Hi all, me again! The subject of my query is our 10 week old Yellow English Labrador Indy. We're trying to train little Indy to go to the toilet at a specific place in the garden. If left to her own devices, she'll just wee on the grass/in the house the majority of the time. So, we scoop her up whenever it looks like she's gonna go (and every 45 mins to an hour regardless) and take her to her specific spot. We always carry a bag of treats with us to reward her for weeing/pooing there, but she largely has ZERO interest in them what so ever. In fact, the only thing she reliably gets excited for is an opportunity to have a little dash around the garden - not always an option when it's pouring with rain. So, how can we reward a puppy for good behaviour when she's not interested in treats? Thanks!
I'm no expert and others will come along with more nouse than me but how about bags of praise, strokes and "yay"s? My pup responded to treats but all the labs I grew up with were rewarded with verbal praise only and they all did ok. The last one I remember - we said a word as she did a wee (it was 'squats', my dad's choice, I said "wee" to my pup) and when she finished we'd say "good girl", that was it! Soon enough we said "squats" and away she went! Or maybe try treats she is more likely to eat? I don't know what you've tried, I think I used my pup's kibble but possibly chicken bits or sardines?
I think you answered your own question. A dash around the yard for her reward. Play is a great reward and you can use if for other things. I nearly always found they potty better after they've walked around a bit. Could you do that, then a play for a reward after the deed is done? I never used treats for potty and they still got the idea if all I said was GOOD BOY, Good Hurry UP (my word for pee) orGood Finish (poop) and gave some pets and cuddles. I did try the one spot idea but found OH wasn't so it didn't work.
It could be that your treats just aren't god enough . Try tiny little cubes of cheese or chicken or even hot dog sausage. If none if them work play is a huge reward for some dogs so perhaps with a ball or a tug toy. Praise and a fuss can work but generally not highly rated by a young pup unless you make it quite exciting.
Thanks for your help guys. I wasn't sure if I should be feeding such a young pup cheese and hot dogs, but I've heard it mentioned elsewhere.
Though our pup is very food orientated we do up our treats for special behaviours! Jordy loves Cubes of Roast chicken, bits of sausage or cheese. He also loves fluffy toys and us engaging him in play with them, and so easily excited when we waggle them about!
It could also be your puppy isn't hungry if she's full up from her meals. Not that I'm in any way advocating keeping your puppy hungry, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with even using her entire meal allowance as training treats throughout the day, so she doesn't actually get a meal in a bowl. Does she eat her meals with gusto? I second finding out what makes her tick and using that as her reward. If it's having a mooch around the garden, that's fine. Make sure you put it on cue; I use a few different ones depending on the circumstances, but "go play" is my cue for them to .... well, go and play By putting it on cue, you are making it into a valuable reward you can use at other times. To do this, you simply say "go play" every time you see her about to trot off to chase a leaf, or sniff the roses. She'll soon associate the cue with the action, and then you can use it, for example, as a reward for walking to heel for a few paces on a walk. Using a behaviour she likes to do as a reward for a behaviour that she doesn't currently do (walking to heel in this case) actually transfers the value of the thing she likes onto the thing she's learning. It's pretty cool
You're not feeding your pup on cheese or hit dog - you are rewarding them with one tiny piece for weeing in the right place. Size wise the chicken/cheese/hot dog should fit easily in the hand if a Barbie doll . Putting 'Go play' on cue is really good - I use 'go sniff' but wouldn't a 'go play' cue be dangerous if used as a reward on a busy surburban road
That's why I said I have different cues depending on the circumstance. I also use "go sniff" when I want to reward my dogs with a sniff. This is very different to "go play", which is different again to "ok then". Different rewards get different cues. As the OP has a ten-week old puppy, who is restricted to the garden at present, I don't think the issue with the road is something she has to worry about - we're talking about releasing her puppy to play in the garden, not on the A3.
@snowbunny without wishing to be nitpicking or pedantic or in breach of any forum rules I appreciate that the OP has a 10 week old pup only allowed in the garden; however you give as a specific example I was merely pointing out that the use of a cue at such a time could be potentially dangerous.
No-one has suggested using a release cue in a potentially dangerous situation. I am pretty sure that everyone here can work out when it is and isn't safe to release a dog to run free off lead, and when it is and isn't safe to have them even leave our side.
Thank you, Rachael. Yes, I think we need to attribute the majority of our membership with enough common sense not to let their dogs go "free" when it's not appropriate, whoever is giving that advice (even a trainer). Not everyone walks their dog to heel solely next to roads.
I would NEVER have my dog off lead near a road. Ever. In fact I come out in a cold sweat, heart in mouth, when I see others do it round town. (sorry, I think I have diverted the thread a bit)
No, eeek, I wasn't suggesting I have my dogs off lead by roads!! I practice off-lead heel work (off lead anything) only where we're a long way from any roads, and so my "go play" cue would only be appropriate in those same situations.
As far as toiletting in a specific place goes we have a fence round our place - it's much easier all round, easier to keep clean and easy to reward the pup by allowing them into the rest of the garden when they have 'performed'.
Going potty is very interesting in our house. DH has no power. From a little pup if I went out with her and said "quickly quickly" in a high pitched voice she would squat almost immediately. And it has remained like that, even though I am rarely the one that takes her out now that her bladder control is better and mostly we will let her out for a few minutes and she will wait at the back door when she is done. With DH she wanders around and sniffs things. It drives him batty but he can't win it all. I have the power of the pee
