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#184438 - 03/07/08 12:18 AM
Drive & Focus Training For Malamutes
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Mark Villasenor
Leerburg Web Board User
Registered: 01/29/08
Posts: 35
Loc: High Sierras, California
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Greetings Group:
At present I’m working on getting my oldest Alaskan Malamute interested in a prey item, but so far no such luck after trying several toys (Malamutes are notoriously independent). He’s very food driven, however, so I’ve begun to stuff a Kong ball with steak bits, yet he’s shown little interest in engaging the ball. I’m even considering starving him a little to increase the enticement factor, as Mals can easily go two to three days without a full meal (and still be very active).
It should be noted that I’m not looking for the same intensity of drive as say a GSD or Belgian might display for Schutzhund, but a basis from which to build. The Malamutes will obviously not participate in Schutzhund, so related intensity of drive is not expected; such would be great ultimately gain, but it’s not expected.
I’d like to use drive training as a means to focus the Mals to enhance their pull routines, if possible. Albeit I am realistic in that Malamutes may not be best suited for drive training, and am prepared to adjust accordingly.
In any case, suggestions on getting a headstrong breed (Malamutes) to show interest in drive training would be greatly appreciated. I am hopeful this breed is intelligent enough to do the work (drive training) to whatever extent, but am uncertain how to get these independent dogs rolling.
Thanks in advance for your comments.
_________________________
Happy Trails, Mark (& "The Boys") 
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#184442 - 03/07/08 12:51 AM
Re: Drive & Focus Training For Malamutes
[Re: Mark Villasenor]
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Jennifer Marshal
Leerburg Web Board User
Registered: 08/02/07
Posts: 1036
Loc: Southern Oregon
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I do believe they are intelligent enough, but if they lack drive they lack drive.
Try as many different prey items as you can think of. Have you used a flirt pole? Have you only used a ball on a string? Look around for appropriate items (that will not harm the dog) to test and see which the dogs like best. I have found that leather works quite well. Fake fur, chamois cloth, rolled rag etc. I have used hair on deer skins before, but they were tanned naturally without chemicals.
BDF works for any dog that has enough drive to be interested in a prey item, the ultimate goal for a lot of people might be for protection sport but in general it is for drive building and a foundation of control.
I had a husky and have worked with northern breeds, even a shiba inu. They are fun dogs. Try anything that comes to mind as a prey item, think back if you have noticed your dogs being overly interested in something and try to replicate that in a safe item for drive building.
If they like squeeker toys at all you can try using the squeeker insert, the little plastic squeeker you can get at pet stores or craft stores, to initiate interest. Squeek and move prey item at the same time squeek squeek squeek and move prey item together, build it up and slowly decrease the squeeks until you are only moving the prey item and not squeeking. It may take longer in the beginning of developing the drive before you begin to introduce control.
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#184473 - 03/07/08 08:28 AM
Re: Drive & Focus Training For Malamutes
[Re: Jennifer Marshal]
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Angela Burrell
Leerburg Web Board User
Registered: 05/10/06
Posts: 1067
Loc: Sarnia, Ontario, Canada
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Where could one obtain deer or rabbit skins? I have a flirt pole with a stuffed animal on the end but my hound-type dog doesn't care for the stuffed animal.
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#184481 - 03/07/08 09:18 AM
Re: Drive & Focus Training For Malamutes
[Re: Angela Burrell]
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Mark Villasenor
Leerburg Web Board User
Registered: 01/29/08
Posts: 35
Loc: High Sierras, California
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Thanks Ladies, encouraging information so far; much appreciated.
Just for the record, I’m very confident my Mal puppy (12 weeks as of this writing) will eventually engage a prey item strong. I’ve already begun acclimating him to the (making drive) game and he engages rags, the Kong ball, feathers on a string, etc. so there are definitely good prospects for the pup. It’s the adult Mal (Merit, pictured at my sig-line) that concerns me, as far as “drive” routines go.
Also, its not that Merit (the subject adult Mal) does not have prey drive. As a matter of fact he’s quite prey active in the field, alerting and lighting on squirrel and birds, etc. But he’s been taught a “leave-it” command to prevent crittering (chasing wildlife) in the wild, so I’m thinking maybe (just maybe) he believes this applies to the making drive game to some extent... More testing is required, though, to prove this out.
I’m also considering making (or purchasing) a ‘toy-on-a-string-n-stick’ as used by Bernhard Flinks in Mr. Frawley’s DVD. Bits of rabbit, fox, and coyote fur can be acquired through Ebay rather inexpensively and tied to the end of the string. Then I’d use some of the side motions as suggested here.
Any other suggestions and/or recommendations would be greatly valued.
_________________________
Happy Trails, Mark (& "The Boys")
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#184506 - 03/07/08 10:58 AM
Re: Drive & Focus Training For Malamutes
[Re: Mark Villasenor]
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Will Rambeau
Registered: 01/25/03
Posts: 4742
Loc: Southern U.S.
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Mark,
With the Malamute's well-know food drive, why not just continue using food?
A lot of the big name trainers used food entirely as a reward ( after shaping the behavior first, of course ) in the 1980's and with a food driven dog, this worked fairly well.
So I'd stick to what works with *your* dog - that's actually one of the "big secrets" of dog training, lol. 
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although I agree some dogs just dont have much.
