For the past two months I have been going every couple days for several hours to the local animal shelter to work with a very troubled sighthound mix. (We think Sloughi/Rhodie) When I first started spending time with her, she would run to the side of a room/run opposite me and just glare at me and anyone else who came close. She was a bit snappy and quite fearful.
She made a lot of progress in the first month, now every time she sees me her ears perk up and her tail starts wagging, and she is far more confident around strangers.
The problem that I'm running into with her is obedience training. She just... doesn't like anything. Nothing motivates her. Normally I'd just say "eh, whatever." when it comes to that, if the dog didn't like it, but she -needs- the training, she really at least needs to learn how to "sit" and to learn to listen to people.
But yeah.. No motivation! Affection is honestly more like punishment than praise to her, she doesn't like to be touched more than a scratch right on her muzzle, between her eyes. She will accept special food (The only thing so far that she will eat is beef jerky and ONLY terriyaki -- plain is just too boring for her I guess.
) but with no enthusiasm whatsoever.
I've worked with sighthounds before, a Basenji and a Whippet, and the thing that worked for them was a fuzzy "critter" on a lightline that I'd swing in a circle for them to chase. Trinity has very little interest in it, I think she knows it's just a fake toy on a rope and isn't even worth her time. I've tried laser pointers, weird bouncy toys, remote control cars, funny noises, clickers, etc. and she just isn't enthusiastic about any of them! I was thinking it was the environment, that she was stressed, but she's not showing any signs of stress. (She'll lay down and go to sleep once I get boring.)
I'm used to herding breeds, who will fall all over themselves to please their people... And I'm finding out that this girl needs a very different training approach than what I usually use, I just don't know what that is. Does anyone, especially those who have had experience with sighthounds, have any input or suggestions? Any information would be much appreciated, I really do want to continue her training as long as she's there, but I'm growing a bit frustrated with not being able to "push her buttons". At this point I will try nearly anything.
She made a lot of progress in the first month, now every time she sees me her ears perk up and her tail starts wagging, and she is far more confident around strangers.
The problem that I'm running into with her is obedience training. She just... doesn't like anything. Nothing motivates her. Normally I'd just say "eh, whatever." when it comes to that, if the dog didn't like it, but she -needs- the training, she really at least needs to learn how to "sit" and to learn to listen to people.
But yeah.. No motivation! Affection is honestly more like punishment than praise to her, she doesn't like to be touched more than a scratch right on her muzzle, between her eyes. She will accept special food (The only thing so far that she will eat is beef jerky and ONLY terriyaki -- plain is just too boring for her I guess.
) but with no enthusiasm whatsoever.I've worked with sighthounds before, a Basenji and a Whippet, and the thing that worked for them was a fuzzy "critter" on a lightline that I'd swing in a circle for them to chase. Trinity has very little interest in it, I think she knows it's just a fake toy on a rope and isn't even worth her time. I've tried laser pointers, weird bouncy toys, remote control cars, funny noises, clickers, etc. and she just isn't enthusiastic about any of them! I was thinking it was the environment, that she was stressed, but she's not showing any signs of stress. (She'll lay down and go to sleep once I get boring.)
I'm used to herding breeds, who will fall all over themselves to please their people... And I'm finding out that this girl needs a very different training approach than what I usually use, I just don't know what that is. Does anyone, especially those who have had experience with sighthounds, have any input or suggestions? Any information would be much appreciated, I really do want to continue her training as long as she's there, but I'm growing a bit frustrated with not being able to "push her buttons". At this point I will try nearly anything.
