My problem is even when I give a soft treat, boiled chix, hot dog my 4.5 mnth old GSD will stop to eat. The treat gets his attention but then he shuts down to eat.

Any words of wisdom to keep Quincy moving and eating?

Smaller treats, smaller than a dime or more.
A 1" size Zukes treat lasts me for 5 or 6 repetitions.

She gets just enough to taste the treat and want more. The dog needs to REALLY REALLY love the treat you are using. I change mine up and also make like a "trail mix" (which I got the idea from Cindy) so that the dog gets something different each time and does not get dependent on one food or the other.

Too big and your dog will get full and be half-hearted in his attempts to learn with you.

Oh, soft treats are the key as well. Crunchy treats take to long for the dog to finish.

It must be that the pieces you are giving the dog are to large. Norman Epstein

I'm envious. My 7 month old GSD is nose to the ground for our entire walks. He will heal, but under duress. And I'm constant with the corrections.

I'd like to refocus him to me and get that tight heal with intensity your dog shows.

David Fisher

Have you tried to use food at all? Or a toy that he loves?

He needs to have fun doing it and "under duress" may mean he is anticipating the corrections.

David, Carol has a point. The dog must view obedience as obedience instead of structured play. People, don't play with there dogs enough during obedience, especially during foundation work, and I would suggest you begin. Start out by playing with your dog *without a leash* and when his focus is on you beginning heeling just for a few (3-5) steps with food in your hand by your chest. As soon as you see what you want in the dogs give him the treat and praise him and go right into play and then back into heeling again, and by praise I mean actual praise not just, good boy and a pat on the head. If you don't see what you want go into play anyway, but no treat, and try again. The dog will soon look at obedience as fun and his stress level for what ever reason will lessen by each of these play/obedience sessions. Do this for about 3-5 short sessions. If I may hazard a guess, the reason your dog doesn't look at you when you walk with him is because, for some reason, you do not represent a present experience *in that situation*. You do this and you will. Good luck. Norman Epstein

Norman

Thanks for the suggestions. Our dog has fundamental obedience skills, but the thing about your video, and where we want him to be, it the absolute concentration on YOU. This behavior seems centered on the performance/praise/reward connection. I know this works, and I've had success with it in the past. It's me not keeping up with the basics and being consistant that's created this issue. I will immediately begin to take treats on all our walks and use these as the desired distractions.

What kind of treats do you use?

DF

I use jumbo smoked sausage from WalMart cut in small pieces or strips. When using the strips and I give the dog a small portion of the strip fed between my thumb and palm. In this way the dog if he has excessive food drive can't bite your hand. Buy you use what your dog likes best. Norman

What I have found with anything smoked is that it can cause an obnoxious gas...
But, I agree that it depends on the dog.

I like to use a variety of soft treats so that the dog does not become "bored" with one food or the other.

I use boiled chicken breast (no skin), any of the Zukes treats, chicken jerky strips (that you can get at Sams club, which is a huge bag for 9 bucks), small cubes of sirloin, duck breast jerky and I am also contemplating the dehydrated stuff that LB just started selling.

I also add dehydrated fruit, like apple and banana. All my dogs love this and instead of adding it to their diet, I give it to them as treats.

are you sure it isn't the dehydrated fruit causing gas? I know that it's prone to this effect in humans, so why not dogs?

other than that I use Zukes, etc., as you mention. He likes to eat anything. I could use heartworm pills as treats the way they just get snarfed right down without pause.

DF