Hello! Well my 13 week old choc lab puppy basically knows his commands (when he wants to do it), such as sit (he does this very well!), give paw and speak. However, when it comes to "down" (lie down) and especially to "come/recall" he is now doing this "only if I feel like it" in which he either looks at me then ignores me... or worse yet, he plays "dead" in which if I try to physically manipulate him to at least prop him up on his feet to come or push him to go where I need him to go, he then slides down on his back/tummy up and won't get up. If I try to pick him upright again, he then stiffens up and continues to stay on his back to the point, where i can sweep the floor with him. It's funny to see him do this but I realize it's a big problem that is getting worse as he's growing older -- he's now 12 kilos/24 pounds now. Now the only time he'll come on command is when I have a treat... but I don't want him to be bribed all the time. I do mini-recall sessions off-leash in a closed courtyard to "come" in which he follows me using a treat. But most of the time he just doesn't respond if there are no treats. For the "lie down" he doesn't like to do it and it takes me a good 5-8 minutes of repeating while he circles and dances around until he finally does it, but then pops right back up. I make sure he does it on carpet surface. I know this is my fault and not his... so if there is any advice I can do to correct myself in training to have him "come" to me on command, it would be greatly appreciated. Or, if I just need to relax and it's a phase, and it's him being a puppy? And to stop expecting so much? He won't be starting school till he's 6 months old (per our veterinarian advice) and his housebreaking is about 80% with accidents occuring (not sure if it's to get attention and/or mark). He also eats so fast and is so greedy with food, it's crazy. I am socializing him every day but as he gets older, he is going bananas with other people/children/dogs he literally can choke himself while I'm trying to hold him back with the leash because he's also jumping up on people in overexcitement. For exercise, he has a dog playdate 5 days a week and I also take him on a 15 minute walk for his exercise. All in all, he is the joy in our lives and so sweet! Thanks so much but help to nip this while I can!
Re: My puppy plays dead when he doesn't want to "come/recall"... Well, sounds like you are definitely not bored at any rate ;D You boy sounds lovely, with typical Lab puppy enthusiasm With the down, I am not sure if you are physically putting him into a down position but it is best to avoid doing this. It is best to do this without pushing on the dog (they naturally resist pressure and will just push back against you). Personally, I would teach this exercise again from scratch using a totally new cue. To get him to lie down, first use a treat in front of his nose, then move it down to the ground and draw it along the ground a little way. You want him to follow the treat down and then stretch out into a lying position. Don't move the treat so much that he crawls along the ground. If you are using a marker word or a clicker (just ask if you are not sure what those things are) then mark/click as soon as his belly touches the ground. You may have to wait for this to happen. It may take some minutes. Another method is to try kneeling with one knee on the ground the the other leg bent so your foot is on the ground and your leg is making an 'archway' that is about the height of your pup lying down. Lure your pup under this so he lowers himself to follow the treat. Or you can use a coffee table or other low thing. Once he is reliably following the lure (that is, once he has done it a few times in a row), put the food in your other, non-lure hand and pretend you have food in your lure hand (keep your hand closed so it might contain food). Use your former lure hand just as you did before to get a down and as soon as he goes down mark and reward with the treat from the other hand. Your former lure hand has now become your signal hand - the hand movement downwards is a cue now, not a lure. Do this a few more times, then change the treat location so it is in your pocket, or anywhere else that he can't see it. When that is working, start to only reward him when he is really fast - this means that he may not always get a treat and it also means that you will be both shaping a faster drop and moving to an 'intermittent reinforcement schedule' (which build a stronger, more durable response). At some point in there when you think he is really getting it you can introduce your brand new cue word. There is no rush to introduce a word though - wait till he is responding well to the hand signal. I would write a bit more about the recall but I am at work and expecting a phone call from a client, so I had better go Sorry to dash...
Re: My puppy plays dead when he doesn't want to "come/recall"... Dear Raechel, thank you so much for your so informative reply... all sounds good and will start it today the new approach for the lie down...will see how it works!!!!! Again greatly appreciate your advice!
