Channeling Prey Drive Into Toys

[Koemi]

Hi

I'm a very newbie trainer and I was just wondering if anyone else has had a similar situation to me.

My dog is a 7 year old JRT x Corgi (we think), we adopted him from a pound at 1 and a half and he was never interested in toys. However, he displays typical terrier drive whenever he sees rabbits, birds, mice etc. This means that he has a decent prey drive, right? And that can be successfully converted into toy/tug drive? I want him to be able to play with toys, fetch and tug and enjoy himself and also be able to reward him as such, because it's hard to keep weight off a corgi x and I don't want to feed him too many treats! Currently I'm treating his dinner kibble to him during training but would love to get to tugging.

Any experiences? I've been made aware that it will take a long time to happen, but I'm willing to put in the effort. Suggestions of training toys are also more than welcome. Currently all he has is a smallish rope bone.

Thanks so much!

PS: we clicker train if that helps at all. Very very new at it but he does get excited when the clicker comes out.

[poodlefan]

Try "lifelike" toys with fur and squeakers. Shaking. dragging them and tossing them can sometimes spark the drive.

Furry rats seem to be a big hit with prey driven dogs - sadly they don't tend to last long but may get you started.

[Fourjays]

Yes, and you can try tying to a fishing line and casting it out and reeling it in so he can chase it, and you can make the toy dance as well. Deinfately try furry, lifelike toys. Petbarn have some good 'rabbits' at the moment.

Try "lifelike" toys with fur and squeakers. Shaking. dragging them and tossing them can sometimes spark the drive.

Furry rats seem to be a big hit with prey driven dogs - sadly they don't tend to last long but may get you started.

[RallyValley]

Where is Amypie the terrier whisperer? She may have some advice, she trains a Tentie and a Manchester.

[The Spotted Devil]

If the dog is food driven you could try the tug food pouches - the original one I bought had rabbit fur on the outside and even piqued the interest of my Dally who didn't care for tug at all. If the dog shows any interest in the toy, I undo the velcro and allow the dog to grab a food treat himself. After several months the local possum shredded the toy after I left it out to dry one night. Purchased another and it was shredded in the first attempt so my Dally was clearly more enthusiastic than he used to be We upgraded to something stronger.

[megan_]

My MS girl loves to chase a cat toy - it is a small mouse on a rope, attached to a pole. Cost $3. The trick is to flick it around in a "life like" fashion and move it away from them.

I've bought a proper dog grade one from Karen Prior - just waiting for it to arrive from the states.

I struggled to get my MS X boy to tug. I was telling Erny how he wasn't interested. She got out a tug and he played with it with gusto . The trick is not to shove it in the dogs face and trash it around. Keep it about 30 cm from their face and try teasing the dog a little with it (small movements slowly, then a sudden movement away etc). Both he and my girl love tugs made out of real fur. Their favourites are a bunny tug from sas, and a sheep skin tug from Clean Run. They also like tugging with dirty socks.

[Cosmolo]

Yep definitely bunny fur tugs or similar can help to get started.

[corvus]

Never mind.

Edited December 22, 2010 by corvus

[Staranais]

I'd say flirt pole. Lots of short, exciting sessions, always stop when he's still excited and leave him wanting more.

Plus prevent him accessing any of the animals he'd rather chase, so it's your toy or nothing to satisfy his drive.

[pie]

Where is Amypie the terrier whisperer? She may have some advice, she trains a Tentie and a Manchester. ;)

I'd say flirt pole. Lots of short, exciting sessions, always stop when he's still excited and leave him wanting more.

I have a raccoon tail on a rope and my Manchester goes nuts for it (so does the Tentie but only at home) it runs along the ground and you can flick it and move it like a real animal, even I get the urge to chase it I also have a real bunny fur that I bought from DOL that they love but it's not as good because it doesn't move like a real animal.

It's one of these

http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseacti...Product_ID=1969

But I got it from a shop in Australia - can't remember the name sorry.

[JulesP]

For a reluctant tugger that likes food you could try combining the 2 at the beginning. So you could look at things like a chicken neck in a sock, soaking a polarfleece tug in chicken stock or clean run sells mesh tuggers that you put food in. The food oozes out when chomped.

[RallyValley]

Where is Amypie the terrier whisperer? She may have some advice, she trains a Tentie and a Manchester. ;)

I'd say flirt pole. Lots of short, exciting sessions, always stop when he's still excited and leave him wanting more.

I have a raccoon tail on a rope and my Manchester goes nuts for it (so does the Tentie but only at home) it runs along the ground and you can flick it and move it like a real animal, even I get the urge to chase it ;) I also have a real bunny fur that I bought from DOL that they love but it's not as good because it doesn't move like a real animal.

It's one of these

http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseacti...Product_ID=1969

But I got it from a shop in Australia - can't remember the name sorry.

Terrier whisperer!!! You can't help it

[pie]

Terrier shouter more like it

[Leema]

You can train your dog to play tug by clicker training. I can provide a more detailed shaping map if you'd like, but basically you would C&T the dog for interacting with a tug toy and then eventually picking up and having some resistance to the item in its mouth.

Initially, the dog will be doing this 'just' to get the treat. However, once you build this foundation your dog will 1) like the tug toy because he associates it with food and 2) may actually find enjoyment in tuggy itself.

[corvus]

Initially, the dog will be doing this 'just' to get the treat. However, once you build this foundation your dog will 1) like the tug toy because he associates it with food and 2) may actually find enjoyment in tuggy itself.

I've been doing this with Erik lately after stuffing up his tugging accidentally. I couldn't speak more highly of it. Our problem was he couldn't switch between tug and food very well, and was losing interest in tugging in training scenarios. In 5 minutes of clicking and treating for him pulling the tug out of my hands he was giving it some nice head bangs and hasn't looked back. It amazed me how quickly he picked up fluency in reward shifts using this method. I'd been trying for months to achieve what I did in 5 minutes! Duh.

[RuralPug]

Flirt poles and tugs are really great but if he likes things that are moving, also try skimming a ball along the ground.

He will probably chase it to start with then ignore it when it stops - you need to get really really exicted when he sniffs at it touches it etc and chase after it yourself at first. He may not "get it" straight away.

The first time he picks it up you have to get really really excited (maybe warn the neighbours first so they don't call the men in white coats!! )

Once he really gets into it and starts fetching it back for you to throw again you can fit a huge amount of his exercise into just a short time and a few throws for you. You can buy the mini tennis balls at most pet suppliers if his mouth isn't big enough for the regular size.

[Koemi]

Oh wow, thanks for the advice guys!! Lots of excellent ideas here! He's not SUPER drivey for anything (except maybe food) but I don't expect him to be as he's never needed it until now. Today I got home from work and he was chasing me around, so I gave him his bone... he ate it and came back and I realised he was trying to get me to train with him!!! Which he's never done before!!!

I'll definitely try the clicking, I think le boy has a meshy tug thing I can test him with, and the chicken neck in a sock! Excellent idea! I've tried soaking a rope in broth before but he just didn't care.