My lab puppy is 6 months old and has been in training classes since 8 weeks. When we’re at home, he is excited and participates in his training sessions with enthusiasm. However, when he is in class. He will practice a few of the behaviors and then lay down and refuse to move. I have tried switching up treats including using cheese and sausages. Of course, as soon as the trainer comes over he jumps up and does everything perfectly and lays right back down when the trainer leaves. Any advice on how to get him engaged in his training classes again?
Interesting. There must be a reason for his refusal. Keir sometimes goes into this ‘I don’t want to’ mode (it’s a GR ‘thing’ apparently). He’ll sit or lie down and simply refuse. An example is weeing on command, all my other pups were trained to do this, no problem. They’d squeeze one out any time, any where. Keir will do it most of the time then, sometimes, he’ll just decide ‘Nope’. I know it seems odd but I find that I can charm him into it! Getting down low, using a baby voice and telling him how wonderful he is snaps him out of it!
I know there must be a reason, but I’m having difficulty cracking it! I looked like a one woman song and dance show last week trying to excite him into standing up during class. He’s definitely in “I don’t want to” mode...but only with my husband or myself during class. If he was doing it all the time or with everyone, it’d be a different story. Every time the trainer comes over and he does all his commands perfectly and looks over at me like “what?” I just have to laugh. At least he knows all his commands at home and in public?
If he happily responds to the trainer in class and responds to you at home/in the garden etc I would tend not to worry. It sounds as if he does some repetitions and then gets bored, and if that's the case I'm on his side . Repeating exercises that he knows well and is responsive on can be boring for him, and for you. Have a chat with your trainer as they should be able to show you some extensions to the exercises to make them more fun and challenging for both of you.
