Toys only for Training?

[WoodRose]

I took our puppy to training class today. The trainer mentioned that apart from chew toys, dogs should only have one toy which is kept in the owner's possession and only brought out as a reward. Is this a normal tenet of training? The trainer has a few odd notions and I'm not sure if this is one of them! I do have a tuggy toy and a ball on a rope which she can only have when I am playing with her but she also has free access to a lot of other toys. Am I being too soft?

We only leave NylaBones out, bar one tennis ball they have in the yard to play with.

They have a box of toys, if they are play fighting noisily or stealing things they shouldn't have I will get them a tug rope out to play with, but mainly, yes our toys are used as rewards during training and to train leave it and drop etc.

They'd torture me if they had access to their toys. Plus it makes the toys more exciting and thus a better reward.

The point of keeping one special toy for training is that it makes it higher in value from the dog's point of view.

If you're using toys for training/reward/motivation, you want the sight of you with a toy to make your dog to "WAHEEEEEEEEEEEEEY!!! FUNTIME!!!" and if he has loads of toys to amuse himself with, BY himself, it just isn't going to have the same impact.

I think she's right. My dog gets chewies/filled Kongs/bones but no toys lying around; I want playtime to revolve around me.

Absolutely agree (apart from the only having one toy part) - if I gave my dogs free access to toys I'd never get anything done! We have a toy box and keep all toys in it; some toys are for the dogs to entertain themselves with, some are only to be played with with me, and the rest are only used as training and agility rewards.

Thanks for all your replies. Am I right in thinking that you have (1) special toy kept in your posession for training/ rewards; (2) toys in a toy box which is kept under your control; and (3) chews/kongs that can be left lying about? At the moment, I have all of the above in addition to "her" toys scattered about. Looks like I have been lax!

woodrose That sounds about right (kongs are kept for when we are out though). Although my too clever by half youngest dog will attempt to engage you in play with nylabones etc so sometimes they need to be restricted too

Right, operation puppy boot camp commences this evening. Will "declutter" sitting room of toys despite DS's tearful protestations that it will make puppy "sad".

Kirisox - I fear most of our belongings may have to be hidden as our puppy is VERY playful and will happily chase floor fluff for ages

I keep tennis balls as a reward for one of my dogs (black lab). She is not that interested in toys but will do anything for a throw of a ball
The only time she gets to play with them is when she is out walking-if I bring it out of my pocket she is sitting at my feet, totally focused on me quick as a flash-doesn't matter what other distractions there are.

If I could only find the "magic tennis ball" equivalant for my springer all my walks would be perfect

Both my collies were ball mad as well although they stuck to me like velcro whether or not I had a a ball. Both dogs felt/feel anxious if I am not within their sight. New collie puppy, however, is a whole different story. She happily dashes off without a look backwards - thank goodness for long lines! I can see that I will need more than "me" to get her to stick close .

Re your spaniel. Have you tried a gun dog dummy covered in something furry? We had a rescue springer who had no interest in toys apart from something feathery/ furry. We often found him carrying DD's Barbie Fairies in his mouth