What is the best way to motivate a puppy?

[Kyle]

So my golden is 11 1/2 weeks now, and I can tell that he's smart. Almost too smart. Sometimes he just sits down and looks at me when were in the yard We are working on the basic commands, and I want to know how I can create more motivation in him to come to me when I call. He will come, but I sometimes have to call for him a few times while he just sits and looks at me. Usually puppies are more than willing to jump into their owner arms. He is not timid, just very independent. I want him to want to come to me even when I dont have a treat in hand. What can I do?

Also, other than putting live birds in front of him, how can I increase his drive to fetch. I realize he is still young, but I want him to want to go get whatever it is that Im throwing for him more. He kind of just trots over and gets it. Somtimes not even that. I realize he's still young, but there has to be a way to increase his drive to go after moving objects, and to come to me.

[jeffreyd]

it took some time with out pups, but the more excited you are about retriving seemed to help with our older lab. the younger on 16 wks old is just starting to get into it. he wants to play more than anything

[gspman]

Keep your training sessions very short (5 minutes or less) and stop on a high note. Always stop when they are still wanting more.

As for the come command. Put a check cord on him and make him come to you. Not complying is not an option.

[MLee]

If you really want him to be crazy for birds i would take him to TKO retreivers in Hasty. I took my dog there when he was a puppy and Tim madde my dog absolutly crazy for birds and also introduced him ti gun fire. (any time he hears a loud noise now he gets really excited and looks for the bird)

[duckbuster]

Every time you take your friend outside, whether it is to potty or to train he/she SHOULD be on a lead/check cord!!!

Like an earlier post stated, denial of a command is NOT an option.

You give a command, no repsonse, you give the command a 2nd time. This time with a tug or a bit of a jerk. There should not be a 3rd.

GOOD LUCK

[Ralph Wiggum]

I agree that not obeying a command is not an option. Don't repeat commands. If you say a command and he doesn't do it, you need to make him do it. Along with this, never give a command that you can't or won't enforce. If you say COME, then make sure that he's either going to do it or that you can make him do it (ie leash or check cord). Start off walking with him on a leash, then turn around and jog a few steps while saying COME. This way, it's a game for the dog to chase you. Then, gradually increase the distance.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Oh, and depending on the dog, the COME command can be one of the most difficult to teach. It seems like retrieving dogs pick up on this easier than others (generally), but I've seen a lot of other owners of other breeds (myself included) struggling to get a consistent COME. Keep it positive and never, ever punish a dog after giving the COME command.

[thedanimalkmk]

I have a lab that is six months old and he wasn't big on retrieving at first. Now he wants to retrieve all the time. Like everyone else said, do not force it! It will come naturally and always stop with him wanting more.

Dan

[Tinkhamtown]

Run away from him, calling him as you run, when he gets close squat or kneel and praise him lavishly when he comes in. Make sure he knows the best thing he does is come when called.

Use a tennis ball or home made small sock dummy and make retrieving a fun game with only 5 or 6 retrieves per training session.

Good luck and be patience; everything comes to him who trains.

Tink

[scott christle]

i have a 7 week old puppy he is yellow lab and cocker span. mix can he be a hunting dog? hope so any tips on how to train him

[2thepointsetters]

Let them be pups for awhile and the time for training will come. Owners tend to rush the first dog they train and expect way to much from a PUPPY.

And if you really want to work on the come command, reinforce his correct actions with a treat.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Let them be pups for awhile and the time for training will come. Owners tend to rush the first dog they train and expect way to much from a PUPPY.

I believe that you should start working on basic obedience from the get-go. Nothing wrong with teaching a puppy (ie 10-12 weeks) to sit, stay, down, heel, house-training. They'll pick up on things quickly, and you'll start with a well-behaved dog. More intense hunting work should probably wait, though.

[thedanimalkmk]

Scott-

One of the better pheasant dogs that I ever hunted over was part cocker part lab. With some basic training you should be able to use him as a bird dog.

Dan

[Farmboy1]

And if you really want to work on the come command, reinforce his correct actions with a treat.

I have never been a big treat fan. Your dog should do what you tell it to because it wants to please you, not because you give it a treat. I will not carry treats in my hunting vest, and for that reason, will not train with treats.

Get him on a check cord, give the come command, bend down like you are going to pet him, and show some excitement. Dogs understand body language and this is a often underestimated training tool IMHO. The check cord is reinforcement and your control. It may take a gentle tug to get him to understand, but to refuse a command is not acceptable.

As a puppy, keep training sessions short, keep his excitement up, and if possible train at the same time of day every time.

[Tinkhamtown]

Treats work well as positive reinforcement in the beginning of puppy training and no body says you have to keep using treats all the time when the dog gets older. In fact if you do it will create other problems. In older dogs that have been trained properly praise should be all you need.

Hunger and treats is how the circus gets dogs to perform some very amazing feats. After each trick you see the trainer give the dog a treat.

[OutlawTorn]

Everyone here seems to have the right idea. Treats are OK, but they dont enforce anything - a check cord does. When teaching obedience, pup is never off the cord when it leaves its kennel. Harder said than done, but the more you stick to it, the better the results will be. And keep the training sessions short, just leave the cord on after you finish.

Dont force the retrieve - hes 11 weeks old. Just play with him at his pace - the pup will develop the desire on his own.

[Kyle]

Thanks everyone. Sounds like I need to get him a check cord.

[MuleShack]

I have a lab that is six months old and he wasn't big on retrieving at first. Now he wants to retrieve all the time. Like everyone else said, do not force it! It will come naturally and always stop with him wanting more.

Dan

I also had the same situation where my pup would not take a huge interest in retrieving. She would make 1 or 2 retrieves and then get distracted. I tried using different toys, ball, pheasant dummies etc. I got a regular white canvas dummy and purchased some dokkens liquid bird scent and put that on the dummy and now she wants to chase that thing until I decide to stop. I guess you have to find the right thing that will get their interest up.

Of course this was the same week we went to the hunting preserve and she got on some live birds. So I'm assuming she is putting 2 and 2 together.

[ESmith]

Our GSP is about 5 months old now. He had the exact characteristics as the OP describes. Would reliable comply with "come" about 10% of the time. We used the method of rewarding with a treat each time we gave the command. Over time things improved dramatically. Now he's probably 95% compliant and still improving.

However, he also goes on walks once or twice a day. When we say come, he comes with us, no questions. He used to resist at 12-14 weeks, then he figured out we are the boss not him. I think these two methods work well together.

Find a treat your dog can't resist. For us it was the cheapest hot dogs at the store, cut into small pieces. Although the downside of that was Tango's "silent but deadly's" at home!