How Do You........

[dukedogsmom]

get your dogs to hold things in their mouths? I'd like to teach Dasher this but don't know how to go about it. I've tried saying "stay" but since he's already sitting, I guess that confuses him. I'd love to get some good pics of him with Mr. Mallard in his mouth.

[agilityk9trainer]

Shaping the behavior with a clicker works great. If you haven't ever used a clicker, then you'll have to start by learning how to do that. There are lots of good books on the subject.

[Canis-Lupess]

Yeah, clickers can be used for pretty much everything.

I used to get mine to learn how to hold stuff by putting it in their mouth and then, without too much pressure, holding their mouths closed around it and then slowly let go asking them to "hold it". They usually held it for a short while before dropping it and I'd just repeat and, gradually, they'd hold it for longer and longer. Whilst they had it in their mouth, I always spoke to them in a soft fussy voice, repeating the command but telling them what a good girl/boy they were. Each time I tried it, they'd hold it for longer and if they dropped it, I'd just stop speaking and repeat. If they were holding it for a few seconds, I'd often get them to do it and then go in and give them a fuss and praise them and get them to give it back to me...before they dropped it themselves. They knew they were being praised for holding it then rather than dropping it. Seemed to work well enough for me.

[dukedogsmom]

I'm still having trouble with this. Clicker is not an option because I've been using it as a distraction to get him to stop licking his feet. I'm also going to put him back on a small dosage of anti anxiety meds. Everytime I give him a non chewable item, he wants to chew it. I've tried telling him to stay. I think I'll start saying "hold it" because when I want him to drop his tennis ball, I say "drop it". Any suggestions?

[Giselle]

That's alright. You can recondition the clicker and choose another noise to distract Dasher, such as a can of pennies or simply "AH AH!".

I haven't shaped a "Hold It" with Ivy yet but I figure it would work similar to this:
1) C/t (click and treat), c/t, c/t. Stop.
2) Hold out a bone or stick. Every time dog even nudges the bone/stick, click treat. Repeat repeat repeat. Stop.
3) Dog thinks, dog will probably start to mouth the bone/stick. Click treat, repeat repeat repeat. Stop.
4) Dog thinks some more, dog will probably grab the bone/stick from you. Click treat, repeat repeat repeat. Gradually let the dog hold the bone for longer periods of time, all the while marking his good behavior with c/t. Eventually, you can add the cue word.

Again, I haven't personally tried this, but my experience tells me that this is how you should progress. I think I'll try it out tomorrow, in fact ;)

[Blackrose]

In order to "Cliker Train" you don't need to use a clicker. I free shaped with my two older dogs to teach them to retrieve a stick from the ground and hand it to me (a Lab and a Lab mix that don't play fetch...weird, I know) and I never once used a little plastic box with a metal slab in the middle.

The marker word I use is "Yes!". At the moment when someone using a clicker would be clicking, I say, "yes!" It's simple, not a word I use much in day to day conversation, short, it leaves my hands free, and I always have it with me.

I agree with the training methods listed above. "Hold it" sounds like a good command to use.

[Giselle]

Clickers are simply markers. You mark the right behavior, you stop, the dog thinks and performs. In essence, the dog is teaching himself. You're just there to guide the dog. "Yes!" works, but not nearly as efficiently as clickers. Voice pitches vary and, speaking from personal experience, my body thinks faster than my voice :p

The clicker is a marker of good behavior - nothing more. Sounds too simple if you ask me, but that's all there really is to it! If you can find a better marker, use it :)

[Tollers-n-Dobes]

1) C/t (click and treat), c/t, c/t. Stop.
2) Hold out a bone or stick. Every time dog even nudges the bone/stick, click treat. Repeat repeat repeat. Stop.
3) Dog thinks, dog will probably start to mouth the bone/stick. Click treat, repeat repeat repeat. Stop.
4) Dog thinks some more, dog will probably grab the bone/stick from you. Click treat, repeat repeat repeat. Gradually let the dog hold the bone for longer periods of time, all the while marking his good behavior with c/t. Eventually, you can add the cue word.


This is exactly how I taught Dance her "hold" and she caught on in about an hour all together, except I skipped the nudging part as she just wanted to grab or mouth it right away. It took about two days all together, maybe a little less, before she knew what "hold" meant. It's really simple and easy. :)

[Genny]

I didn't read what everyone else said, but to me dogs jst kinda hold things in their mouths when they want to. That's how all mine are; they like to play w/ their toys and all but only 'when that feel like it.' :D

I'm just being curious...what kind of dog is Dasher? A friend of mine had a JRT named Dasher, but he died a few months ago :(

[dukedogsmom]

I practiced with him this morning using a Milk Bone and he was doing really well. However, when I try to get him to take something that's not food related, I have to pry open his mouth and then pretty much hold it there myself. Any clues on how to get him to accept things besides food? I've got a good idea for a great halloween pic but I've got to teach him this trick for it.

[Giselle]

Are you clicker training him? If you're using a clicker, Dasher should be willing to hold anything in his mouth because his reward isn't the object.

[dukedogsmom]

I've been working with Dasher and here's a pic. I swear the basket is off the ground. It's just that the handle is so long. Also, to get him to take things, I have to pry his mouth open. Is there any way to just get him to accept it without me having to do that? If it's not food, he's not interested.
http://www.boomspeed.com/dukedogsmom/100807_1.jpg

[Giselle]

Awww, what a cutie. If he's so food motivated, you could just dab a bit of peanut butter on the handle of the basket. Or you could just take a piece of chicken and smear it on the handle. As long as it has a smell, Dasher should be attracted to it.

[dukedogsmom]

LOL. I did try the peanut butter on the hand. He just licked it off :p I'm still working with him. He's got a ways to go before he'll just hold something but he's come a long way. I'm really pleased with him because he learned this pretty quickly.