Lucy gets wound up too. One, I feed her first. I make sure she ISN"T empty stomached. She definitely doesn't need incentive to work. She loves training also.

As to low value "rewards". I bought Wellness Pure Rewards to use for HIGH value. I cut them into 4-5 strips and then into 3-4 pieces. Since these are her favorites now, all other training food rewards went down a notch. So, I would offer one of each type of reward (for example : kibble, apple, cat nibbles, another training treat, etc ), and the one she turns her nose up on (read choses LAST) is the one I ADD to the wellness rewards. I also add a middle one to the mix and she doesn't know which she gets. If her attention flags, I can feel which is high value and offer that.

I also use praise or the right to a "victory lap". She is on line most of the time when we train. Sometimes, when she is very proud of herself, she does want to "lap" and I let her. Then, back to being restricted.

So, I guess I mix it up between food and activity. For Lucy, rewards don't have to be food...although she is so food motivated, I could use apples, melons, celery, carrots, and blue berries and she would still train.

I just have to remember WHEN to use high and low rewards...sigh.

Edited by Jo Harker (05/10/2009 06:33 AM)
Edit reason: clarity, I hope.

Aha, fruit might be a good choice. Didn't think of that. I know he doesn't like bananas but does eat apples. Those might be lower value than his kibble.

 Quote: angela burrell

I have a dog that loves training so much, he starts hollering from inside his crate in another room if he so much as hears me tell another dog to "sit". .... In fact, training him is very difficult because he gets so wound up that he doesn't listen or absorb anything.

I have one too. He moaned while complying with the commands and wanted to do each command eleven times in a row before I could mark it. He vocalized with a low whine if the commands did not come fast enough.

This dog does best learning new stuff if he is both fed and exercised first. He still absolutely adores marker work, but now he's not a total spaz the whole time.

Funny how different they all are.

Duke's just a spaz, in general. He carries on anytime we're doing anything with Rasta, when we're getting ready for a walk, getting ready to get into the car, and so on. He gets a two mile walk every day, play time, tug time, chill time, and training and is still full of energy. It never ends. It's like a bottomless pit of hyperactivity! But like Alyssa says, that means he wants to be with his handler and isn't an overly bad thing.

Oddly enough, his most calm time is when we're marker training. I use approximate 1/8"x1/8" pieces of hot dog (Bar S brand, $.88 per pack) for high value and praise as the low value. With the recall, for example, he's got so much energy that he just doesn't need hot dog. But if we're working socialization/Ob at a supermarket, he gets the hot dog for everything and will bite his own foot off for just one more piece.

 Quote: angela burrell

I have a dog that loves training so much, he starts hollering from inside his crate in another room if he so much as hears me tell another dog to "sit".

I have been thinking about this. Is this the way he behaves BEFORE he trains and goes through his victory laps? If he does, any chance you could rotate him away from others so he can't hear you, or play or walk before training to change it up? Maybe he just gets too charged? Also, long tether under your foot or attached to your waist so he can't lap?
(Truly, he sounds like a fun time boy if he weren't 'frustrating')... :smile:

 Quote: scott garrett

I use approximate 1/8"x1/8" pieces of hot dog (Bar S brand, $.88 per pack)

I would use Hebrew National if I used any. They are the only hotdog I buy ( or like and can tolerate touching)...I tend to 'spoil' the critters at my house. But, the training treats are so small, yet pungent, it actually isn't that hard on the pocket book.

Aren't we lucky to have critters that LOVE to train? Yay for us!

Those are great. I'm partial to Nathan's, myself.

Speaking from personal experience.......lololo. I would work on "containment" as much as I work on sit, down, stand, heel.
Make it part of the training session.......Really helps the dog
focus and learn much more quickly. Remember, to keep your energy soft and quiet, divert your eyes. Slow breathing on your part, sighing......will affect the dog in a wonderful way.
Happy Training,
Roni

I would love to have some containment but I worked so hard to get her to come out of her shell, now I am afraid I will put her back. I do get soft energy, diverting eyes, and slow breathing. I will try that. I am sure angela will too. Hopefully it helps us all.

Great point, Roni. Thank you.

We've actually been working on containment for the past few days, mostly at meal time which is his worst time for being calm. I've made it a 2384989832.pi step process where he has to work for his meal. I put his bowl outside, wait for him to calm down before I open his crate, sit while I put his leash on, come out on command and sit again while I shut the door, walk beside me to the front door, sit and wait to come out, sit and wait for me to close the door behind us, then sit while I walk down the two steps, join me, sit calmly, down, and then when he calmly looks at me I let him go. I do what I can to keep my energy low, but I have a pretty high level of energy myself so that's hard for me as well. Today has been really nice. He's been calm almost all day and was the calmest he's ever been for meal time.

How would you recommend making it part of a training session?

I like to be able to use both a clicker and a marker word (yes).
I reward my dog in the actual position, for instance, placing the ball or food directly in the mouth, while the dog is in a sit, count to three and then play tug with the toy, or explode in movement if I am using food. When I am working on containment, I use the word as I can say it softly, just before placing the reward. Michael Ellis taught me this, just make sure to say the word before you place the reward. Watch the dog's body. All parts should be still before you mark the position. Timing is really important here.
Jo, you can see that this is REALLY fun for the dog. I will try and film this to show everyone, but please be patient as I am technology challenged, lololoo. I sooooo wish I had met Michael
when I first got Tobi, sure would have made our lives easier, lolololo. Our "completed" sit was non-existant, because I couldn't see that 1/2 inch of hovering and I rewarded Tobi while he was "doing the Malinois quiver".
Hope this helps,
Happy Training,
Roni