Discussion
Does anyone else's dog get "toy obsessed"?
If our staffy twigs that the fetch game might be over soon, he refuses to drop his toy.
I got it ever so wrong today - must have sent some subliminal messages to him that I was thinking about going in for a nice cup of tea, because he twigged, and now won't drop his toy.
This is turning into a record event, as well... 43 minutes in, and still no joy.
Here he is currently - I took this a few minutes ago. He's on his own, in the kitchen, until he drops it. (I can't let him in here with us, as the other dog will want to play with him, which exacerbates his obsessive-ness.)
Despite how this sounds, he's well-trained, on the whole. Drop being a strong point of his repertoire... unless he thinks you're going to end the game.
Any tips on sorting this out?
Some notes; it's with all fetch toys; he spent his formative years being able to carry a toy in his mouth at all times; he's been known to jump and grab a fetch-toy that's been taken off him at the end of the game...
He's just so sodding obsessive with the fetch ones.
Help!
(And here he is being less naughty!
If our staffy twigs that the fetch game might be over soon, he refuses to drop his toy.
I got it ever so wrong today - must have sent some subliminal messages to him that I was thinking about going in for a nice cup of tea, because he twigged, and now won't drop his toy.
This is turning into a record event, as well... 43 minutes in, and still no joy.
Here he is currently - I took this a few minutes ago. He's on his own, in the kitchen, until he drops it. (I can't let him in here with us, as the other dog will want to play with him, which exacerbates his obsessive-ness.)
Despite how this sounds, he's well-trained, on the whole. Drop being a strong point of his repertoire... unless he thinks you're going to end the game.
Any tips on sorting this out?
Some notes; it's with all fetch toys; he spent his formative years being able to carry a toy in his mouth at all times; he's been known to jump and grab a fetch-toy that's been taken off him at the end of the game...
He's just so sodding obsessive with the fetch ones.
Help!
(And here he is being less naughty!
base said:
my stafford loves playing fetch he is relentless and fanatical about it, much like yours. but food is my top trump, wins everytime, Associating a good thing with the end of play is a must IMO. although he does then spend some time looking at the shelf his ball resides on 
Ah, lucky you!Food doesn't even get a nostril-twitch with ours. Couldn't be less bothered if he tried.
And, for the most part, end of play is a good(ish) thing - he gets an indoor toy inside, or a street-walk and dinner. It's difficult to be more positive than that, though, because, like I said, he's just not bothered about food. He'll sit and look at the toy, ignoring the treat.
The only thing that works for him as a really good positive is another fetch-toy, which starts the cycle again!
He likes liver cake - our old next-door-but-one neighbour used to bake it.
Still not a patch on toys though.
Not tried pork scratchings - aren't they a bit bad for them, though? All that salt?
Tenex - you can try and take it off him. Shake it, pull it, whatever. You can have all 4 paws off the ground. He's not aggressive about it. He just hangs on tighter than a clam, and pulling at it obviously exacerbates his inclination to hang on to it. I think the photo gives him an odd expression because he was in sulk-mode, having been told to "drop", so he wasn't lifting his head to look up at me.
Mrs Grumpy - swapsies used to work. And still works occasionally. Today was a swapsies, after 40-odd minutes of sulking and numerous swapsies attempts.
The thing with swapsies is that he then becomes a little reluctant to let that one go, too! But not to the same level, which is why it's pretty much the only thing that works.
Well, that or dinner-time.
But that means letting him into the house with the toy, and him letting go when he chooses to (to eat his dinner), rather than when asked. :/
Although... the fact that he'll let go to eat his dinner makes me hopeful that there's a food out there that'll "unlock" him!
So, any further food suggestions?!
(As well as any behavioural training tips, Mrs G?)
Cheers all... no-one make me feel better and tell me that theirs does it too?!
Still not a patch on toys though.
Not tried pork scratchings - aren't they a bit bad for them, though? All that salt?
Tenex - you can try and take it off him. Shake it, pull it, whatever. You can have all 4 paws off the ground. He's not aggressive about it. He just hangs on tighter than a clam, and pulling at it obviously exacerbates his inclination to hang on to it. I think the photo gives him an odd expression because he was in sulk-mode, having been told to "drop", so he wasn't lifting his head to look up at me.
Mrs Grumpy - swapsies used to work. And still works occasionally. Today was a swapsies, after 40-odd minutes of sulking and numerous swapsies attempts.
The thing with swapsies is that he then becomes a little reluctant to let that one go, too! But not to the same level, which is why it's pretty much the only thing that works.
Well, that or dinner-time.
But that means letting him into the house with the toy, and him letting go when he chooses to (to eat his dinner), rather than when asked. :/
Although... the fact that he'll let go to eat his dinner makes me hopeful that there's a food out there that'll "unlock" him!
So, any further food suggestions?!
(As well as any behavioural training tips, Mrs G?)
Cheers all... no-one make me feel better and tell me that theirs does it too?!
Edited by Karyn on Thursday 12th January 21:17
), training treats of varying guises, liver cake, kibble, mixer, sausage roll, garlic rice... erm... there's bound to be others.
Sounds like you have tried quite a lot of high value treats.
Had a bit of a think, and came up with this...
I think you could try training a solid 'drop' or 'give' command by training with low value toys to start with. So I would start with a toy that is big enough for you both to hold, encourage her to take hold, have a bit of a tuggie type play, give her the command to drop/give and at the same time give her a really yummy treat. I'd give her maybe three treats in a row while you hold the toy. Then give her the toy back and do it again.
I'd build up the value of the toy gradually and also decrease in size so that at some point only she has the toy and you don't.
Hopefully that should make her realise that a) she gets rewarded for giving you the toy and b) she gets it back again.
Hope that's been helpful!
Had a bit of a think, and came up with this...
I think you could try training a solid 'drop' or 'give' command by training with low value toys to start with. So I would start with a toy that is big enough for you both to hold, encourage her to take hold, have a bit of a tuggie type play, give her the command to drop/give and at the same time give her a really yummy treat. I'd give her maybe three treats in a row while you hold the toy. Then give her the toy back and do it again.
I'd build up the value of the toy gradually and also decrease in size so that at some point only she has the toy and you don't.
Hopefully that should make her realise that a) she gets rewarded for giving you the toy and b) she gets it back again.
Hope that's been helpful!
At least it's (historically) genetically programed into Staffs not to let go. My Weim' should want to retrieve and give.
He won't give when it's a tennis ball (slightly better with a stick). The only thing he'll exchange it for is another one; NO food treat matches the balls value. Luckily he drops whatever he has as soon as we get back to the car.
Look on the bright side, I know someone who's NewFoundland swims off to the middle of the lake when he suspects it's home time and refuses to come out.
He won't give when it's a tennis ball (slightly better with a stick). The only thing he'll exchange it for is another one; NO food treat matches the balls value. Luckily he drops whatever he has as soon as we get back to the car.
Look on the bright side, I know someone who's NewFoundland swims off to the middle of the lake when he suspects it's home time and refuses to come out.
I'm guessing you play tug of war with him - not going to be easy to break the habit, but swapping for treats is your best bet. Avoid taking the toy from him, rather him give it to you. Tug of war encourages a hard mouth and fight to give things back - ultimately becoming a battle of strength that you will rarely win.
Our dogs are gundogs, so it essential that they have soft mouths - became very frustrating with the pup telling friends and family off for playing tug of war. To them it was just playing, to the pup it was a battle of wills and she needed to grip harder.
Our dogs are gundogs, so it essential that they have soft mouths - became very frustrating with the pup telling friends and family off for playing tug of war. To them it was just playing, to the pup it was a battle of wills and she needed to grip harder.
What time did your dog eventually drop the toy? haha...
I have no advice really. Ours hasn't given us this problem much, usually she will just sit when she is told and drop her toy so I can go and take it from her. The worst thing she does is start running around the garden at 100mph on the odd occasion when I say 'In'.
I have no advice really. Ours hasn't given us this problem much, usually she will just sit when she is told and drop her toy so I can go and take it from her. The worst thing she does is start running around the garden at 100mph on the odd occasion when I say 'In'.
therealpigdog said:
I'm guessing you play tug of war with him - not going to be easy to break the habit, but swapping for treats is your best bet. Avoid taking the toy from him, rather him give it to you. Tug of war encourages a hard mouth and fight to give things back - ultimately becoming a battle of strength that you will rarely win.
Our dogs are gundogs, so it essential that they have soft mouths - became very frustrating with the pup telling friends and family off for playing tug of war. To them it was just playing, to the pup it was a battle of wills and she needed to grip harder.
I'm not keen on playing tug. It's a very basic, ancient, predator trait so easy to train but as a friend, who used to train police dogs, once said... Do you really want to train your dog to be good at, "rip the pray to peices?"Our dogs are gundogs, so it essential that they have soft mouths - became very frustrating with the pup telling friends and family off for playing tug of war. To them it was just playing, to the pup it was a battle of wills and she needed to grip harder.
Being rather old fashioned and after trying what you've already done I'd be holding the toy and placing a finger over the nostrils and repeating the leave comand until it let's you have said toy, then make a massive fuss of it. This may seem old hat and doubt mrs grumpy will approve but it works.
PS I have the opposite problem mine sometime tend to spit out what ever they've just retrieved for me instead of holding onto it and presenting me with it. Yes tug of war is not a good idea.
PS I have the opposite problem mine sometime tend to spit out what ever they've just retrieved for me instead of holding onto it and presenting me with it. Yes tug of war is not a good idea.
Gassing Station | All Creatures Great & Small | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff