Clean Run Magazine - April 2008 - 61

Pig Tale: It is the very rare dog that is in good health and not motivated by food. A lot of people tell me that their dogs are not motivated by food, but it is almost never true. I brought my 11-month-old Bull Terrier puppy to a group agility class. I knew this was going to be distracting and stimulating enough to blow the top of his head off, so I pulled out the heavy artillery. I bought a pork loin (on sale) and roasted it with paprika and garlic salt. It was unbelievably delicious and I had a few pieces myself. I was loaded for bear and ready for class. In that class, there was a very nice woman just starting with her first dog and we began chatting. I noticed that her dog had an attention problem, and she was only using dry dog biscuits as a reinforcer. I offered to give her some of my pork loin to help get her dog working, but she told me that her dog was not motivated by treats. A few minutes later it was her dog’s turn to run. The second she took the leash off, her dog made a beeline for my bag on the other side of the arena (he had bookmarked the location, apparently), and dove his entire head right into my bucket of treats. He looked pretty motivated to me. If you think your dog is not motivated by food, you probably need to improve your cooking. Augie is only interested in playing tug under certain conditions, but this bully stick (dried bull pizzle) lights him up every time. Have you made your list? What is at the top? If your dog has a very strong desire to do anything at all, you will have an easy time training him to do agility. I promise you, even if your dog has a very strong desire to run crazy laps and ignore you completely, you are in good shape. If your dog is active and cares deeply about getting reinforcements (whether a toy, food, or the environment in general), it is a cinch to transfer that passion to another (desirable) activity. If, however, your dog’s top reinforcers are: 1. Lying on the couch 2. Lying on the bed 3. Lying on the deck 4. Lying under the table and so forth, you have a more complex task to tackle. You cannot train an inert lump to do anything. You are going to have to teach him how to desire things. My first recommendation is that you honestly assess your dog’s weight and put him on a diet (ask your veterinarian for guidance). He should have plenty of ribs showing. Being just a tiny bit hungry is very motivating (and extremely healthy). Work a lot on free-shaping games, and play active games, such as fetch, tug, and chasing games. Over time, you will find your dog perking up and beginning to care about things. A furry mouse on a string brings out all the natural drive in this little Norwich Terrier. You can’t carry a bird around with you, but a ribbon on a stick makes a fluttering motion that is irresistible to this Vizsla. “It’s official: my entire crew loves this toy!” © DOGHOUSE ARTS The Crunch ‘N’ Tug “Most dogs love to crunch on an empty water bottle, others love the feel of a fleecy exterior. This toy has both. I love it because once you remove the water bottle, it folds flat for easy packing. Plus the bungee makes tugging easy on my back (and I’m sure on my dog’s body as well!).” Susan Garrett Twister, Buzz, Decaff & Encore www.dogdreamstoys.com April 08 | Clean Run 61

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Clean Run Magazine - April 2008

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