Is Your Dog Bored with Training?

Angie West
Companion Dog Trainers
St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada

I have a yellow Lab mix that is easily bored.
Here are some techniques I use to motivate mine and other bored dogs.

Tasty treats
My Lab is a chowhound and is motivated by extra tasty treats such as freeze-dried liver, wiener slices, salmon biscuits or cheese. She never gets these treats except in training. Even with food I find that 3 repetitions is her maximum. She gets increasingly sloppy if I repeat too much.

Don't repeat commands they already know
In training, we use the rule that if we give a command and the dog does it successfully, we don't repeat it. Repetition suggests to the dog that no matter how well it does you are not pleased. So the dog has no incentive to perform well. Some dogs become more creative because they think that they didn't do it right so they try variations.

Toys for Motivation
My other dog, a Siberian Beagle (Husky X Beagle), is a Frisbee-maniac. At the end of an agility run I throw the Frisbee for her. We had one dog in obedience classes that was not motivated in her recalls until we introduced a squeaky. So to motivate your dog, use whatever really turns him on. Don't overuse the motivator. It should remain special by appearing as rarely as possible.

Erik Blizzard
Top Dog Kennels
Palm City, FL, USA

Food motivation is probably the best perkier-upper. Why? Because it will gain focus and a calm spirited workout with the right person working with a bored dog.

But if food doesn't seem to be getting the job done, try prey motivation! That's right if your dog enjoys playing ball or even gets excited from fast erratic movement, you can harness that energy by working your dog with it's natural prey drive. You can use a tennis ball, or a piece of rubber garden hose. What to remember is that prey drive will bring energy....lots of energy.

Start by getting two prey objects (ex. Two balls, etc.) and throw one of them. When the dog grabs it offer the other one, this is to avoid conflict from the dog having to give up their prey to you. Hold the ball up in the air and begin heeling, halt the heel again, etc. your dog should have most of it's focus on the prey object.

You must remember that the dog will need a reward, that's when I release the dog and the fetch game begins again.