ClareL Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 Hi, I have had my dog for a year now and am struggling to teach him anything. He doesn't understand sit, he will sit if i look at him long enough but the word means nothing, he can't walk nicely and he does a runner if i ever let him off the leash. He is also not interested in toys at all. Group trainnig achieved nothing, they move too fast for him hence why he doesn't know the word sit. Started private training, so he is not allowed to go for a walk if he doesn't walk nicely. So for the past week we have done circles in front of my house, problem is now he gets no exercise and no fun the only thing we get to do with him is sit on the couch as he wont play with toys or anything at home. I feel like i am really punishing him and I dont really no if he is able to learn as he is still yet to achieve anything. Any suggestions what i can do so he gets to have some fun? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs tornsocks Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 Hi, I have had my dog for a year now and am struggling to teach him anything. He doesn't understand sit, he will sit if i look at him long enough but the word means nothing, he can't walk nicely and he does a runner if i ever let him off the leash. He is also not interested in toys at all.Group trainnig achieved nothing, they move too fast for him hence why he doesn't know the word sit. Started private training, so he is not allowed to go for a walk if he doesn't walk nicely. So for the past week we have done circles in front of my house, problem is now he gets no exercise and no fun the only thing we get to do with him is sit on the couch as he wont play with toys or anything at home. I feel like i am really punishing him and I dont really no if he is able to learn as he is still yet to achieve anything. Any suggestions what i can do so he gets to have some fun? Hi there, it's great you're taking serious steps to get him trained. You don't mention the breed, that might help give some tips about how to give him some alternative exercise that's 'fun'. Presumably you're paying the private trainer some good money to rectify your situation, so why not ask him/her about how to exercise your dog in lieu of walks ? I'm surprised they have 'banned' walks altogether though ?? If the suggestion was circles in front of the house, I'd think this is repetetive and boring for the dog, so the trainer should help come up with some options to help keep doggie interested. A couple of questions:- 1. How old is the dog and has he ever shown an interest in toys, chasing, controlled tug o war etc ? Does anything get his tail wagging besides food and walks ? 2. Is the 'sit' command accompanied by a hand signal ? And is he rewarded when he eventually does sit ? 3. Is he food motivated ? Suggest you start from square one when you're at home and try to teach him the basics when he's hungry. There are plenty of links to teach doggie how to sit, drop etc., the trainer should be able to give you a one sheeter on this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClareL Posted July 6, 2009 Author Share Posted July 6, 2009 He is a rescue we think 2 1/2 and jack/pom/malt for breed probably mostly jack in personality. She had me treating him for being by my side at training which worked ok then, now he grabs a treat and then runs to the end of the lead. When he hits the end of the lead i am meant to change direction, hence the circles. Her solution was to let them off the run at the park but he has no road sense so its just too dangerous Only thing he likes to do is explore/sniff, all attempts to have him off leash only last till he has finished exploring the area then he moves on. He just sits if you are anywhere near a treat, drop gets he very confused he will eventually do it still working very hard at this but scared it will end up like the sit he will do it but not for the command. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 How have you been training him to sit? Do you reward when he is nicely by your side when walking? Have you done any focus work so he knows to pay attention to you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClareL Posted July 6, 2009 Author Share Posted July 6, 2009 No focus work, never heard of it but I would say thats exactly what is problem is he doesn't really care what i'm doing. I was saying sit and when he sat giving him a treat, he wont always do it and he will do it some time without command just when i look at him. I decided he didn't know what the word was just was copying our other dog or trying to work out what I wanted so sitting. Trainer agrees he doesn't know what the word is. He has tried many walking techniques currently when he walks by my side he gets a treat. It was working day one then because he used to get a 30 minutes run each day and can no longer do that he has too much energy to pay attention to anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 Her solution was to let them off the run at the park Oh Not much of a solution...especially when you're trying to do the right thing ;) Clare L- what have you read on 'what makes dogs tick?" It helps to understand why dogs do what they do- then as the pack leader/trainer...you can work with the dog's instincts !! If you tell us where you are situated (city/town) I am sure there will be good trainer recommendations! Several DOL members are trainers, and very good at what they do!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 Does he like balls? You can throw a ball in the back yard to get him to let off some steam.. or try a squeaky rat - most terriers love them! The more you play with him, the more he will look to you as a source of fun. Clare its easier to start training any dog by realising there's nothing "wrong" with slowness to pick up cues or lack of focus. A mature dog is a product of its genes and its environment. If your dog wasn't taught to learn as a pup, you've got some ground to make up. From what you've described, you've got a few timing and lure v reward issues as a handler (remember that group obedience classes train handlers, not dogs). A few visits with an experienced trainer will help you to teach your dog to learn. When training a more challenging dog, sometimes it pays to focus on how far you've come rather than how far you have to go.. make list of what he can and can't do and return to it every month. A trainer will be able to teach you how to get his focus using his name, how to retrain behaviours using fresh words if necessary. Remember that if he doesn't know what a cue means, there's no point in using it. Most trainers teach you how to illicit behaviour, then put it on cue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClareL Posted July 6, 2009 Author Share Posted July 6, 2009 (edited) We had both dogs at training so I think she was focused on the other one at that stage. I dont think people quite expect what happens when we let him off, he is an escape artist so will get over/under any fences you have to jump on top of him to stop him so you can't just block the entry to the park either. I haven't read that so i will google it He has no interest in any toys at all. I now get him to sit then say sit and give the treat, like i said first day we were getting somewhere but he is now a very bored dog and sits at the door crying so I think the techniques will work but he still needs exercise and stimulation while he is training Edited July 6, 2009 by ClareL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4 Paws Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 I own a fox terrier so understand your problems. I would start using the Triangle of Temptation programme to start with http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=64101 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmolo Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 How may lessons have you had with the private trainer? Have you expressed your concern about the lack of exercise to the trainer? They should be able to assist you with this so that you can stimulate your dog and train effectively at the same time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClareL Posted July 7, 2009 Author Share Posted July 7, 2009 We have only had one lesson, she is just slow on the email reply so I thought someone on here might have some ideas on the exercise part, obviously it is too soon to see if the methods will work, just having no success when he is exercise deprived. I tried a combination of the private trainers technique and the group training, probably not what a trainer wants to hear but it worked he seemed to know what he was doing wrong and he actually made it around the block. I think attention is his major problem so we are going to start the triangle training tonight. Thanks to everyone for suggestions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krat Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 (edited) would it be possible to take him to the park and put him on a long (say 10m) lead so he can have a run but not take off. long leads are good for practicing recall too. though im not sure how this would go with teaching him to walk nice. maybe have him on the long lead at the park and then the short lead for walking lessons on the way home once he's had some run arounds? Im no trainer, but this seems to work with my girl who is bonkers. ETA. I also do triangle of temptation with her. Edited July 7, 2009 by krat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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