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  1. #1
    Senior Dog zd262's Avatar
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    Has your dog ever not wanted to learn something?

    Bubba is far away from well behaved, and when we're outside all bets are off. But when we're practicing inside he loves training and is always really engaged and happy and eager to please (and get food).

    Recently I decided to teach him shake. He is just absolutely not interested. He'll be sitting, he's happy, he's excited. I say "shake" (and go through the technique of running my hand down his leg and trying to get him to lift his paw into my hand) and his face immediately becomes solemn and he looks away from me.

    I'm wondering if it's because he associates this activity with having his nails clipped, but it got me thinking, has anyone ever not been able to teach their dog something because they actively didn't seem to want to?
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  2. #2
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    The closest I can come to this was having to teach "down" from standing...absolutely refused to go from sitting to down.

    Try using the word "touch" instead of "shake". Some dogs....OK, my weird two...just don't like certain words.

  3. #3
    Senior Dog Meeps83's Avatar
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    We used paw with one of our dogs. Maybe he's just not responding to the technique? Try going on YouTube. I believe that there are a number of trick training channels that might have different ways of teaching it.

  4. #4
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    Make a game of it. Sometimes when people train, they become to serious and that makes a dog nervous, not excited or happy. If you think about it, the way some people can get with training is the same way they get with doing the stuff that dogs typically don't love -- nail clipping, ear cleaning, bathes, etc.

    Ever tried a clicker?

    Also, here's a book you might be interested in getting for training outside of your own home: Beyond the Back Yard: Train Your Dog to Listen Anytime, Anywhere!

  5. #5
    Senior Dog zd262's Avatar
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    The two techniques I read about (and I haven't done much research) were to hold a treat in your hand and most dogs would paw at it and you would reward that, or to actively life the paw yourself and then reward that. I use verbal clicker training (which I know is not as effective as regular clicker training), but he knows it so well at this point I don't want to switch just to teach him "shake" haha.

    At first I was doing focused shake training and doing it over and over again, but because he seemed so unhappy I stopped that. Instead now I do it intermittently while doing circuits of the other commands he know really well, trying to keep up the fun and energy level and keep his confidence up.

    Bubba doesn't paw at the treat at all, so I had to resort to picking up his paw. I try to sort of like nudge at it convincing him to lift it himself, in which i say "yes" and treat him as soon as he does so. But most of the time I have to actively pick it up off the ground.
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  6. #6
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    You might try your version of click and treat starting with just touching his leg/paw and move a bit slower. Once he begins to associate with good, you can move forward.

  7. #7
    Senior Dog Tanya's Avatar
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    that used to happen often when i first got penny. but it was a seperate issue (she was very sensitive and if I wasn't in the right mind frame to be easy breezy during training it went downhill VERY fast and we got no where).

    There are tricks she doesn't get at all what I am asking for. Paw was one of them. she wouldn't get anxious unless I pushed too hard but she had no clue. oddly she somehow magically just did it one day - don't ask me how). Often I have to try a few different ways to train something before she gets it. If I push too hard (and i don't mean hurting or hitting or yelling, but even using "intimidating body posture" like leaning into her can set her off if she is not understanding what I want). She also doesn't do well generally with me "touching" or "moving" her. As opposed to Rocky who did better with that - or at least didn't "react" visibly to my moving him around physically (again not hitting just sorta moving his paw. touching him butt, pushing him right/left so he slides on the ground).

    I'd say something about the way you are going about this one isn't work for them for whatever reason (could be a negative association). Just try a totally different way to train it.

  8. #8
    Senior Dog zd262's Avatar
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    Thank you so much for the great suggestions! I think I will use higher value reward treats and start with just treating for handling his paws. I'm also going to research other techniques because this one might just not be working for him.
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  9. #9
    Senior Dog zd262's Avatar
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    Bubba can now shake (or "low five" as we call it). The thing that did it for him was praising and treat just for touching his paw, then for just a dainty lift, then for the whole thing.
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  10. #10
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    Congratulations...although I bet he wouldn't like the word "dainty" applied to anything having to do with himself.

 



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