It is so difficult for TOto to concentrate!
TOto have to sniff out all corners and because he has found treats before he thinks that there are treats everywhere! Even his own treats/biscuits cannot make him FOCUS! I mean how can "dehydrated lamb" and "chewy treat" win over 'Oily Tuna' and 'Cheesy bits'!? The other participants drop the 'Tuna oil' everywhere!! But it is unfair to blame others because some dogs are just so focus they don't really care what is on the ground!
But we realized TOto perform better with Mammeee because of my 'Happy Voice' that help motivated him to run with me! Maybe Hubs get so 'tense' and 'frustrated', TOto can sense them somehow. And Hub refused to use his 'Gayish Happy Voice'! He says it is so embarrassing to use the 'Happy girly voice' to motivate TOto. Too bad, Mammeee just doesn't has the stamina to run the obstacle with TOto.
Well I may try it out next week!
Guess TOto cannot win Mammeee a Medal :(
But he compensates everything with his kissessss ...
TOto have to sniff out all corners and because he has found treats before he thinks that there are treats everywhere! Even his own treats/biscuits cannot make him FOCUS! I mean how can "dehydrated lamb" and "chewy treat" win over 'Oily Tuna' and 'Cheesy bits'!? The other participants drop the 'Tuna oil' everywhere!! But it is unfair to blame others because some dogs are just so focus they don't really care what is on the ground!
Well I may try it out next week!
Guess TOto cannot win Mammeee a Medal :(
But he compensates everything with his kissessss ...
That is so unfair!
Haha, I remember my trainer told me to use things like roast chicken, bits of sausage, cat biscuits, smelly cheese etc. I was using kibble instead.
ReplyDeleteThe happy voice really works. It's a great way to recall Panda especially. Polar is so overenthusiastic, don't even need happy voice or you'll overstimulate him.
TOto is performing really well! Maybe next time I can take Mikan there too haha~
@Eve, TOto performing very badly le, you see my hub keep tugging him to move on. TOto just focusing on sniffing out treats! Guess he make a good 'drug sniffing' dog haha! Maybe shld join other sports!
ReplyDeleteI think maybe obedience needs more work if he can't focus on the handler. They need to have lots of focus that's why a lot of agility clubs require going through obedience classes that train focus in a group situation. Polar went for obedience at this first club and we pulled him out cuz they were using treats and the dogs were only focused on the treats. Their own dogs not really well-behaved as well. Getting dogs to focus on treats is really just bribing them.
ReplyDelete@Eve
ReplyDeleteHe has no problem focusing at home or just with us. But the other people are dropping their treats and biscuits everywhere. My hub feels that the trainer are using the wrong method to let us teach the dogs too. Maybe this is 'FUN' and not those 'PRO' type. Maybe we should look at other classes that are more PRO.
Not sure if my previous comment went through. I said any dog can focus without distractions. Having a group class will provide distractions and that's why it's useful for obedience. Agility and other dog sports require high levels of focus and concentration which is why it's essential to work with the dog first with distractions around. I would not be looking at other types of sports until obedience is down pat. Might also want to take care of his joints as he was neutered way before maturity of at least 14 months.
ReplyDeleteAlso wanted to add that I don't believe in clicker/treat training for obedience, but for anything other than that I think treats are useful.
@Eve
ReplyDeleteHaha I think ur that comment in another post. But if they are so focus on us/handler will he become very 'robotic'? And stop running off to play with other dogs in dogpark? My husband says when they become very focus, they will lose their 'naughty' bits which made them so 'human'! He says they become so focus on you they won't run off to play in dogparks. Dilema ...
Hmmm how else to train or obedience? TOto started his training with his kibbles, and slowly to treats. We tried clicker, he understand that too. But now he is older it is so much difficult to learn new tricks. He has a mind of his own now, KNS! Hahaha 'TEENAGER' already!
Haha! No lah, they are still dogs. When give them the 'free' or 'okay' signal they will go back to being their crazy selves! Hahaha! The most important thing is they focus on us when we want them to. Hmm obedience I don't use anything. Just whatever I command he must do lor. Like I say sit and he doesn't sit, I will press his back down. This is considered traditional way of teaching obedience, and for some people it's old school. But to me whatever works best is best. In Polar's first obedience school, he was also distracted by treats and it's not a good thing to bribe them as you want obedience stuff to ALWAYS be done. Like TOto he was also very distracted by all the dogs and treats and only did what B told him to for treats.
ReplyDeleteAlso wanna wait until the dogs are older to start them on agility. All the jumping not very good for their joints esp when they're not fully mature physically. Have started on preventatives for Mikan as her breed is prone to Arthritis :(
@Eve
ReplyDeleteTOto is kibble trained, then proceed to treats but he can also do our command without treat, even at dog parks with all the distraction.
I wonder the problem started is it because of the bad habit from day 1 in the training ground. Maybe treats shouldn't be used from day 1.