Training when they aren't food driven? - YorkieTalk.com Forums

Leahndmp · 02-10-2013, 06:11 PM

Pilot just doesn't care about food enough to do tricks for treats, food or what not. I just don't know how to motivate him. We try toys, but he gets too excited to concentrate. Any ideas?

bchgirl · 02-10-2013, 06:15 PM

You have to find his "button". There is something he likes and will respond to. It could be food, praise or ...in this case...toys.

yorkietalkjilly · 02-10-2013, 06:18 PM

Try a sqeaky toy. Or a tugowar. Have him do a couple tricks and give him his toy/tugowar. Slower that way. Praise is enough for some dogs, usually the large breeds with bigger brains.

My lil friend · 02-10-2013, 07:40 PM

Normally I can not use food for training. Mina goes NUTS and can not obey. They only thing that works on her is praise. So as said before,you have to find the magic button.

yorkietalkjilly · 02-10-2013, 07:49 PM

What are the specifics of the dog, its health, age, size, weight, when last fed before training and what do you use for treats for tricks? Are others in the room when you train? Is the dog anxious or nervous?

Leahndmp · 02-10-2013, 08:46 PM

Pilot is in good health, he adjusts quickly to situations and is really spunky. He'll be 8 weeks old Tuesday. I know he's young, it will be a while before he trains easily, but even if he hasn't eaten in several hours, he doesn't show interest in treats or even kibble as reward. We almost have sit, but normally I can do tricks in about a day (with my husky mix) and I had a chihuahua who trained quickly, maybe he's just not as fast? With potty pad training, praise is all we've used and he's doing great.

yorkietalkjilly · 02-10-2013, 10:26 PM

Oh, he's such a baby he probably can't tell the difference in foods right now. He'll likely grow into loving boiled chicken or even turkey hot dog pieces for treats when the time comes but right now at his infant stage, I wouldn't give him anything but the food his breeder recommended and stick with it if it is a high quality food. At eight weeks, as you probably know, he still needs another 4 - 6 weeks with his mom and littermates for imprinting and maternal nurturing for his best start in life but as that is out, I would just give him a good, solid, quiet start in life as he settles into the life of adjusting to the angst of leaving his mom and pack and begins to look to his skin-people as his new pack. At about this age, puppies are just beginning to be aware of what fear is and a lot of other brain and intellectual development is "turning on", so keep his life simple and on schedule and free of stress to help prevent a nervous, insecure or hyper dog later on. But right now he is too young to assume he won't love to work for treats one day when he gets older and can actually differentiate tastes, textures, etc. In time and with a little more development and refinement of his sensory abilities, things like different food and treats are usually important to dogs and they work hard for that difference in their often boring food routine. I just use kibble that I have specially prepared for Tibbe's treats and he LOVES it as it is very, very crunchy. He will come running fast to get one of them!!! He will leap tall buildings in a single bound for one. He acts as if they were caviar! I'll bet yours will grow into a treat-lover when he is older.

02-10-2013, 06:11 PM	#1
Leahndmp Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Hope Mills, NC, USA Posts: 81	Training when they aren't food driven? Pilot just doesn't care about food enough to do tricks for treats, food or what not. I just don't know how to motivate him. We try toys, but he gets too excited to concentrate. Any ideas? __________________ Mommy to Pilot, born 12/18/12

02-10-2013, 06:15 PM	#2
bchgirl Donating YT 10K Club Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: at da beach Posts: 15,444 Blog Entries: 2	You have to find his "button". There is something he likes and will respond to. It could be food, praise or ...in this case...toys. __________________ Deb, Reese, Reggie, Frazier, Libby, Sidney, & Bodie Trace & Ramsey who watch over us www.biewersbythebay.com

02-10-2013, 06:18 PM	#3
yorkietalkjilly ♥ Love My Tibbe! ♥ Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: D/FW, Texas Posts: 22,140	Try a sqeaky toy. Or a tugowar. Have him do a couple tricks and give him his toy/tugowar. Slower that way. Praise is enough for some dogs, usually the large breeds with bigger brains. __________________ Jeanie and Tibbe One must do the best one can. You may get some marks for a very imperfect answer: you will certainly get none for leaving the question alone. C. S. Lewis

02-10-2013, 07:49 PM	#5
yorkietalkjilly ♥ Love My Tibbe! ♥ Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: D/FW, Texas Posts: 22,140	What are the specifics of the dog, its health, age, size, weight, when last fed before training and what do you use for treats for tricks? Are others in the room when you train? Is the dog anxious or nervous? __________________ Jeanie and Tibbe One must do the best one can. You may get some marks for a very imperfect answer: you will certainly get none for leaving the question alone. C. S. Lewis

02-10-2013, 08:46 PM	#6
Leahndmp Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Hope Mills, NC, USA Posts: 81	Pilot is in good health, he adjusts quickly to situations and is really spunky. He'll be 8 weeks old Tuesday. I know he's young, it will be a while before he trains easily, but even if he hasn't eaten in several hours, he doesn't show interest in treats or even kibble as reward. We almost have sit, but normally I can do tricks in about a day (with my husky mix) and I had a chihuahua who trained quickly, maybe he's just not as fast? With potty pad training, praise is all we've used and he's doing great. __________________ Mommy to Pilot, born 12/18/12

02-10-2013, 07:40 PM	#4
My lil friend Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: FtWorth,TX,USA Posts: 3,269	Normally I can not use food for training. Mina goes NUTS and can not obey. They only thing that works on her is praise. So as said before,you have to find the magic button.

02-10-2013, 10:26 PM	#7
yorkietalkjilly ♥ Love My Tibbe! ♥ Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: D/FW, Texas Posts: 22,140	Oh, he's such a baby he probably can't tell the difference in foods right now. He'll likely grow into loving boiled chicken or even turkey hot dog pieces for treats when the time comes but right now at his infant stage, I wouldn't give him anything but the food his breeder recommended and stick with it if it is a high quality food. At eight weeks, as you probably know, he still needs another 4 - 6 weeks with his mom and littermates for imprinting and maternal nurturing for his best start in life but as that is out, I would just give him a good, solid, quiet start in life as he settles into the life of adjusting to the angst of leaving his mom and pack and begins to look to his skin-people as his new pack. At about this age, puppies are just beginning to be aware of what fear is and a lot of other brain and intellectual development is "turning on", so keep his life simple and on schedule and free of stress to help prevent a nervous, insecure or hyper dog later on. But right now he is too young to assume he won't love to work for treats one day when he gets older and can actually differentiate tastes, textures, etc. In time and with a little more development and refinement of his sensory abilities, things like different food and treats are usually important to dogs and they work hard for that difference in their often boring food routine. I just use kibble that I have specially prepared for Tibbe's treats and he LOVES it as it is very, very crunchy. He will come running fast to get one of them!!! He will leap tall buildings in a single bound for one. He acts as if they were caviar! I'll bet yours will grow into a treat-lover when he is older.