Hi I have a 7 month old bichon girl. She is a beautiful dog but she does not respond to food treats or playing treats at all. I’m struggling to train her as she seems stubborn and won’t comply to commands. She will run off if the gate is open and also if we say we are going for a walk. She hides under the beds in the house. Help! What can I do to train her? Thanks
Oh Lucy it must be so difficult & frustrating for you I’m not sure what you can do, I’m going to follow your post to see what advice you do get. Our dogs is similar, if he gets any idea we want to take him out he tries to do a disappearing act, luckily for us though he would eat his own body weight in food, so, that how we lure him Once he is out, he doesn’t want to come in I thought the high light of a dogs day was going out for a walk, it doesn’t make sense does it ?
My hubby recommends trying chopped up sardine or something with a really strong smell that you only use when training or getting her lead on for a walk !
Not all dogs are food motivated, a reward doesn't have to be food, it's anything the dog is interested in, you have to find something that motivates her and what methods will work best for her. Teach her fun tricks and short training sessions through-out the day.
Thanks. I will try that. We have tried chicken, hotdogs, cheese, playtime. She is really not interested
Does your Bichon have fears about the big wide world? Many toy dogs are reared inside a house or kennel and have had little or no opportunity to socialise. If a dog is fearful, it will refuse food and play, so if this is the root cause, you may need to gently allow her to come to terms with her fears before attempting to train her.
That’s interesting Carole and makes sense, many toy dogs are carried around a lot too if the owner believes they are frightened!
Thanks Carole I would have to say yes she is very nervous out in the big world. We have kept persisting though and she is enjoying going to walks once she is out. She absolutely loves to meet other dogs and people when we are out. I’ll definitely keep socialising her. I never really thought of it like that. She does seem anxious at times when we are out and about. Thanks again
Close your bedroom doors and pop her lead on when you decide to go for a walk. It won't hurt for her to trail it around the house while you get ready. If your Bichon becomes scared when she is outside, retreat to a distance at which she is comfortable, and let her take time to watch and realise that there is nothing to be scared of. You may have to do this several times, but should gradually be able to get closer to the object or event. Speak gently, but don't over-console her, this can reinforce the idea that there is something to be scared of. My elder Beagle was raised in a puppy farm, and one of his major fears was heavy traffic. I used to walk him to a car park off the main road and just let him stand at a distance and traffic watch, until he began to relax - the next time I would move just a little closer to the road. You may find that she will begin to take a little special treat as her adrenaline level falls. Do make sure that she is wearing a secure collar or harness in case she decides to run backwards.
If she is worried about going out and you have really tried all the conventional methods, maybe try carrying her for a short distance before putting her down and reduce the distance over time. On the gate, be patient. Wait with the gate closed until she loses interest. Once she has, make believe you are going to open it (or open slightly) and close it again as she makes her push to go through. Keep repeating until she loses interest in the gate being opened. HOWEVER, safety first. Either have her on a long line that someone is holding or have someone at the other side of the gate to ensure she can't escape until she 'gets it'. If cuddles and even being picked up are the only things that motivate your dog, you have the key to rewarding. Eventually, you may well be able to substitute play or treats, but she needs to overcome her worries before they are likely to work. What you have going for you is that once she's out, she's fine
For my rehomed 2 yr overexcited BF worked this: 1. I got ready myself without any paying attention to the dog. 2. When she was running about I said- I am not chasing you, bye! and left the house with her inside. 3. Waited outside about 5 min, came back. She is happy to see me, I lifted her, put lead and we went out. In my case she got very quickly: if You are not letting to put lead when I say, you will be left alone inside.
They do learn quickly. Nigredo gets excited when he sees his leash. He goes to the vet with a leash but that's just once a year. Much more often, we are going to PetSmart (he LOVES PetSmart) or the park (which he also loves)... And so that's what he associates the leash with. I'm sure she will associate good things with practice and it'll become a lot easier for her. Good luck.
Glad I'm not the only one! My lil guy hides when it's time to go out but, once out he's very happy....it's quite confusing. When we get back home whether a walk or from my car he loves to get inside. I figure he's just a "homebody" He just loves being inside. Best to you & Yoji
