Hi. I've adopted a 4 yrs old lab 5 months ago, and I noticed that he doesn't know any trick for instance: he doesn't shake, jump or do anything but he is very obedient and calm. Unfortunately, he is scared of balls and doesn't like to play with any toy...I've been trying to teach him to do some tricks or play some games(with a handful of treats) but with no success! If anyone can help me out and give me some advice, I'd really appreciate it. Thank you.
Hi Mariana, what are you trying to teach him and how? I would have a look at the Kikopup videos on YouTube; she breaks down how to clicker train all sorts of tricks and other useful behaviours. Teaching tricks that don't have any real importance is a great way of bonding with your dog, so I applaud you for trying. Using a clicker is a fun way of "shaping" behaviours (starting with an approximation and working towards the end result). More information on clicker training can be found here: https://www.thelabradorsite.com/clicker-training-whats-it-all-about/
Thank you! I'll have a look at them so maybe they could help me in teaching him to shake, fetch and do some activities that could entertain him because I've been trying so before but with no results.
Sounds like you have a submissive dog that was trained with aversive punishment techniques. Go slow with only treats. I would recommend a book. PM me if you want it.
I'm intrigued to know how you reach that conclusion. From the OP 's post it is possible that this is just a dog that has no, or little, history of play with a human. There is no indication in the post that the dog is submissive, in fact it's a pretty good description of my dog - calm and obedient and doesn't do many tricks . As an avid reader of all books relating to dogs, as are many other members, please share the book you would recommend. Thank you
I don't know how long you have had your dog @Mariana95 but one thing to bear in mind is that rescues can take some time to settle and trust . I`ve rehomed numerous dogs , my current one about 10 months ago , and it did take a little time for her character to shine through !
