Stitch Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 I have one dog that does this beautifully. She virtually puts her collar and lead on herself. I trained her easily to do it BUT my other dogs steadfastly refuse. The one I trained is highly food and result motivated. She wanted to get out the gate and worked out that the quicker she put the collar and lead on, the quicker she went for the walk. My other dogs must be slower (sigh) as they don't respond to that or food at all. They hate getting their leads on!! Can anyone give me some ideas for training, and it isn't as simple as showing them the food on the other side of the loop of the martingale collar cause I have tried that many times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leema Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 Do your dogs like food? Do your dogs like walks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted October 9, 2011 Author Share Posted October 9, 2011 The one that got it quickly loves both. The ones that don't get it, are not that keen on either. We are on acreage so they don't depend on walks that much and when we do, we go out in the car first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leema Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 I'm a bit perplexed why you want to walk your dogs if they don't really like it? Regardless, I would try to increase the value of food to them (e.g. fast them for a couple of days, use awesome food, play food games) so that you can actually use food as a training tool. At the moment it sounds like food is not all that rewarding to your dogs. From there, perhaps they'll be more motivated to follow the lure of food through the collar. You can also free shape them interacting with the martingale, and shape them to put their head through the collar. (i.e. Reward them first for being around the collar, then looking at it, then touching it, then touching it with their nose, etc.) ... I hope that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted October 9, 2011 Author Share Posted October 9, 2011 The reason is that we live in Queensland - cane toad country - so I can't let them out at night to toilet, they have to be on a lead. I have one that co-operates, the others well I have to chase their heads around to loop the lead over it and sooooo I thought 'how much easier this would be if they worked with me, rather than against me'!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
**Super_Dogs** Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 Maybe go back a step. Firstly you want you dog to sit and stay still for whatever it is you are doing - putting a collar on, looking at their ears/eyes etc. If it was me this is what I would do. Start with a clip collar, get your dogs to sit and put on the clip collar. Reward. Unclip collar and Repeat. When this is going well, still using the clip collar but make it so it is very loose to easily slip over the dogs head. As above clip on collar and reward. This time instead of unclipping the collar take if off over the dogs head. Reward and repeat. Start with the collar very loose and then slighly make tighter as the martingale would be. When all is going well taking it off change to the Martingale and try putting on rewards then take it off. Then the last thing is for the dog to associate fun things with having the collar on. So put the collar on and maybe give the dog something great, like a bone or a fun game. Then take the collar off. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corvus Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 Teach the dog to target your hand with their nose. Once they are good at that, hold the collar out between the dog and your hand and cue them to target again. Much bribery with food may be necessary at first. A jackpot of food when they put their head through works well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weasels Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 Any particular reason you need to use a martingale? Might it be easier to just use a slip lead or a clip-on collar that doesn't rely on the dog's cooperation quite so much? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzy82 Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 Couldn't you just put the dog in a sit and slip the collar over its head? If it has a solid sit it won't move. Or, lure the dog's head through the collar with a treat. If the dog doesn't show interest in the treat, it's not high enough value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixetti Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 You could try coming from behind the dog while it is in a sit. Or better, is to slip the collar over your arm, have food in your hand and offer to the dog - repeat this several times. Then start to scratch at the dog's chin and feed with the hand that doesn't have the collar on - repeat this several times. Then on one of those occasions slip the collar down your arm and onto the dog's head and in theory they wouldn't even know what you have done. Rather than scratching, you can also just hold the dog gently by the chin - maybe give a command for this behaviour. It does make it harder if the dog is not food orientated, in that case, do it as part of their normal feeding. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted October 10, 2011 Author Share Posted October 10, 2011 (edited) I usually used a martingale collar & lead in the past but I have just started to use a slip collar/lead. I probably need to give you more information about my dogs. My older girl, Miss Perfect, who all the dogs have to aspire to be like, seems to understand everything I say and helps me with everything, so I am a bit spoilt with her. She anticipates everything I do and spends a lot of time with me. If I want to pick her up for any reason, she jumps up to help me, if I want to put a lead on her, she pokes her head through the loop, she eats anything I like to feed her and generally co-operates with anything I want to do with her. Then we come to the others - the main problem child being my young male. He developed tonsilitis as a youngster the result being he is not keen on having the slip lead or martingale on at any time. Anything around his neck has always irritated him, he shakes his head regularly when it is on and when he sees the lead you can see the depression setting in. If I can train him to like the slip lead that would be a major accomplishment but I need a technique that I haven't tried. I have tried bribing him, it works a little bit but perhaps I am not doing it properly. Help!!! Edited October 10, 2011 by Stitch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corvus Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 Bribe with something truly delicious. Like boiled heart or roast meat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becks Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 If he is unhappy about anything around his neck, I would just leave a loose breakaway collar on him all the time, so he learns to ignore it. Otherwise, hand target and using a slip lead with the collar part open really wide so the head area isn't going to touch the collar as the head pokes through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 harness? put it on at tea time and it stays on until bedtime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share Posted October 11, 2011 I had to laugh when I read your post Rebanne - so simple and obvious!!! I have a no pull harness just his size so I will try that. Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I will start working on the bribing and targetting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 glad to be of help :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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