Building Toy Motivation

[Jayar]

Hi everyone,

 

Has anyone had success with this technique? So far I seem to be getting a few enthusiastic tail wags, and we're on day three...

 

http://www.clickerdogs.com/createamotivatingtoy.htm

 

I know there must have been discussion on this before here, and I've been using the search function. But if anyone knows of any recent extensive discussion on the topic of creating interest in toys/play where NONE exists, please direct me to it.

 

Thanks so much!

[BC Wild Child]

A friend of mine has a dog who is food-motivated but not toy motivated. So she started out trying a baitbag, like a Biscuit Buddy, with really scrumpous treats in it. Tossing it and getting the dog interested in it. Then jackpotting from the bag, especially if the dog picked it up. I think she started in the house and then gradually moved it outside and then eventually to throwing it. This seems to be working pretty well and the dog is beginning to treat the bag like a toy.

[Riff Raff]

I have taken a "learning to play" Seminar at Say Yes. One of the things they stressed was making sure that the dog did not have any toys except when he was playing with you. You should also keep all play sessions short and fun. Quit while your dog is still having fun or before. The mistakes I made were when I started to have success and pushed her to far. You have to make the dog want it and that takes time and really short sessions. i would do less than a minute to start. Hope it helps.

[Jayar]

Thanks both! The only toy he has is a Kong so he doesn't eat my blankets... So we're on the right track there I think. As for the food, he isn't really into food either. He'll eat it, sure, but he's more interested in other things than eating. Even liver treats he's sort of "meh" about.

[Alaska]

One thing you constantly see beginners doing when trying to get an unmotivated dog to play with a toy is poking the toy over and over in the dog's face trying to get him to grab the toy. This is hugely demotivating to this kind of dog. You want to play with the toy yourself, as though you were really enjoying playing with it and didn't want to share. If the dog shows a tiny bit of interest, don't offer the toy to the dog, make it harder to get. The harder the dog tries to get to the toy, the more you try to keep it for yourself -- this really builds their interest.

 

The Tug-N-Treat is one of the best toys for building toy interest in a food-motivated dog. Another type of toy that arouses interest where other toys fail are toys made from actual animals (e.g. rabbit fur), like these.

 

The only toy he has is a Kong

You're joking, right? If that's true, either you only got the dog a few days ago or you have a lot more self control when it comes to buying stuff for your dog than me or pretty much any dog person I've ever met

[ziggzmom]

Hi everyone,

 

Has anyone had success with this technique? So far I seem to be getting a few enthusiastic tail wags, and we're on day three...

 

http://www.clickerdogs.com/createamotivatingtoy.htm

 

I know there must have been discussion on this before here, and I've been using the search function. But if anyone knows of any recent extensive discussion on the topic of creating interest in toys/play where NONE exists, please direct me to it.

 

Thanks so much!

 

Hi,

 

Boy do I know what you're going through! I've been doing the same sort of things that are being suggested here with my 2 year old BC and it is working....It's been a loooong process(over a year) since I started. He now will play tug and fetch toys. This is still a work in progress, but he's 100 percent better than he was.

 

Good Luck~

 

Janet

[Jayar]

You're joking, right? If that's true, either you only got the dog a few days ago or you have a lot more self control when it comes to buying stuff for your dog than me or pretty much any dog person I've ever met

 

I prefer my dogs to only have chew toys that they play with on their own. I have many interactive toys, but there's no real need for him to have anything other than a Kong to chew on when he's alone. He likes the Kong well enough (especially when stuffed with yummy things) and it interests him far more than a non-stuffable toy. I have numerous tugs and throw toys. He just doesn't need to play with them on his own.

 

Edited to Add: If he DID show interest in doing anything but picking them apart with his front teeth, he'd make my day! Haha! Unfortunately when given a jute tug the only thing he likes to do is pick off the nylon handles with scissor-snips from his front teethies.