Mental stimulation and training - change in behaviour

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SadKen

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I posted earlier in the week about my little GSD destroying stuff. Following some suggestions on that thread, I've started throwing us into obedience training for half an hour in the morning and probably the same at night. Couple of quick queries if anyone has any thoughts:

1. He's stopped wanting a fuss, which he previously enjoyed. He doesn't object but he's not coming to me for a pat any more. I presume this is due to him not needing my attention as much and therefore I am trying not to be sad about it!

2. This morning he didn't seem as focussed as he usually is - he still did everything but sniffing distracted him occasionally (he'd respond to a recall immediately though). Is this just an off day, or do I need to mix things up a bit and do something entirely different as a break?
 
Half an hour is way too long for an obedience session for a dog just starting off - he's probably browned off - ten or fifteen minutes a couple of times a day.
If you can'd do that - five to ten mins session, then big game with a ball, and repeat that for the half hour. And change it all the time, don't be doing the same things with the same repetition every day.

Know what you are going to do in each session and if you are using food, use it smartly. I have a measuring cup and all of his food for the day is measured out - he might get it for heelwork, he might get it on a track, I might be in a rush and he gets it in a bowl. No more, no less, no treats, it's just his dry food and if he isn't engaged/hungry it will be put away and he will get it some other time. They soon learn :p

PS - what are you using as a reward? And make sure you have a lead on him so that if he does get distracted you can give a quick tug on the lead to bring him back to you. So there is a physical way to stop him doing his own thing and leaving you.

And another edit!! When you're playing with him, be part of the game, don't just lob the ball, you're the person who produces and plays with the ball and are at the centre of the fun, if you get my drift. If this means he has a super duper special ball that is prized above all other toys and only comes out during training sessions, so be it :)
 
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Thanks CC, you're a fount of knowledge! I figured I couldn't wear him out physically and I think I just translated our usual 'work' to this instead, so I'll cut it back a bit!

Reward wise he isn't interested in food, so I have tennis balls (he only gets them when we are on the playing field 'working', not at home). I tried using cheese (he loves cheese when he's sitting about at home) but he just ignored it when we were out. Using his normal food might be tricky as I have to take our other GSD out at the same time, and whilst they never fight, my other GSD is clever and he'll get it if I put it down anywhere hehe

I don't usually have him on a lead as he will come straight to me if I call, but I
did put one on to work on our attention heel (I have got about 2 steps of it before he will either sit, or try and jump up and get the ball - but I think that's pretty good considering we've only tried about twice!).

I think I've overdone it a bit bless him! I forget that he's not an ACTUAL machine, even though he sometimes seems like one!
 
The best way to train a dog is slowly. Get him properly focused on you in the basic heel position with a lot of ball reward (I look there, I get the ball) before you start walking anywhere and built it up so he definitely understands :) and most importantly, have fun and keep him thinking all the time.
 
Lots of wisdom there. My lad (10 months) is super prey driven. I satisfy that by encouraging him to chase (the remains of) a bumper on a short cord attached to a long stick. He chases this over obstacles such as hay round bales, car trailer, even the chicken house! I also introduce "Leave" and "Down" and have now started retrieving as well as the usual stuff. I don't know if this is correct for a protection dog but it gets him tired and his mind off other things, like annoying Auntie Foxy (6yo GSD), and I do need implicit obedience in a working dog that doubles as a companion/pet. Utterly agree on the fun part! All young animals learn best through play.
 
after our little and often OB sessions I always use a release word (okaaaay) then a little ball game or tuggy x
 
CorvusCorax said:
Half an hour is way too long for an obedience session for a dog just starting off - he's probably browned off - ten or fifteen minutes a couple of times a day.
If you can'd do that - five to ten mins session, then big game with a ball, and repeat that for the half hour. And change it all the time, don't be doing the same things with the same repetition every day.

Know what you are going to do in each session and if you are using food, use it smartly. I have a measuring cup and all of his food for the day is measured out - he might get it for heelwork, he might get it on a track, I might be in a rush and he gets it in a bowl. No more, no less, no treats, it's just his dry food and if he isn't engaged/hungry it will be put away and he will get it some other time. They soon learn :p

PS - what are you using as a reward? And make sure you have a lead on him so that if he does get distracted you can give a quick tug on the lead to bring him back to you. So there is a physical way to stop him doing his own thing and leaving you.

And another edit!! When you're playing with him, be part of the game, don't just lob the ball, you're the person who produces and plays with the ball and are at the centre of the fun, if you get my drift. If this means he has a super duper special ball that is prized above all other toys and only comes out during training sessions, so be it :)
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Totally agree with all of the above :)
 
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