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dog training question

3 replies

thefootofourstairs · 05/06/2018 11:23

I have looked at you tube etc and cant find the answer .
Been teaching my reactive dog the 'lets go' command on walks . Sometimes he stops in the street and doesn't want to budge so i thought this would help if i got it down pat . He does now move with me when i say 'Lets go' but then he stops again very quickly . I have only given him the treat when he is actually moving but he doesn't seem to realise he is supposed to keep moving !
Perhaps he thinks he is supposed to stop then start for a reward ?
can anyone help me ?

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missbattenburg · 05/06/2018 11:35

It's very possible he thinks the behaviour is over once he has moved a bit and then been rewarded.

I think I would tackle it by keeping the treats coming. So, get a handful of treats and as soon as he moves he gets a treat, then another a second later, then another. You might give him several treats in rapid succession as first but then space them out a bit until you are only delivering one every minute or so.

Over several sessions you can also cut down on how long you give the treats for after you've said "let's go". Perhaps the first time he gets treats for 5 mins, slowly being spaced out more and more. But the next time you just do it for 4.5 mins. and so on...

What you are aiming for it for the dog to find continual walking to be rewarding and are using the treats to achieve that. Once this has become habit he won't need the treats.

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Vallahalagonebutnotforgotten · 05/06/2018 12:36

I would never cut down on the treats with a reactive dog in a trigger situation.

The turn and command "lets go" will be lured by the first treat, then continual treating whilst you are briskly walking away.

Depends on the threshold of your dog but you need to be a long way from the trigger before you stop treating. I would measure this in distance not time, so when the trigger has gone stop treating. No scary thing no treat.

If you dog is only turning on the "lets go" I would add speed to the walking away even a quick jog so the fun is also in the slight ability to catch up with you.

Lets go is a very powerful tool