Any tips to train an intelligent dog to drop and return?
Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2014 1:31 pm
Our kid needs some advice.
Her Labrador, Lily, is 16 months old. She's working strain, very intelligent and exercised fully every day. She's been trained in all the usual things. She's as good as gold when she wants to be.
Here's why we need advice.
When they walked her last weekend, a crowd of kids were messing around, and one threw a handbag. A bottle of spray deodorant flew out of it and landed in front of Lily. Lily immediately grabbed it and ran off. She stayed just out of reach and wouldn't drop it, even when she bit it and the deodorant spayed out! She wouldn't come back for 15 minutes!
Hence hysterical bunch of kids and 2 embarrassed dog owners.
The day before, she'd stolen a straw hat from 2 tourists who were having a picnic. The hat was on the ground beside them. Luckily they saw the funny side and video'd her as she ran around with the hat in her mouth, sometimes covering her eyes so she couldn't see where she was going. She destroyed the hat.
I expect that one day the video will be on YouTube, Lily running with joy and them shouting "Lily, Lily, drop! Lily, come here! Lily!"
At other times when she's on a walk, she'll find something she shouldn't eat - mushrooms etc- that could be poisonous.
She won't respond to voice and hand commands, no matter how dominant they are.
Even if they tempt her with a treat of her favourite snack, she can smell it, but is not interested because what she's got in her mouth is much better than the best snack.
She stays just out of reach. She knows what you want her to do, but won't do it.
She's an intelligent dog with a strong stubborn streak.
When you call her, she pauses and looks at you, assessing if what you want her to do is better than what she's doing.
She knows the rules, she just chooses not to obey them.
Any suggestions? Or is she a lost cause?
Her Labrador, Lily, is 16 months old. She's working strain, very intelligent and exercised fully every day. She's been trained in all the usual things. She's as good as gold when she wants to be.
Here's why we need advice.
When they walked her last weekend, a crowd of kids were messing around, and one threw a handbag. A bottle of spray deodorant flew out of it and landed in front of Lily. Lily immediately grabbed it and ran off. She stayed just out of reach and wouldn't drop it, even when she bit it and the deodorant spayed out! She wouldn't come back for 15 minutes!
Hence hysterical bunch of kids and 2 embarrassed dog owners.
The day before, she'd stolen a straw hat from 2 tourists who were having a picnic. The hat was on the ground beside them. Luckily they saw the funny side and video'd her as she ran around with the hat in her mouth, sometimes covering her eyes so she couldn't see where she was going. She destroyed the hat.
I expect that one day the video will be on YouTube, Lily running with joy and them shouting "Lily, Lily, drop! Lily, come here! Lily!"
At other times when she's on a walk, she'll find something she shouldn't eat - mushrooms etc- that could be poisonous.
She won't respond to voice and hand commands, no matter how dominant they are.
Even if they tempt her with a treat of her favourite snack, she can smell it, but is not interested because what she's got in her mouth is much better than the best snack.
She stays just out of reach. She knows what you want her to do, but won't do it.
She's an intelligent dog with a strong stubborn streak.
When you call her, she pauses and looks at you, assessing if what you want her to do is better than what she's doing.
She knows the rules, she just chooses not to obey them.
Any suggestions? Or is she a lost cause?