[mdavis23]

I have a 2 year old female, Isanna, who we bought as a 1 year old. She had no training whatsoever before we bought her. I managed to teach her to sit but she will only do so if she is on-leash. Completely ignores or even runs away if she is off-leash.

She’s not interested AT ALL in toys and hardly at all in food/treats (even grilled chicken). Her teeth are perfect so there’s no health issues. All she wants to do is run around. She’s by far the most energetic dog I’ve ever owned.

She will barely even give me a second glance because of how easily distracted she becomes. I don’t know how to train a dog that is not motivated by anything.

Should I condition her to like toys/treats? If so, how?
Should I try using only affection/praise as a reward?

Please help! I love this dog and see great potential. She’s so agile and super fast, just DISTRACTED AND CARELESS!

Thank you!!

 

[onyx'girl]

Have you tried to get her into agility? It may be the motivation to work with you.
Tracking is another way to get her to do something other than mindless tasks.

I have a dog that is similar, though he is food motivated. He loves to just mindlessly run.
Very challenging to work in obedience. He is a great tracker though.

 

[Jenny720]

You can try exercising her and or when she is in calm mood try some training (on leash then eventually long line)introduce some tasty treats before she is fed her meal. Cheese sticks , hot dogs something really yummy. The more you do this the more she may learn that interacting with you is really fun. I use treats when introducing something new and when learned -add ball or toy.

 

[Nurse Bishop]

Mdavis, I sent you a PM some training methods I know.

 

[saintbob]

I couldn't live with an unruly dog like that so I'd work with a pro trainer ...

...they understand dog psychology and how to motivate them. But yeah, they mostly end up schooling you, the owner/operator.

 

[Nigel]

I would consider restricting her activity and working in as sterile of an environment as possible. She needs to learn to look to you for fun and guidance. If she's getting her version of fun fulfilled by running free then maybe it's time to put this on hold until she learns obedience is not optional. I'm not saying be harsh, only she needs to earn certain activities.

 

[Muskeg]

I hate doing this, too, because I love letting my dogs run free but if they are getting all they need on their own, they don't need you. Most "top" IPO dogs are kennel dogs, for this reason. People who say they have "house dogs" that do top IPO (national/international), usually have quite a different definition of house dog than you or I might. Of course there are exceptions. The point is, if the dog isn't motivated, you need to somehow make the human the source of good things, not the environment.

 

[Sabis mom]

I have a 2 year old female, Isanna, who we bought as a 1 year old. She had no training whatsoever before we bought her. I managed to teach her to sit but she will only do so if she is on-leash. Completely ignores or even runs away if she is off-leash.

She’s not interested AT ALL in toys and hardly at all in food/treats (even grilled chicken). Her teeth are perfect so there’s no health issues. All she wants to do is run around. She’s by far the most energetic dog I’ve ever owned.

She will barely even give me a second glance because of how easily distracted she becomes. I don’t know how to train a dog that is not motivated by anything.

Should I condition her to like toys/treats? If so, how?
Should I try using only affection/praise as a reward?

Please help! I love this dog and see great potential. She’s so agile and super fast, just DISTRACTED AND CARELESS!

Thank you!!

I have one of those. I call her my ADD child. I am not a professional so all I can tell you is from my experience.
I had to have a serious heart to heart with myself and decide what I really wanted. Once I let go of MY expectations and started working with the dog in front of me things got better. Obedience is boring, but she is smart so I used that. She really had no interest in toys or food and for the first two years no real interest in praise. If you give me a good sit I will let you spin. Tricks and nosework worked for her. I built several boxes and if she gave me five minutes of obedience we could do some scent work. She loved puzzle toys and I created some home built agility stuff. The weave poles and tunnel were her favorites, but she had to hold a sit/stay or down/stay before she could run. We had issues with a recall but fetch solved that, the only problem I have is that she often looks for the frisbee before she comes to me.
I tell people obedience is beneath her, lol. By combining what I needed with what she wanted we both won, and I wound up with a happy dog who works for praise.

 

[huntergreen]

Mdavis, I see you have been given some great advice, but I think the best advice was to find a trainer.

 

[Thecowboysgirl]

Sometimes dogs are actively avoidant for a few different reasons.

Not the same as unmotivated really