Folks,

What is the best way to bridge the gap from puppy tug to puppy sleeve? I've been training my 16 mo. old GSD female for several months at the local SchH club.

We've gotten past grabbing the burlap sack, and grabbing the burlap puppy tug, but now I want to get her onto a soft puppy sleeve and we seem to have hitten an obstacle here. The transition from floppy burlap sack to round and solid puppy tug was so easy it was a snap. But now I've got this sleeve and she is tenative at best.

I've started out by not wearing the thing, but trying to wiggle it about like the tug to stimulate her prey drive. It's not so easy with a bulky sleeve. It's hard to make it look like prey like I can with the puppy tug.

I've been working her either tied out or with a friend holding her leash. She barks and lunges while I do my best to make this sleeve look like prey, but when I bring it within gripping distance she stops barking and looks at me like she has no clue what to do with it.

With some persuasion I can get her to bite, but the grip is tenative, not at all like the full mouth hard grips she'll give on the tug.

So how do I bridge the gap?

Yvette

Have you tried putting the sleeve on a string so you can make it come *alive*?

One word - fustration. Make the dog miss and keep him from getting a bite. Do this for a couple of sessions. Then let him have a bite. If it is not full and hard well he just lost out once again. Now he must wait some more before getting a bite. Eventually he will learn that when I can I better bite and bite hard if I want my prey. The key to this all is that he sees the sleeve as his new prey item.

Or if you live in America - frustration. Either one will work.

Are you doing the helper work on your own dog? If so, this may be the problem. She may be confused about biting the owner/handler. Get a helper to make the transition to the sleeve. With you working as the helper could be causing the hold up. Good luck

Thanks for the advice. It's difficult to make a bulky sleeve look like prey. It's just too dadblasted heavy and bulky.

Vince, I like your idea of building frustration, but do you think there is value in gratification? I have been giving her plenty of chance to bite the sleeve, because when she finally does latch on then we have a good fight, just like on the tug, which she enjoys. And yes, she wins every time. By getting her to finally latch on I'm hoping to show her that the sleeve is just as much fun as the puppy tug. Perhaps, though, I shouldn't make it quite so easy. A good suggestion, Vince. By the way, you spell just as bad as Ed. I see he's been your mentor. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I've done quite a bit of the helper work myself because of her weak nerves (see my post in "fearful dogs"). I keep it all prey, all fun at this stage. She is reluctant to engage when another person is wearing the sleeve. So I usually start the training session using a puppy tug myself, or a sleeve, or sleeve cover, and get her interested in the game. Then I'll toss it to someone else while I hold her on the line. That has been more successful than just starting with a stranger.

I spell just phine.

 Quote:

Originally posted by luvmygsds2001:

She barks and lunges while I do my best to make this sleeve look like prey, but when I bring it within gripping distance she stops barking and looks at me like she has no clue what to do with it.

Yvette,

a thought...you said "bring it within gripping distance".....

everything that I have been taught says "Prey always moves away from the dog!"

when you bring it into "distance" you may be clouding her mind as to whether or not this is a "prey item"

just a thought <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I think she ment side to side or angular in approach.

she probably did... just trying to present every possibility.. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

also wanted to bring up the fact that all dogs have different thresholds for what they percieve to be Prey and Threat..

just trying to help! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />