dog training tips and questions

[JJT]

How do you train a dog that doesn't respond to food? I have a dog that won't climb/descend steps (even just three steps). Offers of food/treats don't seem to have any effect.

The problem is, getting the dog to go up/down steps is critical to going in/out of the house for bathroom breaks and it is a pain to have to carry the dog in/out of the house every time. To make matters worse, the dog is extremely submissive and pees every time you pick it up.

Getting this dog to go up/down steps would solve all the world's problems.

Any ideas?

Are the steps open, no riser? If so, time to install risers.

You'll need to find a motivator. What about her favorite toy? Make it a game and she'll be doing stairs in no time.

Will she go down the stairs on a leash? Off leash?

We had a dog that would do anything for a car ride.

Bribery works with dogs.

 

[grsthegreat]

Wish i could help, but labs and goldens are treat *hores. Will do anything for a treat. My current dog we got at 7 weeks old. Did not know what a step was. I had to kinda just sit on stairs and gently push her from one level to next while playing. Very gentle like. In a few days she was running up and down them. A few days later she jumped up onto me is my lounge chair and fell asleep on my head. It seemed like only a few days till she did a flying leap into the side by side and assumed her position…which she still retains.

 

[Rockbadchild]

How do you train a dog that doesn't respond to food? I have a dog that won't climb/descend steps (even just three steps). Offers of food/treats don't seem to have any effect.

The problem is, getting the dog to go up/down steps is critical to going in/out of the house for bathroom breaks and it is a pain to have to carry the dog in/out of the house every time. To make matters worse, the dog is extremely submissive and pees every time you pick it up.

Getting this dog to go up/down steps would solve all the world's problems.

Any ideas?

don’t feed her that morning and use that food to bribe her, maker her treat more appealing or find what gets her going, favourite toy or objects.

 

[Rockbadchild]

To my reading, the OP is primarily having an issue with pack hierarchy. The dog(s) don't truly believe that the people are the top dogs.

For me, the first step is to teach the dog to consistently come on command. I like to start this on a long retractable leash, so I can add a gentle tug to reinforce the verbal command. When the dog responds correctly, I give him pets, verbal praise, and treats.

The next step is more involved, and he needs to learn that he MUST come when I call. I also start this on a long leash, but I wait for him to get interested in something else. If he ignores me, I offer a sharper correction with the leash. The severity depends on the dog's personality, but it needs to be enough to make an impression.

The final step is to introduce the zap collar, so I can influence him from a distance, if he ignores me. For a dog that is intent on pursuing prey or scraping with another dog, this works like magic. You are almost instantly the most important thing in his life, no matter what else is happening.

I'll add that our dogs are not at all traumatized by this experience. When I power up the GPS/zap collars, they start bouncing around like it's Christmas morning, because they know they are going for an off-leash walk.

yes exactly, I haven’t gone the shock collars route yet, I had a dog one time that knew when he didn’t had it on and when he did so I am hesitant to go that route … she has a excellent recall but once that prey drive kicks in it’s a different ball game… I also have to do more work with that 30’ leash yes that’s that a good tip.

 

[Dftodd]

With just the GSD with me and or the wife we have no problem it’s once we start binging other dogs … well I mean my Lab.

Ours is not good with dogs smaller than her. She will snatch them by their throats and give them the death shake

Dogs her size, or bigger, she's fine with.

She's a one pooch household now though for the past 6 years. So we won't bring another one in the household.

She's old and set in her ways, and not used to sharing us.

 

[Dftodd]

yes exactly, I haven’t gone the shock collars route yet, I had a dog one time that knew when he didn’t had it on and when he did so I am hesitant to go that route … she has a excellent recall but once that prey drive kicks in it’s a different ball game… I also have to do more work with that 30’ leash yes that’s that a good tip.

Ours is that way with the pinch collar.

She miss manors with the pinch collar.

She's pretty decent if walked with her regular collar. The issue though is if something gets her undivided attention (Squirrel, bunny, etc..). She knows she can tug with the regular collar so you have to have enough strength to reign her in.

Son in law and I are the only ones who walk her without the pinch collar.

 

[Rockbadchild]

Ours is not good with dogs smaller than her. She will snatch them by their throats and give them the death shake

Dogs her size, or bigger, she's fine with.

She's a one pooch household now though for the past 6 years. So we won't bring another one in the household.

She's old and set in her ways, and not used to sharing us.

ouch that’s not good, mine is scared of my mom Chiwawa lol she is no viscous by any means she just has some character.

 

[Dftodd]

ouch that’s not good, mine is scared of my mom Chiwawa lol she is no viscous by any means she just has some character.

Mine isn't either. She's extremely happy to ring a little dogs neck Just walks up to it all happy, snatches it by the neck and gives it a quick shake

Neighbors across the street used to let their chihuahua's and Yorkie run loose.

So gypsy used to get attacked by them when she was a pup. So she has no patience for them now.

She did eventually get a hold of and kill their Yorkie. We were in our driveway when the ding bat let it out.

I was holding gypsies head up, but that stupid Yorkie launched right at Gypsy's face. So gypsy opened her mouth and caught it by it's head

Gypsy was on a leash and on our property. She didn't have anything to stand on. But boy did she get all butt hurt over it

 

[CalG]

"Clicker training" for food motivated dogs. REWARDS! REWARDS! move off the food as soon as possible.

Never hit your dog with your hand!

Never give a command you are not in a position to enforce.

For a no slip "stay", only release the dog with your contact. No calling "OK"! That is the three step command to failure.

 

[newkiotiguy]

Do not feed them anything but dog food and treats. No people food ever. My dogs never beg for anything we are eating because they know they won't get it.

Never let them jump on people. Hard knee to the chest over and over until they get it.

Make them understand you are the boss. If they don't, grab them by the throat, put them on their backs, and stare in their eyes until they give up. They will eventually turn away and quit fighting. A few times of that, they will get it.

Don't be a pushover. If your wife complains you are using force on the dog tell her to get over it. The dog needs to know it is on the bottom of the pack hierarchy so she may have to do it also