# Hoarding Issue



## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

What are you offering in exchange? I would try having really, really good treats ready, or a very special toy.


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## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

fjm said:


> What are you offering in exchange? I would try having really, really good treats ready, or a very special toy.




His favorite treats! Hot dogs! He loves hotdogs above all else except we have been using them a lot so I don't know if it means the same.


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## FireStorm (Nov 9, 2013)

What does he get for bringing you one of the items that he finds valuable? I'd make sure that whatever reward he gets is more valuable than the object he's fetching. Or practice having him bring you things, take them, but give them back right away. The idea is to make him think that bringing you something is better than keeping it. It might also help to practice in an area where he can't steal the objects for a while, until he gets better at bringing them back.


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## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

I've tried experimenting with treats when I first got him and it took me some time to figure out what he considered high reward. I need to find something else he likes. The hotdog idea was from training class. Maybe string cheese? He doesn't like regular wholesome dog treats. I've even baked some cookies for him and he wasn't into that. He is a picky about treats. This past weekend I took him to the farmers market and a nice beef jerky man tried giving him his prized jerky from magazines and I was so embarrassed because Lucky won't eat it. My husband passed it off as if he couldn't find it lol


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## FireStorm (Nov 9, 2013)

Does he like tug or any particular toy/game? Hans is really ball crazy, so for a while we used the ball as a reward for fetching other things. We would toss the ball immediately as a reward for fetching other objects.


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## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

Lucky LOVES balls! That is the only thing he brings back reliably. It was his love for retrieving balls that made me think he would be great at other items but it doesn't appear that way. Or maybe I am not doing it right.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I'd try the ball as a reward it may take a while for the lightbulb moment that retrieving something else leads to a game of ball, but it is an easy thing to carry with you so it would be worth persevering. For my dogs, chicken aces everything. There is a UK company that sells pots of freeze dried chicken - guaranteed EU produced, processed and safe. It is not cheap, but a pot lasts for ages as I save it for really high value things like nail clipping! Freeze Dried Chicken Nibbles


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## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

fjm said:


> I'd try the ball as a reward it may take a while for the lightbulb moment that retrieving something else leads to a game of ball, but it is an easy thing to carry with you so it would be worth persevering. For my dogs, chicken aces everything. There is a UK company that sells pots of freeze dried chicken - guaranteed EU produced, processed and safe. It is not cheap, but a pot lasts for ages as I save it for really high value things like nail clipping! Freeze Dried Chicken Nibbles




You know I have some freeze fried chicken from nature's variety in the freezer. I forgot about it until I made smoothies recently. Maybe I should feed him some of this. 


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

Have you tried meatballs? String cheese?


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## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

I'm gonna give string cheese a go but have yet to try meat balls. That sounds like a good idea. Thank you


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

I don't think I would give cheese to a dog. Milk is hard to digest and causes inflammation in humans, I suppose it is the same in dogs.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Dechi Lily doesn't tolerate milk, but Javelin is fine with it (based on NutriScan). I use string cheese for lots of my Javvy training. Little tiny bites go a long way.

When I started reading I was thinking that what fjm originally said was the answer, but I see that isn't the case. I would try as firestorm and others have mentioned and use a ball or if you can get Lucky to want to tug maybe try tugging. I also think I would make him give up the idea of keeping a cache in his crate. As Eric would say you are the owner of everything and you control where things reside.


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

Liverwurst or Braunschweiger........Molly is pretty fickle when it comes to treats, but has NEVER turn down these! Great stuff for hiding pills too!...............

P.S.
I like it too, but of course I like liver & onions much to the disgust of my family Hahaha!


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## FireStorm (Nov 9, 2013)

I think that, for a lot of dogs, the most fun/rewarding part of "fetch" is actually the chase. The motivation to bring the ball back is that it will be thrown again so it can be chased again. Retrieving objects is a lot less fun - there's no game of chase, nothing much exciting. That was our rationale for using the ball toss as a reward - we wanted the same enthusiasm for retrieving other things that he shows for the ball so we tried to make the whole thing more fun and exciting. The faster he can put (whatever) in my hand without dropping it, the faster the ball will be thrown. I actually had Hans fetching a 24" by 4" diameter cardboard tube (from a roll of vinyl) the other day using the ball as a reward.


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## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

FireStorm said:


> I think that, for a lot of dogs, the most fun/rewarding part of "fetch" is actually the chase.


This is dead on. I've done a test with him to teach him to fetch different toy objects. One was a squeaky bear and the other was a ball. He always got the ball because it went further and bounced around. He enjoys the chase. I think this is related to their prey drive. I had a different thread about poodle and prey instinct. On a side note, I am successful in getting him to ignore all ducks. I don't know how it happened but it did so I am happy. :amen:


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## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

Just took Lucky for a 15 min game. You guys are right! He is bored with hot dogs. I tried the ball game now he hoards the ball. What he does is run past me with the ball instead of giving it back. I went inside and got a tiny bit of string cheese. He immediately dropped the ball in my hand. I then I did it two more times and again in my hand. By the fourth time he lost interest in the cheese and he ran away with the ball again. I am gonna have to try the Liverwurst, Braunschweiger, Chorizo. Lucky is like a stealthy evil genius... this must be his attempt to have me give him tastier food. Lucky is probably the pickiest dog when it comes to treats. I thought I found the holly grail with hot dogs. It took several attempts back in obedience class for everyone to help me figure out what he likes and won't give him diarrhea. 

Things that failed: peanut butter and rabbit Zuke's, Fruitable apple bacon, low sodium bacon, plain liver, chicken breast, teriyaki beef jerky, turkey, hard boiled egg, apples and peanut butter, honey nut cheerios, we even went to cheap stuff like puperoni. I had actually bought a dog cook book called The Healthy Hound to make him stuff but they are too low value.

ETA: He will eat anything if my pug is there. If there is another dog eating something he will certainly eat it even if it isn't his favorite food.


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## scooterscout99 (Dec 3, 2015)

Dehydrated liverwurst or tilapia, can do this in a low oven. Happy Howie. Tucker's treats cut into small pieces. Peanut butter. Canned cheese (I know it's not healthy but in small doses is safe). One trainer used beggin strips, also in small doses so as not to upset tummies.


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## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

Polka Dot cod skins, just about any bison treat from Boulder Dog are what I use. They are easily crumbled. Sometimes all Buck gets is treat dust and he's happy.


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## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

scooterscout99 said:


> Dehydrated liverwurst or tilapia, can do this in a low oven. Happy Howie. Tucker's treats cut into small pieces. Peanut butter. Canned cheese (I know it's not healthy but in small doses is safe). One trainer used beggin strips, also in small doses so as not to upset tummies.




I've tried beggin and got yelled at by my trainer who compares it to dog crack lol. Anyways he didn't eat that either. The only thing that works so far is hotdogs and canned tuna so maybe tilapia.


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## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

Mfmst said:


> Polka Dot cod skins, just about any bison treat from Boulder Dog are what I use. They are easily crumbled. Sometimes all Buck gets is treat dust and he's happy.




The boulder dog seems like a great idea but maybe I can make some with my dehydrator. 


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## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

Thank you guys sooo much for all the ideas!!!!! I just purchased some Bratwurst from the grocery store and used it for training retrieve. All hording stopped! It was amazing. I feel like I could teach him to do multiplication with this. His enthusiasm level went up to a 12 on a scale up to 10. I guess he just needed the right motivation.


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## Viking Queen (Nov 12, 2014)

MollyMuiMa said:


> Liverwurst or Braunschweiger........Molly is pretty fickle when it comes to treats, but has NEVER turn down these! Great stuff for hiding pills too!...............
> 
> P.S.
> I like it too, but of course I like liver & onions much to the disgust of my family Hahaha!


Yup! This worked for Iris and she was PICKY PICKY PICKY. the other thing that worked was Natural Balance food rolls. I would slice them and dice into little bitty pieces qnd they were irresistable.

Let us know how all this goes.

Cathy


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