You can't train enthusiam
- Thread starter JoeLacy
- Start date
I've been trying to train Jax to do this for days now. I worked with Jax this morning, then decided to start training Peyton to do the exact same thing. I took clicker and treats and spent no more than 10 minutes training Peyton this from scratch, then did this video without the treats. Peyton had never heard the word focus before this session.
YouTube - Peyton & focus
The real question is, why can Peyton learn this in minutes and Jax is taking a week?
YouTube - Peyton & focus
The real question is, why can Peyton learn this in minutes and Jax is taking a week?
Joe,
You've said that Jax is a "softer" dog. I've got one myself, so I understand your frustration. Allie is a VERY soft dog, she gets very excited when I start training her, but the instant I give her an "uh uh" she's down for the count. If I talk to her like a crazy lady the entire time, she works better, but she doesn't have the confidence for my controlling personality.
Ruby can be slow to warm up, excitement-wise, but she is my very precise, very confident worker. We understand each other - I mean what I say, she knows what's expected of her.
I have to train Rocket and Ruby differently than I train Allie.
You have to stop comparing your dogs to one another. They are at two different ends of the spectrum. You may have to train Jax at a much slower pace than Peyton, and use different methods. You haven't had Jax very long either -he hasn't gotten completely in sync with you yet. When a dog slows down and doesn't react, they aren't sure of what's going on. It's a lack of understanding what you want, and you'll have to find a way to get through to him. It sounds like you're going to have to be a lot more patient with him.
I would worry more about building his confidence in you and himself than about how quickly he's picking up commands.
JMHO, of course. Good luck!
You've said that Jax is a "softer" dog. I've got one myself, so I understand your frustration. Allie is a VERY soft dog, she gets very excited when I start training her, but the instant I give her an "uh uh" she's down for the count. If I talk to her like a crazy lady the entire time, she works better, but she doesn't have the confidence for my controlling personality.
Ruby can be slow to warm up, excitement-wise, but she is my very precise, very confident worker. We understand each other - I mean what I say, she knows what's expected of her.
I have to train Rocket and Ruby differently than I train Allie.
You have to stop comparing your dogs to one another. They are at two different ends of the spectrum. You may have to train Jax at a much slower pace than Peyton, and use different methods. You haven't had Jax very long either -he hasn't gotten completely in sync with you yet. When a dog slows down and doesn't react, they aren't sure of what's going on. It's a lack of understanding what you want, and you'll have to find a way to get through to him. It sounds like you're going to have to be a lot more patient with him.
I would worry more about building his confidence in you and himself than about how quickly he's picking up commands.
JMHO, of course. Good luck!
I would agree with this!
It can take some time for an adult dog to settle into a new home. Until then, don't worry as much about training and do things that bring out drive and build confidence. Keep some treats available so you can capture behaviors you like.
Peyton looks really great in that video
, but I did notice an awful lot of clicking without any treats being given!! Every click needs to be followed by a treat!
It can take some time for an adult dog to settle into a new home. Until then, don't worry as much about training and do things that bring out drive and build confidence. Keep some treats available so you can capture behaviors you like.
Peyton looks really great in that video
, but I did notice an awful lot of clicking without any treats being given!! Every click needs to be followed by a treat!No No no. Jax got plenty of treats so did Peyton when training. I didn't need the treats with Peyton after it was trained, I was just marking the behaviors in that video and I'm not sure why . I didn't need the clicker or treats for that matter.
Peyton has it down and she never forgets. A couple more times with her clicker and treats and I won't need treats for good. Peyton I know well and she knew even less than Jax did when I got her, Jax I'm still trying to figure out.
. I didn't need the clicker or treats for that matter.Peyton has it down and she never forgets. A couple more times with her clicker and treats and I won't need treats for good. Peyton I know well and she knew even less than Jax did when I got her, Jax I'm still trying to figure out.
I guess it's been said a few times in this thread already... but I COMPLETELY agree, that "enthusiasm" can be taught... or rather, conditioned.
Fozzie is an insanely lazy dog. If it were up to him, he would be sprawled across his favorite chase lounge day and night being fed cheetos, for the rest of his life. He also used to be a very detached, independent dog during his adolescence/puppyhood, which is a great combination for training! haha. I never thought this dog would fetch a ball. I never thought he would be into agility, or obedience, or rally, or anything compared to Gonzo.
I was so used to working with Gonzo that I didn't realize I needed to stop comparing him and treat him as an individual. Gonzo needs to be spoken to in a gentle, consistent tone... he does not require jackpots or lots of food/play reinforcement as he needs me to stay calm and let him know that he's doing good. Fozzie needs me to be excited, loud, and direct... and he needs those jackpots, lots of reinforcement and lots of repetition to keep him motivated. Using the clicker makes him 10x more into it. If I trained Gonzo in the same way, he would shut down FOR SURE. That doesn't mean training Fozzie is more difficult or time consuming, though. It's actually a lot of fun and he offers up behaviors like nobody's business. He can be the most enthusiastic dog in class, if I'm properly motivating him and if I spend the time capturing/reinforcing that enthusiasm, even if he's undoubtedly the least enthusiastic when I'm not engaging him just hanging out at home.
Fozzie is an insanely lazy dog. If it were up to him, he would be sprawled across his favorite chase lounge day and night being fed cheetos, for the rest of his life. He also used to be a very detached, independent dog during his adolescence/puppyhood, which is a great combination for training! haha. I never thought this dog would fetch a ball. I never thought he would be into agility, or obedience, or rally, or anything compared to Gonzo.
I was so used to working with Gonzo that I didn't realize I needed to stop comparing him and treat him as an individual. Gonzo needs to be spoken to in a gentle, consistent tone... he does not require jackpots or lots of food/play reinforcement as he needs me to stay calm and let him know that he's doing good. Fozzie needs me to be excited, loud, and direct... and he needs those jackpots, lots of reinforcement and lots of repetition to keep him motivated. Using the clicker makes him 10x more into it. If I trained Gonzo in the same way, he would shut down FOR SURE. That doesn't mean training Fozzie is more difficult or time consuming, though. It's actually a lot of fun and he offers up behaviors like nobody's business. He can be the most enthusiastic dog in class, if I'm properly motivating him and if I spend the time capturing/reinforcing that enthusiasm, even if he's undoubtedly the least enthusiastic when I'm not engaging him just hanging out at home.