Big problem in obedience... help?

Sprout

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#1
Well, Sprout, my dog, and I have been showing in agility, showmanship, and obedience for the past year in 4-H
Sprout is a natural at showmanship. We both love it.
And with agility, weve never gotten any faults, but he just dosent have the speed, but were working on it..
And with Obedience.. he does excellent..
were going up to Novice Off-Leash this year in showing in obedience.. which should be a good thing, because Sprout always stays with me, and dosent try running away :)
At shows he always seems to know that were showing, so he goes out in the ring and does his best, no matter how much we've practiced..
But at home he refuses to practice with me!
He lets me practice showmanship with him, and do tricks and stuff, but once we get to the obedience training, he lags, MAJOR behind!!
He's at least 3 feet behind me, every time!
So I call him, and he dosent move forward! So I end up dragging him, which Im not supposed to do!
Both him and I get frustrated and its useless even trying anymore, because he just dosent stay with me!
And when he does decide to walk he is about 3 feet behind me and when I stop, he sits and everything, but hes supposed to be right at my side!
At new places, like, at the park, petsmart, etc. He does great, because its a new place and he's more perky, but at home he's just a wreck
Any suggestions? Theyre needed majorly :(

Thanks
 

Doberluv

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#2
Have you tried clicker training? It's great for cleaning up and shaping behavior. Look into that. I think it sounds like you're doing great things though. (yeah...don't drag him. That's not pleasant for him and will make him lose enthusiasm and drive and that's just what you're needing for him to pick up the speed.) What kind of treats are you using at home? Find something that he REALLY REALLY loves that will get him more motivated. Don't forget your playful, cheery, lively attitude. LOL. Good luck. :D
 

bridey_01

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#3
Can you think of any reason he might be doing this? I think clicker training would also be a great idea, and I would also make sure he is VERY hungry before training at home.
 

wildwings811

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#4
Are you doing the obedience first? he may be getting bored instead of doing all of the things you want to practice try doing them at different times and in smaller sessions Rocky always gets bored with obedience and can't get enough of agility so I always do the obedience stuff first then the fun stuff last and make it fun even if he messes up so what he's a dog and he is going to if he messes up just move on try not to shame him for that it just may make a difference

I really suggest clicker training too I love it and since Rocky is really not motivated for with treats the clicker works great
 
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#5
It's hopefully not this, but I had a dog who was perky in new situations and lagged behind in boring or routine walks, and it ended up she had hip dysplasia. Sometimes they will overcome discomfort when the adreneline is flowing and then feel it when things are calmer. Might want to have her checked out with a vet. Hopefully it's not anything, though.
 
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#6
Well, I almost wouldn't try clicker training, because I don't think your allowed to bring a clicker to the classes. But I don't know. I did Blackie in 4H obedience, and I just used food to motivate him. (And then I weaned him off of the food in time for the show.)
 

wildwings811

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#7
yeah but the good thing about clicker training is they are like treats you can wean them off of the clicker too you don't always have to use it
 
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#8
It sounds like he's just bored. Keep sessions short, vary up where you train, and make obstacle courses to keep him paying attention!
 

Sprout

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#9
Yeah, I dont practice them all at once..
And I am NOT using clicker training, Im not even going to get into that :)
And, thanks for your concern, but there is no way Sprouts got hip problems :)

He's doing fine now, and I saw what I was doing wrong the next time I did it.. so dont worry anymore :)
Thanks for all your help :p
 

Sprout

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#10
No, Sprout isnt the type that wants to work for treats. Weve got such a great bond he loves the praise reward, and most of the time rejects a treat when I've already patted him and make a big scene over something he's done good (which is pretty much everything lol)
 

poeluvr

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#11
Doberluv said:
Have you tried clicker training? It's great for cleaning up and shaping behavior. Look into that. I think it sounds like you're doing great things though. (yeah...don't drag him. That's not pleasant for him and will make him lose enthusiasm and drive and that's just what you're needing for him to pick up the speed.) What kind of treats are you using at home? Find something that he REALLY REALLY loves that will get him more motivated. Don't forget your playful, cheery, lively attitude. LOL. Good luck. :D
yea clicker training has taught my dog to come..hes pretty good off leash (for a pup) , and it is definetley thanks to the clicker
 

Doberluv

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#12
Clicker training is phenomenal! My Lyric learned to lead with his left shoulder, as he is required to through the weave poles in agility in two tries. It only took him two times of hearing that click and getting a treat for him to consistantly enter with his left shoulder leading. And it didn't matter which direction or where I was standing. Previously I thought I had shown him, by pointing and leading/luring and rewarded, but when I brought out the clicker and clicked the minute he did it right, that was it. He knew.

And with his heeling, he tended to lag behind and sometimes forge ahead of my leg. Lately I've been using my clicker more and when he is in the right posititon, I click and treat, keep on walking. when he is not in the right posititon, I don't click or treat. Lately, his heel has become much more consistantly precise. Dogs, it has been studied, respond to that sound so much better than our voices. It registers in their brain somehow differently. It's just quicker to use a clicker. LOL. :D
 

poeluvr

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#13
yes i think the clicker really just does help speed up the training, helping more dogs get trained then others, because normally some owners dogs might be so stubborn, the owners just quite...so yea...thumbs up!
 
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#14
Sprout said:
No, Sprout isnt the type that wants to work for treats. Weve got such a great bond he loves the praise reward, and most of the time rejects a treat when I've already patted him and make a big scene over something he's done good (which is pretty much everything lol)
I just use treats with Blackie because 1.) I've always done that, and 2.) he LOVES is food. lol I can get him to do anything if I have a treat. I'm also a fan of the lure and reward meathod, and you use a treat in that. Blackie also likes praise, and I will go wild when he does something right (or something that is hard), so he'll keep up his enthusiasim.
(I think that is why some of his sits are half hearted sits, while his recall [without distractions] is good. Because he is so good at his sits, I just give him mediocre praise, but I always praise him to high heaven for his recalls. lol)
 

bridey_01

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#18
Very few dogs will work for praise, it is a low grade reward and has no inherent worth in a dogs mind. Dogs that work ONLY for praise are few and far between. I think i see your problem.
 

Doberluv

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#19
Yup...that's why most professional trainers use treats for reward. I don't know of any dog who won't like food reward. If it's a dried up, crusty, tasteless dog biscuit, well....no wonder. Dogs love food. It's their instinct to be in a constant search for food. They get very worried if they don't have any prospects of getting lucky when they hunt. In other words, good treats are a high value item for dogs. And a reward MUST be of high value to be a reward.
 

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