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12 month old not happy during training

3K views 45 replies 15 participants last post by  Msmaria 
#1 ·
Dexter and I are doing an intermediate behavior class. Positive and some corrections. I have learned to correct properly, even though hes a really soft dog. He isnt completely shutting down now, but he seems just to be going through the motions and not engaging with me like before. Even his sits are now more to the side and not facing me. He listens well at home and has fun other places but the moment we get to class, he looks depressed . I need some help on what to do. Im trying to make the class more fun, but theres no time to reward his behavior with his tug toy, as the class is already going into their next exercise.
 
#2 ·
With a soft dog verbal corrections can be enough.

Are you sure he knows what is being asked of him before he is corrected into it.

Him going into shut down is probably a form of avoidance of the training methods applied.

You could be better off watching the class with your dog and using your time at home to complete the tasks using the tug or other reward system your happy with.
 
#3 ·
Yes im sure he knows the command. For example a come and sit in front of you. I am saying the command along with adding the sit signal. Im excitedly calling him to me but instead of his usual happy self he comes and then sits in front but at a side and looks away from me. I hope im making sense.
 
#5 ·
Dexter and I are doing an intermediate behavior class. Positive and some corrections. I have learned to correct properly, even though hes a really soft dog. He isnt completely shutting down now, but he seems just to be going through the motions and not engaging with me like before. Even his sits are now more to the side and not facing me. He listens well at home and has fun other places but the moment we get to class, he looks depressed . I need some help on what to do. Im trying to make the class more fun, but theres no time to reward his behavior with his tug toy, as the class is already going into their next exercise.
I would step back then and not really go with what they are doing....obviously they are moving too fast? Reward him, play with him, get him engaged with you. If the instructor isn't willing to let you do that, then maybe this class isn't a good fit. I train at a place where a bunch of us just drop in. No instructors, we're just training inside together with distractions. I see so many obedience people doing things that are so boring for the dogs, then they do ear pinches to get them to conform(go arounds at a fast pace keeping up with the handler as an example)
So far behind the times with their techniques.
The dogs are doing factory work, not enjoying it at all. If training isn't fun for the dog it isn't fun for the handler either~what's the point?
 
#6 ·
make the class fun for both of you. make all of the
training fun for both of you whether it's at class or
anywhere else. instead of treating with a tug how about
usuing a food treat since the class is moving so fast.
give your dog a verbal praise, pet your dog, use a
happy voice, etc.
 
#9 ·
Hi doggie dad , ive tried the food. He did great with the food reward in his previous class, but lately in class in doesnt work as well. He ignores it and looks away. He gets very distracted with the squirrels and after a correction listens but then he wont look at me.
 
#7 · (Edited)
Im with onyx. With a soft dog the reward especially the retrieve are good de stressors to the aversives especially if they are just getting into them for the first time. Class might not be a good fit. How long has he been training with pressure?

Like doggie said use those emotions
 
#8 ·
Hes been in the class about 3 weeks. I agree were not having fun like we used to with our puppy trainer and our nosework class. Its awesome to see the dogs that have graduated with the hand signals with downs and stays.
 
#11 ·
If the class isn't fun for the dog, move on. It's not the right fit. If my dog ever stops whining in anticipation about a half mile or more before we hit the training field, I'll be done there. No questions asked. These dogs LOVE to work. If they're not loving it, it's just not a fit for them. The *last* thing you want to do is see the dog shut down and hold back during training :(

Have you tried a personal trainer? More expensive, but IMO so worth giving up the Starbucks in favor of fostering my dog's success. We had a wrong trainer before. Now we have one who really understands my dog. When I say to Jack, "Let's Work!" he goes Nuts. That's what you want :)


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#12 ·
So there is no kind of treat he goes nuts for? there's not enough time to reward with the ball so he's basically working for nothing, not much fun for him. Tuke had similar issues, but could be won over with her favorite treats and lots of animation from me. Prior to me stepping it up, she would grab my pant leg and tug me toward the exit anytime we passed it.
 
#13 ·
Lol. She was pretty obvious she was ready to go.
I want him to have fun, I wasnt sure if I was doing the right thing by making him stay in the class. He is a year old so I understand when the trainer said he should be able to complete the command without a lure. But I feel like im going to mess up our bond. Its pretty obvious from replies here I should just do my thing and play with him, even if we are falling behind.
 
#15 ·
You are falling behind according to who's standard? Are you planning on doing competitive obedience? If this class is just for manners and fun...don't let it stress you. 12 months is still very young in a male GSD's brain. Maybe find a great nosework class and quit with the control type training. Nosework is more independent and confidence building. Dexter may enjoy that far more than the boredom of obedience at this stage in his growth.
 
#18 ·
No competition, we are doing this just for manners and mainly to get him some socialization, getting him out in new places. He started to bark at a few people. We are also doing nosework which he loves on mon ,fun agility on wed just playing at the park on fri and obedience on sat morning.
 
#17 ·
#20 ·
I had the exact same problem with Lola, she is advance obedience trained but from class 4 to advance she was, as you say, just going through the motions and looked bored. Her response time became delayed and I decided it would be a waste of time going on to trialing, even though her stability was excellent. The trainers I spoke to didn't really give me any good advice on how to motivate her, so I decided not to go further with her and concentrated on my male.
 
#22 ·
As harry and Lola said im see the delay too.

To Doggiedad, Were doing 3 days trsining with trainers for an hour right now. We used to do only once a week. On the other days I do at least 15 mins training on my own, which he loves as I use is tug like in the ellis videos I saw here. Fri before work we play and do a little training on our own at the park. Sun my kids have him in the morning while im here at work and then we usually take him hiking or to the dog beach, lovely weather here still, when I get home. Do u think hes getting burned out?
 
#27 · (Edited)
my dog stopped retrieving. my trainer told me to stop
training him for a week. i kept up with the house training.
a week later we started the retrieving training. he started
doing a little at a time. we worked our way up to distance
and a variety of things to retrieve.

when we were training i did things at my dog's pace. i figured
if my dog learns 1 thing a month in 2 years that's 24 things/commands.
knowing 24 commands is a lot in my opinon.

during training there wasn't a lot of corrections. if my dog didn't
do something i repeated the exercise with praise and gentle hands.

To Doggiedad, Do u think hes getting burned out?
 
#25 ·
Its possible im doing something wrong. I dunno. Im using a martingale. This is the only class I use the martingale. It is in a new location, lots of distractions ie. Squirrels, other dogs in the agility over the way, kids running around throwing balls. Lots of squirrel and duck poop to sniff at. When he blows me off I correct him.then he starts going through the motions unhappy look on his face, looking away from me, does commands slowly. Soon as we leave class (he starts heading to parking lot 5 mins before class ends, even the trainer noticed it) hes is usual bouncy, looking at me, tongue hanging out self. We just did some hand signal training at home and he did good.sits right in front of me, watching my every move. Although theres NO distractions here. I think im gonna step back and do some of the suggestions. Im going to go to class but stay in our corner and work at our pace with a flat collar for now. At least until I get the book..unleashed.
 
#28 ·
Just a quick pop on the leash. A good one to get his attention but not hard where he will totally shut down.
 
#30 ·
maybe stop popping the leash. i use to tap my dog's leash
to get his attention. i'm holding the leash in my right hand.
the leash is going across my body to my left side. my left
hand is over the leash. i use to take my ring finger and middle
finger and barely tap the leash. this would get his attention.
a verbal cue will work also.
 
#32 ·
Doggie dad, I give him a verbal first.???.if were out walking using his flat collar, just the jingle from all his tags does it. But at the class hes so hardheaded. I hate doing the corrections. Because I know whats going to happen. Hes going to get sulky. And then were not having fun.
 
#34 ·
Right after you correct him, bring him back up into drive...have him do some circles/turns/ups. What are you actually correcting him for?
 
#35 ·
I'm correcting him for not sitting when I tell him to sit. Instead he's smelling the ground or trying to pull to the agility section.
 
#36 ·
I think you should spend lots of time just playing with him in the park, on walks, etc. Bring his favorite toys/treats, find a nice open place and just stand there. Don't give him any corrections. Just stand there and let him look around or sniff. When he finally looks at you have a party! Bring out the toy or the treats and run/play with him. It may take a while, but he should start looking at you more. You can do this outside of class to encourage engagement. Micheal Ellis has a video demonstrating this. I'll see if I can find it.
 
#37 ·
I know which one your talking about, its very good:D. My class was going way to fast for me to stop and engage with him after a command. but I agree my dog needs more fun. I think he associates this class now with corrections. i have to change that. I wasnt sure if i should stay on the corrections at his age, and not baby him. But after all the comments from you guys, I am going to stop and make it fun for him. Like doggie dad said if he can learn just one command a month it adds up to alot.
 
#38 ·
You have to teach the "No sulking" command. JK!!!

I had some problems with my pup when we were training in a park. I did feel bad for him because here was this great open area, but we hopped out of the truck and went straight into OB. I started going 1/2 an hour earlier to let him smell the squirrel poo and play with the leaves, and this made a huge difference in his attitude. Maybe that would help you too?
 
#39 ·
I will do that this sat. What is about squirrel poop that so fascinating?(rhetorical question) lol. I bet if we used that in nosework hed find it yards away. :eek:
 
#42 ·
Hi David we have been doing NILIF since i joined this site last year.

@ Gretchen. Im going to try another day with all the advice here, if it doesnt help, then Im going to stop taking him to this specific class and just use that time to play more.
 
#43 ·
I have no problem with corrections in general, but my bias is always going to be towards motivational training. The more I can make my dogs WANT to engage with me, the more I can show them that it's in their best interest to do what I want because that's the path to get what THEY want, the fewer corrections I need to use for non-compliance. For that reason it just makes sense to train as reward based as I can, and only use corrections when I feel I must.

If your dog is clearly not happy and having fun in training, it seems likely he's getting too many corrections and not enough rewards, which means that he's put in situations where he's likely to fail, rather than being set up to succeed.

If he's not sitting in class (a simple command, and probably one of the first things you taught him), and he's more interested in sniffing the floor or pulling towards the agility area, then there might be too much going on in the environment for him to focus and obey commands. Correcting him for that doesn't seem to be helping, so try something else. :)

Jane mentioned Control Unleashed, an excellent book by Leslie McDevitt. One thing Leslie is really adamant about is that when you train in a new, more distracting environment, if your dog is distracted or worried, or showing signs of stress, you lower the criteria. That means that maybe you go back to luring a sit for awhile, maybe you up your reinforcement schedule, even for things that he should already "know", that wouldn't need to be reinforced in a less distracting environment such as around the house.
 
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