Total Recall: not interested in dinner, help?

Discussion in 'Labrador Training' started by DeHeldin, Oct 22, 2018.

  1. DeHeldin

    DeHeldin Registered Users

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    Hi! I read Total Recall and love the plan and writing style!

    A couple of days ago I started pre-recall exercises with my 4yo poodle, but I was a bit worried about the upcoming whistle=wow or dinner part and as it turns out today, I was right.

    When my dog gets kibble she picks one or two, walks away, eats it and repeat. She does eat the whole thing, but is very, very laidback about it. There simply is not an ounce of visible excitement. When I gave her kibble for the first time this morning -instead of the wow treat- she sniffed it and walked away (glancing at the fridge where the WOW is stored)..

    Should I go with a more exciting dinner like meat, treats....but that seems to undermine the idea? Can you please tell me how I can handle this without messing up the TR plan?

    Thanks!

    - DeHeldin / The Netherlands
     
  2. Joy

    Joy Registered Users

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    If your dog isn't thrilled by kibble then I would do the early exercises using any food treat that she is thrilled by (this doesn't have to go in her food bowl or be part of her dinner.) The idea behind the early exercises is that you are building an emotional/ reflex response between the whistle and something really good happening (i.e. yummy food). The dog doesn't have to do anything to get the food - at this stage you are using classical conditioning to make a link in the dog's mind that whistle=delicious food.

    I suspect Total Recall was written with greedy Labradors in mind, who always love their dinner. ;)
     
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  3. Michael A Brooks

    Michael A Brooks Registered Users

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    I agree with Joy. It's a matter of working out what the dog likes, really likes. Not what we think the dog should like. And so I would broaden the point. If your dog love a tug game, then use that as the reward.
     
  4. Jo Laurens

    Jo Laurens Registered Users

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    I would suggest going back a few steps before starting on the Total Recall training plan.

    If you do what Joy suggests, you may at first get a better response to your recall training - but you may also well end up with a dog which decides to eat less and less of her kibble or regular meals and get more and more food from you, in training treats, instead. Yet the vitamins and minerals and nutrients your dog needs, are largely in the kibble. It's a bit like a kid just eating dessert and no main courses...

    This is because the underlying problem of a lack of food motivation, hasn't been fixed. You're kind of papering over it. And you will never get best results, that way. A dog which is crazy about just kibble, is going to be even MORE crazy about tasty treats. That motivation and enthusiasm is what's going to get great recalls. A dog which isn't bothered by kibble, is going to want other treats more - but not be THAT crazy about them....

    So, the first thing you need to address the food motivation issues.

    Here is how:

    • Choose 2 meal times a day (typically breakfast and dinner)
    • Put down the kibble in the bowl for the dog. If the dog walks away/as soon as the dog walks away, REMOVE THE BOWL.
    • Offer NO MORE FOOD until the next meal time. Do not take pity on the dog and think they must be hungry and offer more - NO MORE, until the next meal. When again you put the food down and remove as soon as the dog walks away.
    • Continue doing this. You should notice a huge improvement within about 3 days.
    • Do not worry about your dog dying etc etc - no healthy dog has ever starved herself to death. Dogs (and people) can actually survive weeks and weeks without food, as long as we have water. Don't forget that we are offering food twice a day!!!
    There is a version of all this here: http://www.sue-eh.ca/page24/page39/ This version involves halving the amount of food given as well, every time you get a food refusal.

    Once you have a dog which is enthusiastically eating, then stop just putting the bowl down and start TRAINING with her meals. Not necessarily recalls (since I would always suggest that recalls are associated with amazing treats, even in the house) but sits and downs and watch mes and stays and heelwork etc etc: Get the dog to WORK for and earn the food. What dogs (and people) have to work for, they are going to value more than if they are just given it for free.

    If, at any point, she walks off during a training session and appears to want no more, then put the kibble back in the bag and she gets no food and training stops.

    After a few weeks of working for her normal kibble meals like this, you should be back in a position to start Total Recall. Good luck!
     
  5. DeHeldin

    DeHeldin Registered Users

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    Thanks for all your replies!

     

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