11 mo old Beagle/Lab mix pawing, licking and nibbling to get treats out of my hand during training.?
My pup, Sabina, paws, licks, and nibbles to get the treat out of my hand while I'm training her. She doesn't seem to be responding very well to training either. She seems too distracted by the treats. It's sort of funny, but I know it's ineffective, she sees a treat in my hand and immediately sits (the first thing I taught her), then stands up on her hind legs (Up!), then spins around (Dance!). In other words she's doing every command I've taught her until I give her a command, and then she claws to get the treat. I've tried to phase out treats by holding the treat in the left hand and signaling with the right hand, but she doesn't respond. Too distracted by treats. So when I remove the treats from her sight, she's uninterested. I've read, "Make training sessions fun!" but I've never read anything on how to make them fun.. I need help!
2008-10-21T10:10:49Z
o.O I am the one who needs training... that's why I asked the question, genius.
David S2008-10-21T11:23:38Z
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When starting out praise is much better to give and after you move on to more difficult task, like fetch, stop and go etc... then try some treats. but don't overdue it. Also it would be best to let her release her energy before you start trying to teach. Let her go for a run or play with her in the yard. This is a tremendous help when you have a really anxious puppy and don't know what to do with all that energy. Also make sure she has had a meal recently. It hard for them to focus if you are using treats to train and they are hungry. Even if they are full, most dogs still want a treat. The pawing and clawing at you for a treat needs to stop immediately, if you taught her to sit, lay or to do the hokie pokie you can teach Patience. Make her wait till you advance with the treat. Do not let her initiate the forward movement. This is also a good sign that the perceived master "BRI" has not established herself as the pack leader. Instead of me typing what I would like to help you with please take a minute to go to the following link. If you follow the steps outlined in establishing who's the boss, the rest of your troubles will start to fade with your Sabina. As always if you have a question please ask and i will try to do my best to help, or one of the other wonderful people on answers can. Best of Luck
I had a beagle/lab mix. Mine was black with white blaze on chest and some white toes.
Anyway, the fact that she's willing to do all those things for 1 treat shows that's she's a pretty smart girly.
I would not stop using the treats to teach her stuff. What I would do is use a lesser value treat. Example is for me, when I train my dog(s) I usually use stringcheese. It's soft and easy for them to swallow quickly it's my low-value food. If she's not figuring out what I'm asking her to do, or there are distractions then I go to a higher value treat like turkey franks, pizza crust, steak or chicken (all are cut into very small pieces). For my beagle mix, if I pulled out the franks, steak or chicken she could just not think, so used the string cheese which motivated her enough but she didn't get over excited about. You don't want to use any treats that she has to chew. By the time she chews it, she's already forgotten what it was she got the treat for.
I would also sometimes use toys. Does she like squeeky balls or squeeky toys? Does she like to play fetch? If she does, incorporate that into your training also. Have both food and toy available and sometimes use the toy and sometimes use the food, so she doesn't know what to expect.
It sounds like your on the right track, but continue to be patient. Don't let her have the treat until you get the behavior your looking for. Don't say "No", just say "oops!" and try again.
Just so you know, my beagle/lab mix was a competition obedience dog. She also competed in agility. I used soley food with her since she wasn't exactly toy motivated, though she did have one particular ball that she liked which I'd only pull out when we were training obedience. She was the smartest dog I've ever owned.
Visit the CleanRun website and you can find DVD's and books to help you with your training. http://www.cleanrun.com
Also visit Dogwise books http://www.dogwise.com they have lots of books & DVD's available on training. I do suggest you find a nice obedience class that uses positive motivation, I think you would get a lot of out of, lots more ideas.
Don't give up, keep it fun and when you find yourself getting frustrated end it on a positive note and ask her to do something you know she will do readily.
Just a note: Many people say they only use praise. That doesn't work for all dogs. It may work for those who have shepherds, rotties or other working breeds, but when it comes to hounds and terriers you have to be creative. Also, hounds and terriers will not do something unless there is something in it for them. You have to remember, that hounds and terriers were not bred to work with man, but to work independant of man and to think for themselves.
Go to Petsmart and get a thing called a clicker. It's actually just a little box with metal in it, that you click to get their attention. Don't get the treats out until she does what you tell her to do. If she doesn't do what you request, then no treat. The clicker works to get their attetion. It worked with my dog. He is a better dog because of it. Good luck
I am thinking you are the one who needs training. I start to give my puppy a treat, and if she tries to grab at it, I take it back. She can't get the treat. She has to behave before she gets the treat. If she tries to get the treat from you, pull the treat back, and make her sit and wait. I think you know the right thing to do, you are being a softy, and you have to do the right thing. You just have to be firm, your puppy will still love you if you are serious.
You canines is meerly showing appreciate. interior the wild, wolves lick the alpha wolf's face to coach that the alpha is dominant. Its meerly a submissive habit. As for the paw, this could be a pair issues. One, she must be showing submissive habit like I pronounced above. 2, she must be begging. My canines, whilst he needs to consume interior the morning, comes and places his paw on my mattress. 3, she must be asking to play. the way canines play is with the help of wrestling, therefrore shes putting a paw there asserting 'play with me!'. to provide up this habit, refrain from yelling or pushing the canines. once you are trying this you're showing alpha-canines habit which will in lots of circumstances reason her to be much greater submissive. Watch you should do is pay no interest to her whilst she does this. whilst she incorporates lick you shy away, or while you're sitting on the settee, upward push up. you will ought to try this for a whilst formerly she figures out that her habit would not get enable her to get interest.