I am hoping someone will be able to help me on this board. I am fostering a 2.5 y/o dobermann male for a period of 4 weeks. The people that have gotten him from the rescue are waiting to take possession of their new home before they actually take him, so i've agreed to take him for that period of time.

Now he is a very nice dog, very social, very confident and EXTREMELY energetic. Seems to have super ball drive and even bigger food drive. The family that had him before decided that he was too much dog for them :rolleyes: Anyways, I wanted to do some basic obedience with him and I absolutely have no idea how to approach the issue after last night's session. At first I was using treats. I grabbed the treat and told him to sit which he did. But before I could reward him he started dropping down to the ground, shaking his paws, rolling over etc... so i told him to sit once again, after which it got even worse, he started doing his little "routine" all over again, each time being more energetic and impatient. I figured I would try the ball, but same thing happened. He just got all hectic, and just completely didnt know what to do with himself. It was obvious that he knew the command but just went into a frenzy.

I tried the heel with a ball. Once again he started jumping around, then sitting, then lying down, shaking his paws etc...

I have never dealt with a dog like this, and I kinda want to polish up his obedience a little bit for when he goes to his new owners. I wouldn't want them to decide that he's too much dog for them and deem him untrainable. I think that with some work and a correct approach this dog could be really awesome. I have no experience with training dogs like this so I'm asking for some advice as to how to get himto focus, and not go into this hectic behaviour.

I alsno want to add that this dog didn't spend much time with his previous owners, he was kept in the basement, and was let out to go to the bathroom and an hour walk a day, then back to the basement. Apparently they had gone through an obedience course with him as well.

Any help is greatly appreciated

I would say, focus on one command at a time, and with the sit, anticipate his butt hitting the ground and reward him immediately. Any delay in reward gives him the opportunity to go into his routine.

You give command, dog sits, then BAM!!!! Reward him before he can do anything else, then move. Don't keep standing in the same spot. Then give the "sit" command again, and BAM!!!! Reward him immediately. Be sure to move between each "sit" so that he's up and moving, not doing his routine. After a few reps, he should start getting the idea.

It's all in your timing.

This is a situation where a clicker is ideal. He wants to offer all kinds of behaviors, and you want to isolate and stabilize one behavior at a time. You can't get the food treat to him fast enough to let him know that the sit was the behavior you were seeking cuz by the time you feed him, he's offered 3 more behaviors. But a clicker is instantaneous and it's extremely easy to click at the exact right moment. So "mark" that sit behavior with the clicker, then feed the treat after. It doesn't matter what he does AFTER you have clicked the sit - still feed the treat. With a little repetition, the dog will make the connection that it is the behavior that was ongoing at the time of the click (your conditioned reinforcer) that is the one you are rewarding. After rewarding it several times, the cascade of other volunteered behaviors should be greatly reduced until he'll hold the sit for a long duration. Each new behavior you isolate may have to go thru this process, but if you have decent timing, it won't take long.

I was going to suggest a clicker, but I was afraid I'd be ridiculed! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Hey, if Kevin admitted he uses one sometimes, WE can't get ridiculed too much! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Clickers?

You guys use clickers? :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

I can't believe a serious trainer would use such a useless toy?!?!


(as I very smoothly slip my red Petsmart clicker in my pocket so nobody can see it <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> )

Embarassing, isn't it? I have a virtual RAINBOW of colors!

Do you know where I can get a hot pink one to match my little girly dog's collar? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I'm only kind of kidding..... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

And then there's the retractable clicker, and the wrist loop, and the finger loop, and the adjustable tone... an endless array of clicker variety!

....all that variety and no hot pink. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />