Dog tricks help!

[nautiques]

Hi,

Can anyone give me some sort of advice here??? The problem is I sat down on the computer the other day and wanted to teach my poodle some new tricks. He isn't the brightest dog around. But he acts like he looses his whole train of thought and I do not know what to do but it drives me insaine. Sit turns into lay down. After a while he will just stand there and look at the rewards (treats) and acts like he is not evem there.

Please can someone give me some advise??


~JARED

 

[Lizmo]

My advice would be to go back to the very beginning and start training all over with him.

 

[Senna]

rascal is the same way but he is lazy no matter what

 

[Roxy's CD]

Hi,

Can anyone give me some sort of advice here??? The problem is I sat down on the computer the other day and wanted to teach my poodle some new tricks. He isn't the brightest dog around. But he acts like he looses his whole train of thought and I do not know what to do but it drives me insaine. Sit turns into lay down. After a while he will just stand there and look at the rewards (treats) and acts like he is not evem there.

Please can someone give me some advise??


~JARED

So, you were trying to teach your dogs tricks while sitting on the computer? :S

It sounds like your taking to long to reward him when it comes to "sit turning into lying down". He's probably already sat. You didnt' give him the treat, so he thinks you might want him to lay down for the treat.

So as soon as he sits, give him the treat! Right away! Shov it right in his mouth! Don't give him time to lie down!

Then when he gets better, and calms down during training time, you can do this: Tell him to sit, count to three than treat. And start stretching out the time.

How old is your dog?

 

[nautiques]

reply for training

Hi,

The dog is almost 2 years old. He knows the basic tricks (sit, beg, roll over, down, high 5, and shake a paw. And I do what you tell me to do, reward him fast. But when I tell him to sit he automatically lays down. That is the problem. Whenever I try to teach him new things I is as if his brain turns off.

Well I will try again and see what he does and will reply soon.

JAREd

So, you were trying to teach your dogs tricks while sitting on the computer? :S

It sounds like your taking to long to reward him when it comes to "sit turning into lying down". He's probably already sat. You didnt' give him the treat, so he thinks you might want him to lay down for the treat.

So as soon as he sits, give him the treat! Right away! Shov it right in his mouth! Don't give him time to lie down!

Then when he gets better, and calms down during training time, you can do this: Tell him to sit, count to three than treat. And start stretching out the time.

How old is your dog?

 

[Roxy's CD]

If he immediately lays down when you say sit, than he doesn't know the command.

Lure him back up into the sitting position and give him the treat, "Good Sit!".

Make sure you put the treat right by his nose, than slowly move it up to where is head would be if he was sitting. He should follow the treat!

 

[Herschel]

Have you tried putting him back in a sit from a down? That would make a clear distinction between the two and reinforce the commands.

 

[Lizmo]

Sorry I must have read the post wrong.

 

[Rubylove]

Ah. You need to start again. In some way he has connected sitting with lying down in his brain and you need to `unteach' him.

And trust me, your dog is bright. Poodles are the most intelligent of all the breeds - at the moment, there's just not enough in it for him to want to perform, and he hasn't been taught properly. He looks at the treat blankly (or at anything else blankly) because he doesn't know what you expect of him, not because he's a bit dim...

Try clicker-training. Fantastic, brilliant way to teach a dog anything

Oh, and by the way, dogs use their sense of smell a lot more than their vision. They actually can't see that well or that clearly close up. If he can't smell the treat well he may not be able to see it that well, either. I would also try changing your treat to something a lot more appealing - like cheese, chopped up cooked sausage, small bits of chicken. Finding a treat the dog will respond to with enthusiasm is 80% of your battle!

 

[JHolland]

Re Dog Training Problems

Hi,

It sounds like your dog's not that interested in training. So you have to make it interesting again. Then like the posts above suggest, just start training from the beginning again.

If you make the training really fun/interesting using treats or your dogs favorite game (tug etc) after EACH command they get right, your dog will definitely learn lots AND will be attentive.

A good tip is to be really animated when you start, to get your dogs attention. and talk about treats/games etc. You'll see it in their eyes when they realize something fun is about to happen!!!

I've done some YouTube clips of finished tricks you can see. My dog ('Olive') has a weakness for tiny chocolate treats (special dog ones not real chocolate). As soon as i talk about treats she just focuses totally, and she'll do anything for a treat!!!

Have a look at this clip...
http://www.howtotrainadog.co.uk/dog_puppy_training_tricks_commands_video_clips_Lie_down_Beg_Spin_Lie_down.htm

It took me a couple of weeks to get Olive to do these tricks perfectly, but as i now practise them EVERY DAY, she doesn't forget them. Also when practising tricks your dog knows, only give a treat/reward when they get it right. (still keep it upbeat though, even if they make mistakes!)

The real key is to make it the best fun your dog can have (even more exciting that walkies - if you can!!!).

Some tricks/commands are simpler than others, and it's always good to take it really slowly (especially if your starting to train again from scratch). Also I've found it's important to only teach one trick at a time until they've REALLY nailed it! So it may take a week of fun twice daily, 15 minute sessions, to get 'Sit' & 'Lie Down' perfectly taught.

If your dog starts to confuse tricks (sit/lie down is a classic to confuse), just go back a little and don't start any more tricks until they've got it again.

Also as the nice people above have said, give your reward/treat immediately after your dog's got it right (not after 2-3 seconds - immediately!). That way your dog doesn't have time to think and ponder about other things before they get the treat, so you're positively reinforcing the trick, not the pondering!!!

After a while of short daily training sessions you'll find your dog will start to pester you to do training, not you having to coax them into it! At this point you've got a dog who's eager to learn just about anything you can be bothered to teach!

Hope this helps!

PS. Always keep training fun, and you won't go wrong.

J (and Olive!)

 

[JHolland]

Oh i forgot to say, if your dog isn't interested in your treats, try some new ones or try doing the training session just before you feed them (so they're a little hungry!)

J

 

[RD]

If he sits and then lays down, Roxys_CD is correct. You aren't rewarding fast enough. If he has a chance to sit and you don't mark it and reward him for it, he's going to try something new.

Have you tried clicker training or a similar concept? www.clickersolutions.com and http://www.dogpatch.org/obed/obpage4.cfm are two useful websites if you aren't particularly familiar with clicker training.