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12-20-2008, 01:00 PM | #1 |
YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: van nuys, ca, usa
Posts: 9
| training an unenthused morkie our new morkie is a bit stubborn. he knows sit but will only sit when you have a treat in hand. and i can't, for the life of me, get him to go "down". he's only food-driven to a certain extent (about 8-10 sits) before he loses interest and just stops listening. he's not toy-driven either, nor does he seem eager to please in general (unlike our corgi mix, who's very food driven and eager to please for the most part). seems because this dog has been alone for the past few months, he's somewhat mopey and uninterested in playing. i can't say that i've seen his stubby tail wag since being here. anyone have suggestions for training a pup who's not food or toy driven? and anyone have suggestions on how to make our pup into a happy, playful pup?? |
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12-20-2008, 01:20 PM | #2 |
I ♥ Joey & Ralphie! Donating Member | Lol, it most be the yorkie in him. I've read that Yorkies, aren’t like other breeds, in their wanting to please you, and I agree with this entirely. They almost seem cat like in this way. Usually, you can train a dog, using food, and switch to simple praise and pats, but not with Joey, if he doesn't see a treat coming after he performs several tricks; he quits. I use all his breakfast, and ½ his evening meal for training, and since he's hungry, he's very eager to perform, but training needs to be done when they are hungry, or else you have to entice them with food that is really bad for them. Keep training sessions short, when he's bored go to something else. Now, that he's no longer a puppy, he doesn't seem to love toys as much, but he does love a couple that make loud noises, especially one that crows like a rooster. Most of the time, he wants us to interact with the toy, either try to grab it or play tug of war. His all-time favorite is "chase me"; he loves this game. Joey does wag his tail a lot, and it would bother me if he didn't. Are you sure your dog is getting enough exercise? Walking and exploring the neighborhood can be fun, and some stores, like Home Depot, don't mind if you walk the aisles, and Joey loves this.
__________________ NancyJoey Proud members of the CrAzYcLuB and YAP! ** Just Say No to Puppymills – Join YAP! Yorkshire Terrier Club of America – Breeder Referrals |
12-20-2008, 10:32 PM | #3 |
YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: van nuys, ca, usa
Posts: 9
| my husband and i have decided to feed him less at meals and make him earn the rest of his food through training. we actually didn't know yorkies acted more like cats... takes the fun out of owning a dog! as far as exercise, we walk him in the morning and at night. i've also been taking him to the dog park every day since getting him on thursday but he never goes more than 5 feet away. in general, he's a mopey dog. |
12-21-2008, 04:14 AM | #4 | |
BANNED! Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: South Carolina
Posts: 2,376
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12-21-2008, 05:05 AM | #5 |
Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Indiana
Posts: 236
| I teach obedience classes and also private lessons for people who compete with their dogs in obedience (and train my own as well). Different dogs require different approaches. It would be a rare toy dog that would learn like a herding breed. Here are a few ideas: (1) Far fewer repetition. 8-10 sits is too much. I do 4 reps of any exercise at the most in any one session. If he does it the first time and gets it right, why do it again? (2). What I call "active" training. This means the dog is in motion in between skills, which means you are in motion too. Keep him up and moving and then ask for random sits, downs, stands whatever. Lots of activity and lots of praise. Toss food treats and tell him to get them then call him to you and toss a treat between your legs for him. Lots of enthusiatic praise, lots of telling him he is the smartest dog ever. (3) On the down, sit on the ground with your legs straddled. Bend one knee so there is a little hole between it and the ground. Have him "limbo" under it for a treat, you may need some really high value food like liverwurst at first. (4) Fade out treats. The first rep he sees it, the second rep hold it in your fist so he can smell it but not see it. Then it goes in your sleeve, then the other hand, then your pocket, then on a table, etc. Do this over the course of several sessions. Good luck and pm me with any questions! |
12-21-2008, 06:05 AM | #6 |
♥ Chip ♥ Smokey ♥ Donating Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Leesburg
Posts: 3,835
| This is how I taught Smokey to do down.
__________________ ~*~ Chip ~*~ Smokey ~*~ My heart is wrapped around their little paws Karley Marissa born 1/20/12 weighing 8 lbs 11 oz and 21.5 inches long |
12-21-2008, 06:54 AM | #7 | |
I ♥ Joey & Ralphie! Donating Member | Quote:
__________________ NancyJoey Proud members of the CrAzYcLuB and YAP! ** Just Say No to Puppymills – Join YAP! Yorkshire Terrier Club of America – Breeder Referrals | |
12-21-2008, 10:28 AM | #8 | |
Donating YT 10K Club Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: S. W. Suburbs of Chicago, IL
Posts: 12,235
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Wildcard gave you really great suggestions for training. I would also like to add that you need to ALWAYS use the same motion, same hand and word for the trick you are trying to teach. I have also used Cheerios for treats which they LOVE. They have tiny tummies and get full so fast so the Cheerios work really well. Pebbles is my Yorkie who we have had since she was 6 months old. Not only did she not have much socialization as a small puppy but she is very stubborn. When I first brought her home I tried working with her, she would maybe sit for a treat but usually not. She just was not interested in doing any tricks. In June we brought home Doodlebug who was 10 weeks old and a Morkie. I started right away working with him in very short sessions just a few minutes at a time. He blew me away~he is so smart and learned very quickly. Several times a day I would just sit on the ground with a bag of Cheerios and do sit and treat and praise. It only took a day or so for him to learn sit. We moved on to give paw, down, roll over, play dead all the while Pebbles was hanging in the background watching him. Well Pebbles decided she wanted Cheerios like Doodlebug. All of a sudden she knew what to do just from watching Doodlebug. Now they both do many tricks. Then in September I brought Bogey (Morkie) home from a shelter. He was totally out of control and a hyper wild man with NO MANNERS whatsoever, but he learned very quickly too from watching the other two. I'm still working with him on the down and roll over since it is very hard with three. I try to take him on the side alone and do a few minutes of training but the other two always want in too. I would like to add that as soon as he becomes disinterested even in the slightest stop. Try not to rush things because everyone will become frustrated. Little steps at a time and you will see before long he will be able to do tricks without treats. My three will do all their tricks on hand signals only and without treats but it didn't happen over night. | |
12-21-2008, 10:35 AM | #9 |
♥ Chip ♥ Smokey ♥ Donating Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Leesburg
Posts: 3,835
| Also, I'd like to add... always end on a good note. Don't end a session because he's not listening, otherwise he'll think he can get away with not listening. Also, what tone of voice are you using? When telling them to do something you can't be all sing songy, but at the same time you don't want to be too firm and screaming at them. You want to sound firmish, but not loud... if that makes sense.
__________________ ~*~ Chip ~*~ Smokey ~*~ My heart is wrapped around their little paws Karley Marissa born 1/20/12 weighing 8 lbs 11 oz and 21.5 inches long Last edited by Ashley V; 12-21-2008 at 10:36 AM. |
12-21-2008, 01:08 PM | #10 |
YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: van nuys, ca, usa
Posts: 9
| thanks for all your helpful feedback, everyone! by the way, our morkie is named "maki" and he's 6 months old. wildcard - i'll definitely try the down suggestion and fading away with treats. nancy - i doubt he's been physically abused, but he WAS constantly left alone at home, which is probably why he came to us like this. i guess it's my inexperience with dogs that's got me flustered. our corgi mix came to us housebroken and fluent in "sit". he was also really attentive and eager to please/get his treat, so training him was somewhat easy. i've been training the two side by side for the past few days. funny enough, the corgi's been way more obedient ever since our maki joined us, so hopefully he'll catch on. our biggest challenge has been potty training him. although my sister in law said he was pad trained at her home, maki seems to think it's his sleeping pad at our house and actually held his pee in for like 9+ hours yesterday to avoid peeing on it! argh. his last pee was around 4:30p and by the time i went to bed at 2a, he still hadn't peed. woke up this morning and saw that he finally caved in and peed on the pad overnight... we're going to buy some kind of spray today. ashley - i think my tone is somewhere in between singing and yelling haha. it's firm, but maki just stares at me and freezes... unless he sees a treat. |
12-21-2008, 01:31 PM | #11 |
Thor's Human Donating Member | asiatic, I eventually gave up on pee pads and my guy goes outside... most of the time. Anyway, I wanted to let you know that my yorkie NEVER got what the pee pad was for. I bought the specially scented pee pads and drops, and I have to tell you, it sure smelled like pee to me! Anyway, I wanted to recommend that you actually put a bit of his own urine on the pee pad to help him along. Just blot the new pad lightly in one spot the next time he goes. |
12-21-2008, 05:59 PM | #12 | |
YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: van nuys, ca, usa
Posts: 9
| Quote:
ooooh, thank you SO much! well supposedly he was pad-trained at his former home, but i question how true that is, considering it seems he has no clue now. will try that tomorrow! | |
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