# regression in training



## Flynndog (Oct 1, 2014)

Boundaries *


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## poolann (Jan 31, 2013)

Welcome to the teenage phase of puppy hood. Yes I would back up in my training but for what you describe a long line will work wonders. Just help him come in with it & lots of praise when he gets to you. When you've done it to reinforce "here'" immediately release him & let him go back to what he was doing. Repeat. "Here" should not mean an end to fun. Keep it positive even though I know it is frustrating. This will pass.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

This is very normal to have regressions. I'd take a step or two back, make it easier and MORE fun for him to succeed and raise the value of your treats for the best responses. Yes, treat him every time for a little while. Shorten up the distance where he has to retrieve. Make it a super fun game that works wonders for him when he brings it to you. But make it easy for him and then work up to longer distances and later you can go onto a variable reinforcement schedule again. Be sure to stop the game while he's still having a wee of a time, leaving him wishing there would be more. Don't do it until he starts getting bored.


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## Flynndog (Oct 1, 2014)

Thank you. A temporary end to him running as fast as he can after a ball then :-D We have a 10 metre long line but that won't cater for his current ball play. 

I'm having some slow success with treats for returning from the garden when called, and I've always made a habit of calling him back while offlead for a fuss and then carrying on playing.I also noticed today he's forgetting to sit when greeting people. I will go back to the start there too. Does all his training regress or just some elements?


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## Flynndog (Oct 1, 2014)

I don't think he's bored with the game, it's his favourite and he'll play it by choice all day long. We'd only just got out on the field and the keep away began on the first throw. A few throws (and 20 minutes gone with a lot of waiting for responses lol) and I gave it up as a bad job today and resolved to check the situation out further before making a rod for my own back by letting him create a game from it


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Sounds like teenage behaviour to me. Lots of rewards, lots of short sessions, lots of prais, and lots and lots of patience - this too shall pass!


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## Flynndog (Oct 1, 2014)

Thank you!


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Teenage amnesia for sure. Be persistent, patient and practice, practice, practice. It will pass.


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## peccan (Aug 26, 2014)

--and whenever you feel like giving up, tell your dog (and yourself) that he's going to be great when he's three!


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## Flynndog (Oct 1, 2014)

Three?! Argh!!! LOL! :-D 

He's not terribly naughty, he's just having some Menace moments lol. I do think he will be really quite lovely when he is mature, he is already quite chilled out and super friendly. I am starting to see improvement in recall from the garden again already so hopefully a bit of reminding when we're out and about and we'll be on track again.

Thanks for everyone's input, much appreciated.


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## sparkyjoe (Oct 26, 2011)

We're dealing with the same thing with 7 month old Fletcher. He knows the commands, but is now much more "what's in it for me?" about responding.

I'm stepping up our training sessions, and asking for him to show me he can control himself before good things happen (sit & eye contact before going outside, down & eye contact before feeding, etc).

I know we'll get through this stage with time and patience.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

sparkyjoe said:


> We're dealing with the same thing with 7 month old Fletcher. *He knows the commands, but is now much more "what's in it for me?" about responding.*I'm stepping up our training sessions, and asking for him to show me he can control himself before good things happen (sit & eye contact before going outside, down & eye contact before feeding, etc).
> 
> I know we'll get through this stage with time and patience.


But that's just it. That's the way dogs _are_. It_ IS _about what's in it for them. When dog owners and trainers in general, give up the notion that dogs' motivation is driven by love for their owner or they know and analyze our internal workings... what we want, everyone will be much better off. Dogs will stop being blamed and "corrected" for giving incorrect responses because their owner thinks they "know" but are just being "stubborn" because they "should" love me enough to just do it. No. They are selfish, albeit innocently so. Sure they love us and it appears sometimes that they do things to please us, but why? Because we provide food, a very necessary survival resource. When a dog doesn't give correct behaviors, he needs more practice, more effective reinforcement, a more effective training set-up. 

I think you're doing great to step up the training and ask him to defer to you for the things he wants. Be sure to teach a release word before turning him loose to go outside or to eat if you're having him wait for a few seconds before getting those things. Maybe you already are. I just thought I'd toss that in.
You're so right about time and patience. Once he has a longer history behind him of learning HOW TO learn, things will go more smoothly and quickly.


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## sparkyjoe (Oct 26, 2011)

Oh, yes, we have two types of release words, one is OK or Yes, which means he's done what's been asked and gets a reward. The other is "free" or "go play" which means he can go away and run and play, which is also a reward.

Fletcher is much different from my first dog. That dog was very motivated to do almost anything I asked of him and even though he got treats, play, and affection as rewards, my praise was always his highest reward. 

Fletcher, on the other hand, is much more independently minded. He works fantastically for food, but play and affection/praise are much lower on the reward scale for him. Much lower. It's a challenge to find non-food rewards for him.


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## Flynndog (Oct 1, 2014)

Ha ha, I spoke too soon, this afternoon he has been a Menace :-D we'll get there....


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