Do You Think Some Dogs Enjoy Training More Than Others?

[Guest crazydoglady99]

Not to be taken too seriously.. just curious.

Do you think some dogs enjoy learning/training more than others?

Or is it about finding your dogs' favourite thing?

Edit because there was a typo!

Edited October 5, 2016 by crazydoglady99

[Taliecat]

The lurcher we used to have, Lucy loved training and was so receptive to learning new things. Training her was a joy for both of us.

Dozer, our amstaff couldn't really give a damn about training. Sure he learns new things every now and again, (currently training him to stay the hell out of the kitchen while I'm cooking) but he's really just there for the treats and makes his "what's in it for me" additude well known.

[Guest crazydoglady99]

Lol TC. Funny.

[Two Best Dogs!]

Of course! Even with their favourite thing as a bribe, dogs have preferred activities and ways to bond, so would expect different dogs enjoy training to different levels (assuming in this case they're all receiving the same type of hypothetical training with their preferred reward)

I think you can definitely build and manipulate for them to get some emotional value out of it given enough time. But some are just not going to enjoy it as much as others.

No reason for ppl not to train dogs in the basics to the best of their ability of course ;)

I suspect dog #2 will be very different to train and I am in for a shock. Thistle loves and thrives on training. Loves it beyond average dog enjoyment. Will dog #2 love it to this degree? Who knows. I'll have to find out when I get it and get to know it. But I don't mind. I love having different types of dogs

[persephone]

of course - they are individual, and have their likes/dislikes . :)

[Kavik]

Yes definitely some enjoy it more than others

[skip]

Oh yeah! I did agility with two small chi x. They did it for food and liked just being out with me. But when retired just as happy for a jump or two and rewards.

Next the Kelpie who loves to work. Running round a pole can make her so happy. In fact any job makes her happy.a lot of work keeping her fulfilled but a joy to train. Want another Kelpie next time as such a desire to do stuff!

[Cosmolo]

Yes definitely. But I also think some of that enjoyment is learned.

[The Spotted Devil]

Definitely. But the fun of it is building the value and transferring the value. Dog bless Premack, I have a Dally who only wanted to sniff and pee...now thinks obedience heel work and agility is THE BEST FUN EVER. And a Springer who retrieves dummies with the same intensity that she retrieves game. Almost :D

My favourite thing as a trainer is developing in my dog an absolute love of what I want them to do...even if it's skidding into a sit whilst mid chase after a rabbit.

[poochmad]

Absolutely.

though with our two, I think the female is just smarter and the boy is just a boof head (but I wouldn't have it any other way)...when he finally 'gets' it, it's fist pumping in the air...with her, it's 'such a clever girl'.

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

frustration - different dogs (and humans) have different responses to frustration...

But you can work on increasing tolerance to frustration (not being able to get what you want), and work on enthusiasm for training. Some dogs are born with the desire to try new things and a high tolerance for frustration and willingness to please their humans and other dogs are more independent thinkers who sometimes have trouble seeing the point of some training efforts (you threw that - you fetch it).

And most dogs (like humans) are lazy and would rather just eat treats than work for them. But sometimes - if you're very good at training - you can get the training to be like the treats. Ie the opportunity to try - is as joyful as your dog's favourite thing. A bit like ordering something off the net - and all the joy is in getting the box and opening it. Never mind what was in it (dog treats excepted).

[Willem]

frustration - different dogs (and humans) have different responses to frustration...

That might have also something to do with the various traits of each breed - give a dog a job for which he was bred for and he will have fun and thrive, hence games that simulate those jobs will give the dog lots of fun and excitement; conversely, asking a dog to do something 'unnatural' will lead more likely to frustration. E.g., asking our BC to work as a guide dog would be a total disaster :D , but show her a sheep and she goes nuts and knows what to do without excessive training.

[Tilly]

My current boy loves training and seems to understand everything you say ... even when I told him he isn't going to get to play until after his bath (which he really didn't want to do) so he takes off and I find him sitting in the hydrobath waiting to have his bath. This was something he had never done before as bathing usually was a two person job to get him in ...

Our previous boy made it seem like he was being tortured during obedience training - he did it but it was very unenthusiastic. He learnt by watching others and just did it himself ...

[Guest crazydoglady99]

Lol Tilly!

I'm pretty sure my girl falls into the same category as your previous dog.

[Scottsmum]

Yup. My last girl would have flipped you the bird, so to speak, before actually doing anything you'd asked of her (totally a product of how I raised her). Scottie on the other hand, despite having a tricksy Foxie streak to him, lives (and loves) to be a "good boy" and please you.

[mowgliandme]

Definitely. But the fun of it is building the value and transferring the value. Dog bless Premack, I have a Dally who only wanted to sniff and pee...now thinks obedience heel work and agility is THE BEST FUN EVER. And a Springer who retrieves dummies with the same intensity that she retrieves game. Almost :D

My favourite thing as a trainer is developing in my dog an absolute love of what I want them to do...even if it's skidding into a sit whilst mid chase after a rabbit.

Hi TSD, can you please give me some tips on how to do this? :D

This is what I want to do achieve with my puppy!

I just learned this weekend that just upping the value of the treats is not enough (I had steak and roast chicken and she wouldn't even work for those at training because she wanted to sniff!) I just started working on increasing her value of playing with toys with me right now rather than just chewing on them

[corvus]

Different dogs, different styles, strengths and weaknesses. My lapphund is soft and gives up easily, so for him to really enjoy training, he needed some encouragement for persisting and trying new behaviours. He loves targeting, because it's unambiguous for him. He is not great at cue discrimination and prefers not to have to try to guess anything. My vallhund, though, totally the opposite. He has persistence in spades and seems to particularly love trying to figure out what the end behaviour is before I'm ready to go there. He is a fiend for problem solving and likes challenges. The lappie leaves if the training is difficult, and finds my partner, who is easier to get treats out of than me. The vall will stick with it if it's hard, though. Sometimes I think he prefers it that way. My new podengo is very eager, but has way more interest in the environment than the other two dogs combined. She's super alert, and doesn't have the working focus that the vall has. So, she gets antsy and distractible and I train her in small bursts. She doesn't lack enthusiasm! Every dog has a beautiful "aha" moment when they realise you are communicating with them and they understand it and they know how to get treats. Hers was expressed by leaping abruptly into my arms to plaster my face in smooches. She gets pretty excited by training, and her self-control isn't all that hot, so even though she can now train for longer before her brain breaks, it pays to anticipate that moment and quit while you're ahead. She will probably continue to get better.

[Inge]

Off course... My Weimaraner looooveeeees to work with me. My dachshund was very good at agility and loved it.. And then i have a little mutt who hates is. She does not care about it, just wants to be lazy;p