until we get him to training. Then he has major disinterest in anything.

He is quite food orientated, so I have tried to use food to kick him into drive, but even that doesn't seem to hold the drive. He is released from his excercise ('free') and then I treat him. He eats the treat and then just sits his butt back down. Doesn't get excited.

He loves tennis balls, have tried them aswell. All good at home, or out, but get him to training and no interest at all.

I really am at a loss as to what to do.

Am I completely missing something - and its me, or is he just hard to motivate and kick into drive???

yea dont use green tennis balls because the glue and the sailiva makes a cemical reaction and can make them sick ( that was a test done in germany which showed this)

[Sayreovi]

TO- Yeh I thought of that today, and am going to do that.

I actually don't think it is effecting him as much as it is me (stupid human emotions). I just want him to enjoy the training, and because he is in that 'work' mode he doesn't look like he is.

Thanks for the replies.

Its what i do with both the food and training ideas

If he goes into 'work' mode when the check chain is put on, can you train him without it?

If he is really food motivated have you thought about using a clicker?

[Lablover]

isiss,

What type of breed is your dog? Age? History? Only dog? Active type? Generally nervy? Medically sound? Size? Any weight problem? Fitness? That will do for the moment LOL.

Just a thought, if a leader of yours was throwing a thousand dollar note, to another respected leader, would you keep trying to catch it? Do not throw rewards away!!! YET!!!

[Purpley]

isiss,

What type of breed is your dog? Age? History? Only dog? Active type? Generally nervy? Medically sound? Size? Any weight problem? Fitness? That will do for the moment LOL.

Just a thought, if a leader of yours was throwing a thousand dollar note, to another respected leader, would you keep trying to catch it? Do not throw rewards away!!! YET!!!

Ok he is a stafford, 2.5yrs old. I have another stafford (bitch, literally ) She is definately the boss. He isn't overly nervy, but if you yell etc he will shy away. He has 10% reduced brain function (last assessed 3 mths ago), from a head injury he sustained. On the day that he sustained the head injury (ran into a wheel barrow full of bricks, and jumped up and slammed his head on the back of my car, we aren't sure which caused the injury) he had an incident with another dog. It was a huge pack of dogs all running together, one stopped and it ended up being pretty much an all in brawl. No weight problem, he is reasonably fit.

** The only real issue from the brain damage is his lack of concentration. He did pretty much forget most of what he had learned prior to the injury, but now you really wouldn't be able to tell that he has anything wrong with him. He is rather clumsy - but he was prior to head injury aswell.

I hope I have covered everything.

Edited October 18, 2007 by isiss

[Erny]

Just a thought, if a leader of yours was throwing a thousand dollar note, to another respected leader, would you keep trying to catch it?

LOL .... Hell yeah!!! That would represent quite a few lunches, LL.