I Have To Teach My Wolfy To Play With Me

[Kavik]

Hi daisy

I have done most of my training with food, and I am trying to do some training in drive. I am finding a few things that make training in drive difficult. One is if the dog does not have a lot of drive and it takes a lot of stimulation and work to get them interested in chasing a toy. Another is that some types of other training can inhibit prey drive and they may think they are not allowed to chase and bite the toy. Even with my dog who has good drive, different environments provide a lot of distraction.

So first you would have to evaluate if your dog has enough drive to work with. If not, then you will get frustrated with this method. Then if you do have enough drive there, you will want to build it and then you can direct it and harness it.

Here is an article someone posted on another topic about creating a motivating toy which I found an interesting read

http://www.clickerdogs.com/createamotivatingtoy.htm

[fifi]

;) I'll throw my hat in the ring here.......

Daisy, is there a reason you keep Bree at obedience ? sighthounds usually hate repetition, and its a very unusual wolfhound that will find any interest past the first few basic lessons.

(there have been some amazing wolfies who've exelled at agility, OB ect, but they were carefully selected for their real interest, and are not usual for the breed)

A wolfhound's usual answer to the 2nd request for any command is..." do it yourelf, I've already done it ONCE" !!!

Sighthounds are only usually triggered by REAL prey, everything else is just a yawn, unless its playing with other dogs. Dashiel loves to fetch, but he is only one of a handful of mine that have ever enjoyed a repetitious game.

Sighthounds love to go for a run and return to their owners side, they were bred to be a thinking hunter - and to return from the hunt as a loyal housemate.

Bree is trying to tell you that obedience is far beneath her noble bearing !

(actually, many female wolfies do have a sense of nobility and refuse to do what they percieve is lowering their dignity- to put a human name to it anyway.)

edited to add; I guess my point is that all the training discussion in the world, cannot change the breeds characteristics, sighthounds require a whole different mindset & rarely respond to the same training / expectations / results as kelpies & GSD's.

fifi

Edited December 8, 2006 by fifi

[Daisy]

Fifi we have only been to 4 lessons

I wasn't planning on dragging her along forever, especially as she really doesn't seem to enjoy it much. I really am happy with her as a companion, she is an excellent dog in so many ways ;)

Edited December 8, 2006 by daisy2002

[poodlefan]

It does sound a bit like the instructor has adopted the "one size fits all" approach to dog training. Not all dogs are motivated by play... or food, or toys, or praise.

Here's the question - what does Bree find truly motivating?

It is not natural for dogs to accept new members into a pack.. constant changes to pack membership and hierachies are extremely stressful for some dogs. I agree with Nekbet - think good and hard about what fosters you take on and every now and again give your dogs a break from new dogs.

[fifi]

Hi daisy, only four lessons....!! well thats about average for a wolfie !!!

I didn't mean to sound harsh in my post, I'm rushing around packing for show, and posting as I run past the computer !!

Poodlefan makes a very good point too, sighthounds do not like change, and Bree's place in the pack may be constantly changing with new fosters, or she may be bonding only to you in place of her pack behavior - as you are the constant in her life.

fifi