# I need a little help with my agility dog training



## Thebettabubble (1 mo ago)

I have been doing at home agility with my dog (always using safe equipment) for some years now. As a beginner, I made a major mistake. I trained him using treats, thinking it was the right decision, as his food drive is much higher than his toy drive. While he still enjoys doing agility, and whenever he sees the equipment he barks and jumps and is happy as can be while doing a run, I want to switch him to a toy, because I feel like he looses his momentum, and goes from a playful mode to more of a trick dog mode (I don't know if what I'm saying makes sense, trick training should and is obviously fun, but not the same kind of fun as running and jumping). He is toy driven, just not as much. So I was wondering, how can I make the switch without losing his enthusiasm? My moto is if its not broken don't fix it, but in this case I feel that making the switch is the best decision to make in order to progress in the sport as a team. I'm open to suggestions from more experienced people in the sport or in dog training in general, and if anyone has a different view, please say so! I'm tagging some people that have experience with the sport or with dog training in general. Sorry this was kind of long!
@TropicalFlow3 @RussellTheShihTzu


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## TropicalFlow3 (11 mo ago)

_I see the issue, but im not sure if you can switch him off of it. I used training treats my whole agility training with foxy as she's NOT toy motivated at all. In the end, i trained her well enough to be able to follow my comands and only get a treat at the end of the raining session. I reqest to know if you give him/her treats throughout the entire agility training or just at the end too, knowing this will help me be able to help you better.._


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## Thebettabubble (1 mo ago)

TropicalFlow3 said:


> _I see the issue, but im not sure if you can switch him off of it. I used training treats my whole agility training with foxy as she's NOT toy motivated at all. In the end, i trained her well enough to be able to follow my comands and only get a treat at the end of the raining session. I reqest to know if you give him/her treats throughout the entire agility training or just at the end too, knowing this will help me be able to help you better.._


Although I do not have all the equipment you would see at a normal agility trial, I only have a few, he receives his treat at the end of the run. While I'm training him on new equipment he does get his reward more often,so that he can learn what he has to do, but that is only on new equipment. Normally he gets his reward at the end of every run. He is also toy driven, just not as much. My problem is that this looks too much like the steps I use when training a new trick or behaviour, and I don't want him to think that agility training is trick training.


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## TropicalFlow3 (11 mo ago)

Thebettabubble said:


> Although I do not have all the equipment you would see at a normal agility trial, I only have a few, he receives his treat at the end of the run. While I'm training him on new equipment he does get his reward more often,so that he can learn what he has to do, but that is only on new equipment. Normally he gets his reward at the end of every run. He is also toy driven, just not as much. My problem is that this looks too much like the steps I use when training a new trick or behaviour, and I don't want him to think that agility training is trick training.


I see. _Does he see confused? like he thinks it like trcik training? 

You could start with baby steps. Maybe at the end of the run you can pet and scratch him, and see if he will take the toy. If not, reward him with a treat. Keep doing this until he takes the toy. When he does, give him lots of pet's and scratches as Postive reinforcement. One he starts consistantly taking the toy, Start using it as often as you can, for agility training. Only use the EXACT same toy for agility every time. Unless the toy gets fully ruined. I honestly don't really think that you need to switch him, unless he starts acting *confused, Agitated or lost.*_


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## Thebettabubble (1 mo ago)

TropicalFlow3 said:


> I see. _Does he see confused? like he thinks it like trcik training?
> 
> You could start with baby steps. Maybe at the end of the run you can pet and scratch him, and see if he will take the toy. If not, reward him with a treat. Keep doing this until he takes the toy. When he does, give him lots of pet's and scratches as Postive reinforcement. One he starts consistantly taking the toy, Start using it as often as you can, for agility training. Only use the EXACT same toy for agility every time. Unless the toy gets fully ruined. I honestly don't really think that you need to switch him, unless he starts acting *confused, Agitated or lost.*_


Yeah, he doesn't show ANY signs of confusion or agitation, he acts totally excited and happy to be running. I don't know, maybe I'm overreacting


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## TropicalFlow3 (11 mo ago)

Thebettabubble said:


> Yeah, he doesn't show ANY signs of confusion or agitation, he acts totally excited and happy to be running. I don't know, maybe I'm overreacting


Maybe. _You could try and switch him if its easier for you._


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