Miss Squish Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 Huge help needed! What to do?? My girl has become bored with training! She is 3 in Feb.She is not food or toy driven so training has been hard work so far! I dragged her around the ring at the last trial! She has 1 ccd pass at the Royal in Adelaide! After asking the head trainer on Wed night (at the club Ive been a member of for 15+ years for extra help with her) I was told "well you should have picked another breed then" So disheartning as my breed of choice is my companion first obedience dog second! Do I persist with the club or find a 1 on 1 trainer who understands different breed traits? As most dont get Shar pei? She is so capable but we have no support at all from our club Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squeak Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 I have no advice for you, especially since I am considering trialling a sighthound mix next year! A few questions though... Is there anything that does motivate your girl? What is your training like? Meaning - length, distractions, what you work on? Also, you say that she has lost motivation for training - do you know why this is? Has anything changed recently? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shantiah Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 I have done agility and obedience with several IGs in the past. Now theres a difficult breed. I had one IG that would do a course perfect twice and then sit down and refuse to go over a single jump after that. They get very bored very quickly. All this was back in the days when everything was praise not food, toys etc. Although I doubt it would have made much difference anyway. I found it was best to back off with the training when they got bored. I could never go to classes for more than a month at a time and could only do maybe 5 mins a week at home. Give her a break for a couple of weeks then keep your training sessions short and fun. If she's not enjoying it shes not learning anything. 5 mins of fun, quality training is so much better than an hour of fighting her all the way. She will only come to hate otherwise. I have encountered the same attitiude as you also. The first time I turned up at agility with an IG I was told to go home and not bother as she wasnt a border collie. I told them I was going to join regardless. Showed them what she could do and was immediately put into 3rd class much to their horror. That year she was picked in the demonstation teams and even did a demo at Sydney Royal. It was the best feeling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4 Paws Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 I'm currently reading -So your dog's not Lassie-Tips for training Difficult Dogs and Independent Breeds A worthwhile read if you can find a copy.I brought this one 2nd hand on ebay but it has a sticker on the back from Collins Booksellers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogdude Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 You need to go on a quest to find out what motivates your dog. Once you have done that, you can then decide if your dog is driven enough for trialling. Has nothing to do with the breed, but individuals can be either driven enough,....or not. I often hear people say that their dog isn't interested in food. Does your dog never eat? Its a survival instinct. Try fasting your dog, and use his meal in small parts in his training, as in TOT. Not interested............not hungry enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 Rather than trying to find a trainer who understands Sharpei particularly, you might be best finding one who doesn't dismiss ANY breed as 'unsuitable' for what you want to do. A trainer who'd prepared to work with you and the dog you have and to think outside the square is what you want. There are people out there who can help. NO breed is untrainable but some will be more challenging than others. Good luck! As has been said, you need to find out what motivates your dog. Seriously, just about anyone can train a Golden Retriever or Border Collie.. and quite a few of the more high profile obedience folk have never tried with anything else. Those who can dig deep and train non-traditional obedience breeds are those I admire. We had a trainer at our club who'd put UD titles on two Parson Jack Russells - a very talented woman. Keep looking, there are people out there who won't write you off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 Just about anyone can train a GR or BC??? Ummm not from what I see at my dog club! I would stay with the club (good for proofing etc) but I would also find a private trainer. I use private trainers with my bc btw! I am currently being given a bit of grief because my bc boy is super quiet. I doubt a word would be said if he was a different breed but the expectations are higher. Like your doggie he is a pet first. He might never be a super star in agility but I don't really care! We have fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 While I have a fairly traditional obedience breed (GSD) I have problems with motivation at times too. What I am doing is rebuilding motivation and drive, keeping it short and fun. We may not get to trialling, but I aim to improve as much as we can. Diesel acts differently when we are at busy events such as trials and dog days out than at training or at the park, most likely picking up on my acting differently. These are some of the things I am working on at the moment: * Send away to a food target *Building drive for a thrown squeaky toy (he won't tug) - try to get him interested at the park/away from home - at the moment mainly informal fetch, running around * Short duration of heeling with good focus and enthusiasm (up to10/15 paces) - at the moment I spit food, use clicker, and use toy when he will work for that *Short come-fores and working on a fast and close front * Find heel position from other locations Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 Just about anyone can train a GR or BC??? Ummm not from what I see at my dog club! I would stay with the club (good for proofing etc) but I would also find a private trainer. I use private trainers with my bc btw! I am currently being given a bit of grief because my bc boy is super quiet. I doubt a word would be said if he was a different breed but the expectations are higher. Like your doggie he is a pet first. He might never be a super star in agility but I don't really care! We have fun. That's why I didn't make it universal Jules. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 It is a pet hate of mine PF, since I went to an obedience trial and people started hissing at the bc! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 It is a pet hate of mine PF, since I went to an obedience trial and people started hissing at the bc! It's probably like agility Jules... BC's are seen as 'easier' to train in SOME ways for the sport. I'm sure a lot of BC agility owners would be happy to argue about that. Every dog brings its challenges but some dogs start further behind the line than others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 rubbish you cannot motivate her - the trainer is too closed minded. there is always something that motivates a dog. Not hungry? well then she only gets fed during training times. doesnt want toys? if she has any prey drive at all then start removing toys and only playing with her during training times. All other time no toys or basic toys that are mediocre in her eyes you have to build drive. It doesnt just appear, it just takes a little more time in some dogs then others. Also look at your own behavior is your frustration impacting her performance, are you becoming exasperated at her without realising? if its not fun the dog wont work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBen Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 I often hear people say that their dog isn't interested in food. Does your dog never eat? Its a survival instinct. Try fasting your dog, and use his meal in small parts in his training, as in TOT.Not interested............not hungry enough. Just my thought!... All my animals are trained using food - that's my dog, birds and rats... The trick is to find something that's absolutely irresistible to the animal... For my dog it's liver, for my birds it's sunflower seeds, and my rats it's peas or corn.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavmad Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 contact Peibe......her heart breed. Very knowledgeable chikky on this breed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Squish Posted November 9, 2008 Author Share Posted November 9, 2008 Thanks for the replys Well Asia totally surprised me last night with working so well in her 3rd ccd trial, she passed with a score of 90/100 A while before we went in the ring we had a bit of a play wrestle & when she started going silly(she jumps up & mouths my arms) I got her new rope toy out & she played tug for the first time ever & it seemed to work for her. Im sure she was picking up on me being frustrated with her & not having fun ,as the instructors just seem to say they dont know what to do with her. She does have her days where she doesnt want to work so I will be looking at working with a private trainer in the new year as well as at the club, as she will need a lot of work especially working offlead. Our next trial is on New years eve so I will be doing short training sessions with her & trying to make it all fun. I have to learn to not let the negative training get to me as we have something to prove by getting her title! 1 more pass to go Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InspectorRex Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 Training can be frustrating , we have all been there. I don't like class work- it bores the hell out of me so how must the dogs feel I prefer to train with a Private trainer then just go to club for the Groups stays and socialisation Well done on your pass Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ness Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 Congrats on your pass MSF with a nice score as well. I think a lot of the dogs were fired up last night - not sure if it was the cooler trialing conditions. Don't give up - there are easier and more difficult to motivate dogs within all breeds - yes I have BCs but my two are like chalk and cheese in the motivation stakes. There are still working dogs who have a very much whats in it for me attitude towards obedience. However as I have had drilled into me in the past 24 hours its not all about the piece of paper at the end (and sometimes its hard to remind yourself of that). I noticed with my own girl that since my attitude has finally switched to lets go have fun in the ring rather than about chasing legs towards titles and trying to prove a point that her work and attitude had a huge shift. No we didn't pass last night but we came an aweful lot closer to that first UD pass . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogdude Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 Congrats MSF! Perhaps you should look into training in drive, since your dog likes to tug. "Game" type breeds often respond well to these methods, and resist traditional ones. I once owned a BT that I completely gave up on regarding trialling. Thinking back all those years, he had a really high prey drive that I could have used to great effect, if only I knew then, what I do now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrsdog Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 I have done agility with a Shar Pei, and she loved it! She might not have looked like she would be a good jumper (too many muscles?) but believe me she was. The only obstacle we had trouble with was the cloth tunnel, think she didn't like the feel of it on her face wrinkles. Do you use a clicker? My Pei responded very well to clicker training, wonderful for getting extra focus. I have had a few Shar Pei come through our dog training club and they have all done very well. For some strange reason the girls always do better than the boys, but isn't this often the way? If you were to try agility for a diversion and a bit of fun then you would also find that this helps with your obedience. Part of it is probably that you relax and the dog responds to this new fun-loving owner. BTW dogs won't eat training rewards if they are stressed by their surroundings. Also the treats are better if they are soft, eg. sausage or frankfurts cut up small. If I can help with any specific problems, just ask. Just love those wrinkled faces. Noels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Squish Posted November 9, 2008 Author Share Posted November 9, 2008 (edited) Ness I definately think a lot of the dogs were fired up last night due to the weather being cooler,it was very hot & windy at the Dover trial Im sure it didnt help Asia much! Do you know of any good private trainers in Adelaide I could contact? I have received a PM from someone about training in drive & will definately be looking into it! We did start agility this year to bring the fun back into going to training & she does love it! It has made a difference but we have new problems to deal with there She gets so hyped up after a few jumps or after coming off the equipment she takes off doing zoomies, so the opposite of her lagging being bored with obedience! I have tried all sorts of food such as cheese, sausage etc and just about anything that most dogs go for .She will take it but then spit it out, not all the time but a lot of the time! She does seem to like the sweet treats more often like dog chocs! Very strange dog when it comes to food! ETA- I do have a couple of clickers? Never really been keen before but will read up & try anything new if it helps! Edited November 9, 2008 by miss squishy face Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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