Oops

[mrs tornsocks]

I taught our 13 wk old lab to 'speak' this week. I give a hand signal and say 'speak' he gives one bark.

OH was away and I thought it'd be a clever trick for when he got home (and he was suitably impressed)

Obviously no good crying over spilt milk but is this a little bit early to teach the trick? I could be imagining it but he seems to be barking a little more at us to get attention, or when he wants to play. I ignore those barks; it's not too bad but something I wanted to get people's thoughts on.

[callee]

We picked up Missi at 10wks, and we didn't her peep out of her till she was 14 weeks. Where she kept barking once she found her voice. It stopped a couple of weeks later, and then she would only bark when someone came near the house.

Maybe it's just a stage? Maybe he is testing out what barking will get him?

[poodlefan]

Pups and older dogs often offer common handler cued behaviours to attempt to gain reward.

Sitting whenever a treat pouch is open is a common example.

Ignore the barking that isn't cued. Perhaps teach a few more behaviours that are quieter too. :wink:

Edited July 3, 2009 by poodlefan

[mrs tornsocks]

Pups and older dogs often offer common handler cued behaviours to attempt to gain reward.

Sitting whenever a treat pouch is open is a common example.

Ignore the barking that isn't cued. Perhaps teach a few more behaviours that are quieter too. :wink:

Thanks - yes, he tends to go through his 'tricks' when he thinks treats are on the way - ie. he'll just sit down, then he'll drop ... they are behaviours that are a bit easier to ignore than barking but I'll work on ignoring the non-qued barks - and find some other quiet tricks

[callee]

find some other quiet tricks

hahaha - roll over, play dead, beg, hi five, shake,

My dog is a classic for the sit for treats without command.

He knows they are stored in the laundry, anyone opens that cupboard his bum speedily finds its way planted to the ground at your feet.

I move which cupboard each week to keep him guessing for a day or two.

[mrs tornsocks]

I move which cupboard each week to keep him guessing for a day or two.

yes, he does roll over, hi five (and shake/hi five seems to be the same atm).

When he's super excited, off his own bat, he sometimes wraps all of them into one move - sit, drop, hi 5, rollover (now he'll probably add 'speak')

Edited July 3, 2009 by mrs tornsocks

[Aussienot]

Yes, when your puppy starts offering you learned behaviours, you know you are on your way to well-trained dog! Eventually he will be able to mentally go to just the right thing, instead of trial and error like he is doing now. Just remember to ignore any behaviour that is not the one you've asked for, no matter how cute it is.

Dogs are very impressionable about 'pattern learning', so make sure you mix up the order of his tricks all the time. My mom's dog does the roll-over, sit up and beg and high five as one trick. She thought she was training three tricks, but she always did them in the same order, so now he can't do any one unless it is part of the sequence.