mollyblob
Well-Known Member
*Takes a deep breath and gives a friendly wave*
I've been lurking around HHO for ages, but only just been brave enough to actually sign up! And I'm looking for a bit of advice from you knowledgeable souls
Not a serious issue, just enjoying having a play around and hoping to learn more!
I don't have my own dogs (or horses!) at the moment, but where my OH and I live is an outbuilding on a larger property with dogs. The owners both work all day, so the dogs are loving having some company, and we're loving pretending we have our own dogs
I've kept dogs in the past, but trained any behaviour from scratch, as the dogs have all been adults with the basics already learned.
One of the dogs is Clyde, a gorgeous but dopey boxer. He and the other dogs are trained to sit, lie down, go away (!), go to bed, where's your stick? etc, all of which he does without question. He is a very obedient, people-pleasing dog, who hates to think he's done something wrong. His reason for being is to fetch things that you've thrown him (balls, ropes, sticks, bits of plant he brings you...), and would happily do this all day.
Just to see if I could, I decided to try and teach him "turn around" (as in, he does a full 360 degree turn around to face me again). I just got him to follow his toy round in a circle while saying "turn around", with the reward being the toy once he's done it. After around 2x5 min sessions each day over the past 5 days he'll now do this easily. My plan was to gradually fade out me having to move the actual toy, so he'd follow the voice command, a hand gesture (a circle action), or both. The problem is, he's totally locked onto the toy. Even when I use something small hidden in my hand, he's not fooled. If I use the other hand, he just gazes at the hand with the toy in it. If I don't use any hand gestures, just voice, he just stares at my hands. Have I shot myself in the foot by using his toy to lure him round in the first place, or is there a way to fade it out? The owners don't use food for rewards so this option is out.
Any ideas? I started out just playing, but now I'd really like to crack this! Dog training is so interesting... can't wait till we eventually have the circumstances to have our own dog and learn more!
Chocolate coca cola cake is in the oven for those who waded through my essay- I've noticed bribery often brings responses
I've been lurking around HHO for ages, but only just been brave enough to actually sign up! And I'm looking for a bit of advice from you knowledgeable souls
Not a serious issue, just enjoying having a play around and hoping to learn more!I don't have my own dogs (or horses!) at the moment, but where my OH and I live is an outbuilding on a larger property with dogs. The owners both work all day, so the dogs are loving having some company, and we're loving pretending we have our own dogs
I've kept dogs in the past, but trained any behaviour from scratch, as the dogs have all been adults with the basics already learned.
One of the dogs is Clyde, a gorgeous but dopey boxer. He and the other dogs are trained to sit, lie down, go away (!), go to bed, where's your stick? etc, all of which he does without question. He is a very obedient, people-pleasing dog, who hates to think he's done something wrong. His reason for being is to fetch things that you've thrown him (balls, ropes, sticks, bits of plant he brings you...), and would happily do this all day.
Just to see if I could, I decided to try and teach him "turn around" (as in, he does a full 360 degree turn around to face me again). I just got him to follow his toy round in a circle while saying "turn around", with the reward being the toy once he's done it. After around 2x5 min sessions each day over the past 5 days he'll now do this easily. My plan was to gradually fade out me having to move the actual toy, so he'd follow the voice command, a hand gesture (a circle action), or both. The problem is, he's totally locked onto the toy. Even when I use something small hidden in my hand, he's not fooled. If I use the other hand, he just gazes at the hand with the toy in it. If I don't use any hand gestures, just voice, he just stares at my hands. Have I shot myself in the foot by using his toy to lure him round in the first place, or is there a way to fade it out? The owners don't use food for rewards so this option is out.
Any ideas? I started out just playing, but now I'd really like to crack this! Dog training is so interesting... can't wait till we eventually have the circumstances to have our own dog and learn more!
Chocolate coca cola cake is in the oven for those who waded through my essay- I've noticed bribery often brings responses