Training A Touch Stick - Dog Trying To Eat It!

[OSoSwift]

I have a telescoping touch stick with a little yellow ball on the end. My problem is Rommi always tries to bite the ball, if it is very close to her nose she will dab it, but as soon as I try to move it further out she nibbles at it. It's like she can't resist!

Should I teach the nose touch, or maybe more trying to get her to move towards it. I have a horse I have taught both to and he was much easier as he only picked up his dumbell in his mouth and touched the touch stick!

Any helpful hints on training a target stick???? Do I just need more patiences??????

[Kavik]

Diesel has a tendency to mouth the target I have with a ball on the end too. Maybe try clicking early, before she is in contact with the ball, and shape the touch from there, so she doesn't get a chance to mouth it.

[OSoSwift]

Oh yeh, that's great I will try after the kids are sleeping - too full on while they are still up! She tries so hard so that may just help her out, Thanks

[MrsD]

Are you trying to get her to touch it (with her nose), or target it (focus on it)?

I teach them separately, touch is fairly straight forward & I found telling the dog the wait command as they touch it stops the mouthing thing. Jarrah was very mouthy at first, he's absolutely obsessed with balls or any sort of toy so it took a little while but I just made sure I was clicking before he got a chance to mouth it & using the wait command soon got him on the right track.

If you want the dog to target the stick, click before they have a chance to touch it, you have to be quick but if the dog is clicker savvy & you get the timing right it shouldnt take too long.

[OSoSwift]

Initially to touch it, but also eventually to target it also.

She is clicker trained and has been so since 8 weeks so as long as I get the timing correct she will get it. I think I have been waiting a smidge too long before clicking, I will practice my timing, as always it's the human that needs the training

Thank you for your help

[MrsD]

as always it's the human that needs the training

isn't that the truth .

Something else I thought of that may help with the mouthing is teaching the touch command (assuming she knows a hand target) with ball (the end of it) in your hand, so run the cane part along underneath your forearm & just have the ball in the palm of your hand (does that make sense? ). Then it seems much more like a hand target to them & should stop the mouthing altogether. Once she is touching it confidently, simply move it out away from your hand an inch at a time, if you make sure you don't go too fast this should stop the mouthing too.

HTH .

[OSoSwift]

Yes that certainly does make sense, I will try that. She does know touch on the palm of the hand! We have a few things to go with today so many thanks.

Lots of things to go on with now

[whatevah]

http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=8044

[OSoSwift]

Thank you I will read that very closely.