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Post by labs4us on Sept 5, 2004 19:46:08 GMT -5
Hi. This looks like a very nice site. We have a new rescue dog, but in spite of a history of having rescue labs, this one is a challenge. He has had zero training at 19 months of age, and so we are working those things. I was glad to read about the pinch collar positioning, I didn't have that quite right. We brought in a professional trainer to assist us, and we have made significant progress.
I am interested in any ideas on teaching him how to play, specifically how to chase/fetch.. don't really care if he "returns" it at this point, but think this is good exercise. this is our second rescue dog who just looks blank when you try to throw a ball or frisbee or other toy. we were unsuccesful in getting the first to ever play. I've tried all kinds of different toys, and also trying to put treats inside of things. thoughts?
thanks.
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Post by Willow on Sept 5, 2004 20:12:01 GMT -5
Hi Labs4us, Welcome to our site. ;D
When you say, "new" rescue dog. How "new"? It can take weeks or months for a rescue dog to adjust to his new home, so I would not get too excited about his not playing and I would not try to rush him.
I have a "new" (two weeks new) rescue dog myself. Buddy is an 8 yr. old Border Collie who was kept tied all the time and just used for breeding. He is totally untrained, so it is like having an 8 yr. old puppy, except Buddy is quiet and calm in the house. ;D He also does not know how to play (except with his empty food dish).
Since I have another dog and she has a whole basket of neat toys and plays with them regularly, Buddy has begun to pick out a toy now and then and go lie down and chew on it. When he does this I go over and take the toy and in an excited voice I say something like..."Do you have the wabbit?" and I shake it in front of him etc. A couple of times he actually took the other end of it, but if he does not want to engage in play, I don't try to force him and just let him be. I have tried throwing a ball for Buddy, but he doesn't have a clue what it is.
The rescue dog I lost in April only began to play a little in the yr. before he died, and I had had him for 5 years. As you said, some dogs never do learn how to play. It is sad, but as long as I am taking good care of them and their other needs are met, I don't worry too much if they don't want to play.
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Post by Aussienot on Sept 6, 2004 23:13:58 GMT -5
Finn was the same way, did not know how to play. One of the many things Finn has taught me is that some dogs need to learn to play.
With Finn, it took about a year to go from ignoring toys to being able to use them as training motivators. Yes, I'm seriously patient.
Generally to introduce a toy, I built desire by leashing him to something solid, and playing with the toy myself just out of his reach. I throw the toy around, laugh, make like it's the best thing ever. I wave it in front of him, drag it on a string and make it leap in the air, and I don't let him play. I only look at the toy, not at the dog.
I do this for a couple of days. When he starts reacting at the sight of the toy, I make a point of leaving it out in plain site up high where he can see, but can't get to it.
Finally when the sight of the toy gets a response, I let him get a bite on it. We play a second of tug, then it's over. Toy goes away for a day, then the next day I throw the toy and unleash him.
He is responsive to furry and squeaky toys, and to bite tugs that have a good 'mouth feel'. Racoon tails and rabbit skins, and the Frenzy tug toy (all available at http://www.Cleanrun.com) are all winners.
Balls are still a no go.
He was the only dog to flunk "fetching" in Obedience class as he had NO instinctive carry behaviors. Happy to chase and kill it, and leave it where it lays. Would not put his mouth on anything he didn't intend to eat. Opening his mouth and putting it in did not work, he would lock his jaw closed and back up.
To teach the retrieve, I wrapped rabbit fur around the shaft of the dumbell, and did a LOT of teasing.
I backchained it, teaching the deliver to hand first.
I encouraged him to leap for it, and every mouth touch would earn a treat. Gradually I delayed the treat by nano seconds, building up to the 'hold' until I treated. This happened over a period of weeks.
When he was reliably grabbing the waving dumbell and holding for a second or two until treat , I stopped waving it around. We worked on him grabbing it while I held it still. This was a hard step as the movement was attractive to him.
When he would reliably grab it from my hand, and hold it for a second we introduced the sit in front. As soon as he grabbed it from me, I commanded 'Sit'. I quickly put my hand under his chin to prevent the drop.
When the grab and the sit were solid, we mastered the hold in a sit position.
Then I taught him to move to the dumbell. Before I had been holding it directly in front of his nose. Now I moved it near the floor, to my left, to my right. I made him move to grab it before asking for the sit and hold.
By this time, Fetch had become the big prize command. We only worked on it for two or three minutes a day, and every small step got big praise and lots of special treats. I didn't name the hold or the carry, I used Fetch for all of it.
Once he was moving to get the dumbell, and sitting smartly in front of me with it, adding to run to get it was surprisingly easy. As was the stay before going to get it.
He's a champion retriever now, really quick on the go out and the return, and if he drops it, he picks it up. Will retrieve on the flat and over jumps.
All up, it took about 7 months. Plus you have a Lab, so should be much easier for you. And hopefully someone else has a quicker approach.
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Post by Brooke on Sept 6, 2004 23:22:19 GMT -5
How the heck did I miss this all day! Sorry Great suggestions! I just wanted to say welcome to the board and bring on the pictures! ;D ;D
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Post by masha on Sept 7, 2004 7:04:54 GMT -5
Our old Belgian shepherd Basjan also used to have that blank look when you threw him something, and never knew what playing was all about. Then my sisters dog boarded with us for a while. Kidjo is ball mad. Basjan watched all this thoughtfully from a distance, and when Kidjo left after staying with us for about 4 months, he suddenly started playing too. Retrieving, the lot. How strange. At the age of 8 he discovers that he likes chasing things.
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Post by sibemom on Sept 7, 2004 7:14:38 GMT -5
I don't find this all that odd. Willow really does not have that strong of a play drive which I thought was strange, for being a pup. I encourage her to play by playing with Blade, because he has an abundance of play drive. The more he will chase a ball the more inerested she gets. I don't play tug with my dogs BUT they play tug with each other. I found ball on rope to be the best interacting toy there is ;D also the treat ball. NOW THAT SHE REALLY GETS INTO Like everyone said it will take time for him to settle in and it could take a long time. I always tried to initiate the play everday with new dogs, if they wanted to fine, if not I waited till the next day and tried again.
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Post by Nicole on Sept 7, 2004 16:12:50 GMT -5
Welcome. I missed this thread too somehow.
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Post by labs4us on Sept 11, 2004 6:15:16 GMT -5
Thank you for all your help and messages. I need to figure out how to get some photos up of both our dogs.
We've had Fargo 4 weeks now. He's about 20 months old, we're told. He was left outside (though amazingly he is completely potty trained, go figure), kicked and yelled at. He is very smart and has picked up on many skills very fast... its the good behaviour ones we're having much harder time with: jumping, nipping, barking, climbing on tables,...
He is our 4th rescue adoption and we've fostered maybe 6 more. He certainly has the most "issues" and the people who rescued him from the abusive home weren't exactly forthcoming on everything.. but he's a very very sweet dog when he settles down. He's also our youngest dog ever, so there's the fact that we aren't use to that high of energy.
They used a barking collar and said that he was not a barker. We don't want to use it -- indeed, I tried it on myself,... the first bark, just a small prick.. the second bark..man, that hurt like hell... and he barks incessantly. We've never had a lab that barked like that, so I'm off to search your pages for help. I try ignoring him, and walking away if he starts, but it's constant.
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Post by Brooke on Sept 11, 2004 16:32:15 GMT -5
We've had Fargo 4 weeks now. He's about 20 months old, we're told. He was left outside (though amazingly he is completely potty trained, go figure), It's actually not uncommon for a dog to be potty trained if they were purely outdoors dogs for the beginning of their lives. It becomes natural for them to go outside. I would get him neutered asap if he's not already though. Marking can become an issue with males who are not neutered. Especially if there may be other dogs coming into the picture later.
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