How did you train your bullie to release??

[brutus77]

I don't want to get another trainer just yet. He's never bitten us, in fact- he growls and runs, and will even snap at my hand, but he he does let me take it from him if I catch him, and he's never bitten (yet). But if we can't get him to drop things soon, we're going to have to go that route.

I don't think he is growling in aggression. Brutus does this also. It is a game to him and when he gets excited and wants to play he makes a growl like noise. He really isn't growling.

 

[nycbullymama]

Check up resource guarding -on my blog

Thanks, just read it.
Can you do a step by step guide on toy guarding? lol..

Funny thing with food. I can put my hand in his bowl while he's eating, or even take food out of his mouth and he doesn't react. He just doesn't care. I guess he knows they'll be more. Toys though.. ugh- a whole 'nother story.

 

[nycbullymama]

I don't think he is growling in aggression. Brutus does this also. It is a game to him and when he gets excited and wants to play he makes a growl like noise. He really isn't growling.

hmm.. interesting. Could be why he doesn't bite and runs instead.

 

[Pati Robins]

Thanks, just read it.
Can you do a step by step guide on toy guarding? lol..

Funny thing with food. I can put my hand in his bowl while he's eating, or even take food out of his mouth and he doesn't react. He just doesn't care. I guess he knows they'll be more. Toys though.. ugh- a whole 'nother story.

With toys is is the same thing -we just mostly worked with resource guarding -only few dogs had a toy issues -but we used same technique
Like i said start from boring things and progress to Blue favourite toys-time ,and patience ;-) xxx

 

[brutus77]

hmm.. interesting. Could be why he doesn't bite and runs instead.

Yes. When Brutus gets something we do not want him to have he will run from us hoping we will chase after him. We will get a treat and sit down and have brutus come to us and show him the treat and tell him to drop it. If he does he gets the treat. Most times he will drop it(it's usually my slipper) WE NEVER CHASE HIM. Try it with Blue, get treat and sit in a chair or couch close to where Blue it and make sure he sees the treat and tell him to come. When he does, the "drop it" starts with the treat as reward. I just want to add as Pati stated, you must win the battle. If Brutus does not drop it, we ignore him until he does. Brutus HATES for us to ignore him more than anything. Of course this goes routine only goes for toys or non-life threatening stuff (duh)! Anything else we will pull out of his mouth

 

[2BullyMama]

He wants to play.... when all this is taking place does he play-bow at any time? Him running and you chasing has turned it into a game for him.
Banks is a VERY rough player... she growls and barks the entire time she is playing, we have to wathc her body language to know she is not playing or is done playing.

And, if he drops the item before the command, ther eis no treat to be given.... if you give the treat before the command, he has trained YOU to give him something based on HIS action, not your command. If this happens, just pick up the item and go about your business, do not acknowledge anything took place.

One thing, just in case you ever think about this.... never throw something in the trash in front of the pup, if they are obsessed with an item and you remove it and then they never see it again, you can cause them to become 'resource guarding' which would need professional trainers to address.

 

[nycbullymama]

Yes. When Brutus gets something we do not want him to have he will run from us hoping we will chase after him. We will get a treat and sit down and have brutus come to us and show him the treat and tell him to drop it. If he does he gets the treat. Most times he will drop it(it's usually my slipper) WE NEVER CHASE HIM. Try it with Blue, get treat and sit in a chair or couch close to where Blue it and make sure he sees the treat and tell him to come. When he does, the "drop it" starts with the treat as reward.

Will try this.

He wants to play.... when all this is taking place does he play-bow at any time? Him running and you chasing has turned it into a game for him.
Banks is a VERY rough player... she growls and barks the entire time she is playing, we have to wathc her body language to know she is not playing or is done playing.

And, if he drops the item before the command, ther eis no treat to be given.... if you give the treat before the command, he has trained YOU to give him something based on HIS action, not your command. If this happens, just pick up the item and go about your business, do not acknowledge anything took place.

One thing, just in case you ever think about this.... never throw something in the trash in front of the pup, if they are obsessed with an item and you remove it and then they never see it again, you can cause them to become 'resource guarding' which would need professional trainers to address.

Nope, he doesn't do the play-bow when he gets like this. It's like he zones out. It's his all, his- he doesn't want you touching it.

I remember you once said something similar. Not to take away an item and not return it. We made this mistake with his bath toy, and man are we still paying for that little orange pig fiasco. It's one of the things he guards when he first gets out of the bath. But it's not the only one.

 

[ddnene]

I would put Winston is a sit/stay then tell him to drop it… of course I had to have a treat, we hadn't gotten past that point yet. I wouldn't give him the treat unless he followed my commands, because then of course he had ME trained… LOL I had to REALLY be on him because of my grandson's baby toys, and we were so afraid that Winston would swallow them.

 

[nycbullymama]

[MENTION=9157]ddnene[/MENTION] that's how we feel, that he's training us. But we're trying to fix it!! lol..

 

[Annie1991]

Seriously now . . . .

 

[anatess]

I've tried when we play tug. As long as I have treats on me, he'll release it the first time, and go for the treats. He won't pick up the rope again until he's positive all treats are gone. So we're only able to practice the "release" command once.

Not sure I understand. You have treats. It is in your pocket. He's playing tug with a rope. You tell him to "release" and he does so you give him one treat out of the 10 that is in your pocket. So, you pick up the rope and shake it infront of his face. He doesn't want to play tug because he wants you to give him all 9 treats. Easy. You give him the rope and either ignore him or walk away until he picks it up again. Then you go back to telling him to "release". You can practice this thing all day long. At any time... you could be cooking dinner, you see him pass by with the rope in his mouth... You tell him "release" and give him a treat for obedience... watching TV, he picks up his rope and plays with it, you tell him to "release" and give him a treat...

It doesn't all have to be done in one sitting.

 

[bulldogs4me]

@Blueberrys Mom - if release isn't working I would teach him the "leave it" command ... "Leave It" is one of my favorite commands of all times and if taught properly you can say leave it and your dog will back away from the item no matter what it is! I taught my dogs "leave it" as a main training technique as important in my home as sit, stay or come. I've had fresh meat fall on the floor and all I have to say is leave it and they back away, they may back up sit and stare at it just in case I give them the go ahead but they won't touch it until given the ever loved by them command "ok"

to teach "Leave It" have a treat in the palm of your hand ... let Blue smell it but say in a firm voice "Leave It" if he tries to take it close your hand around the treat ... Repeat over and over and over again until he gets it ... when you can say leave it and he backs away, give him a treat from the other hand (never ever give him the one you've said leave it to). Do this several times throughout the day then take that toy he is so obsessed with and teach him "leave it" with that toy also ... repeat until he is in complete understanding of the command and you will be able to command "leave it" and he will drop and back away from even his most prized toy. Remember timing is everything so the moment he pulls his head away from your hand after you have said leave it ... praise and treat then repeat (don't let him just back away and get a treat, he only gets the treat if you command "leave it" then he backs away).

 

[nycbullymama]

[MENTION=2874]anatess[/MENTION] Oh, I see what you mean. I'm used to doing "training" sessions with him. But you're right, can do it all day at anytime.
[MENTION=6189]bulldogs4me[/MENTION] Thanks for the tip! Will try this. Maybe I'll have an easier time with "leave it".

 

[bulldogs4me]

@anatess Oh, I see what you mean. I'm used to doing "training" sessions with him. But you're right, can do it all day at anytime.
@bulldogs4me Thanks for the tip! Will try this. Maybe I'll have an easier time with "leave it".

You're Welcome

my dogs take "leave it" more serious than any other command probably because I am always so firm when I say the command ... with sit, stay, come etc I use my nice mommy voice but when it comes to leave it they know without a doubt that firm "leave it" means I mean business and almost jump back from whatever it is they are going after, but like my teacher told me that command could very well save your dogs life so they need to follow it each and every time without fail. ok so maybe my teacher trained me well

 

[nycbullymama]

You're Welcome

my dogs take "leave it" more serious than any other command probably because I am always so firm when I say the command ... with sit, stay, come etc I use my nice mommy voice but when it comes to leave it they know without a doubt that firm "leave it" means I mean business and almost jump back from whatever it is they are going after, but like my teacher told me that command could very well save your dogs life so they need to follow it each and every time without fail. ok so maybe my teacher trained me well

Oh man, if the day ever comes that Blue stops what he's doing and jumps back from something I say, or my tone- lol- I'll feel like I hit the lottery lol..