Training a Beagle...Desperate!

Chels_girl · 08-02-2008, 12:12 AM

I have a year old female beagle who I'm having trouble training. She's so food oriented that she looses focus on everything, and she won't respond to her name. Without food in your hand she won't even so much as look at you. I'm just having a tough time with her because my Mini Aussie is a very quick learner. I've never had a dog that was so hard to teach I'd like to at least teach her the basics, she know hows to sit, but you have to have a treat or toy for her. She's even hyper and rarely stops barking. Any help I can get is appreciated!

klip · 08-02-2008, 03:30 AM

Well - usually food oriented dogs are the easiest to train! It sounds like she has not made the connection that she has to earn that treat yet.

A really good way to get that started is with "doggy zen". This forum has a step-by-step on how to do that here (Doggy Zen)

Essentially its a way for a dog to learn self control - to learn that "i have to do something to get that food" and also "if I push for the food, I am less likely to get it."

You should also only be giving her a treat once she has done something to earn it. No work, no treats.

Give it a try, and good luck

rogueslg71 · 08-02-2008, 08:49 PM

you just have to keep training her and be patient. also make sure youre giving her tiny treats that can be used for training, they should be very small and easy to eat and yummy.

make her learn hand motions along with words , use the food to guide her to what you want her to do (like down or sit) and then give it to her right away when she does (should be easy since you guided her with the treat in your hand and right infront of her nose). after a while you should be able to do the same hand motion but without a treat every few times and eventually she will get it. dont forget to praise too everytime whether or not theres a treat.

does she get excited about going outside. you could also train her to do things for going outside like sitting or 'down', or whtever you are trying to train her to do.

hattrickinc · 08-03-2008, 08:41 AM

I have a 6 month old beagle also, and I'm in the same runt. Thx Klip and Rogueslg71 - I will try yalls advice!

Kathyy · 08-03-2008, 11:07 AM

I highly recommend doggy zen. Sassy is very highly food motivated as well. It was amazing seeing her learn to look away from food. It was so very hard to do! Clicker training helps as well as the click is closely followed by a cookie.

rosemaryninja · 08-03-2008, 11:24 AM

Clicker training usually works very well on beagles. They have very short attention spans so the click helps you keep them on track and helps them figure out exactly what it is they got a cookie for.

I would also save training sessions for after walks. A calm, well-exercised dog is more likely to listen and learn than one that is bouncing off the walls.

Since she is food-motivated, use this to your advantage. She won't want to train unless you have treats in your hand -- that's fine, and pretty expected. Beagles aren't the "I'll do it just because you want me to" kind. They're the "what's in it for me?" kind. Fortunately, it's easy to motivate her. This is a very good thing. So she'll only sit when you have a treat in your hand. Work with her till she sits 100% of the time when you have a treat in your hand. Then, move on to variable reinforcement schedules. Same for teaching her other commands like down, stay, come, etc. Motivate her to learn using the food, then worry about fading treats.

Criosphynx · 08-03-2008, 11:30 AM

Do you mean the dog is too focused on the treat and not you?

what type of treat are you using?

If the treat is too high value to the dog he can lose his head because hes too excited.

Chels_girl · 08-03-2008, 08:17 PM

Thanks guys for all your help! The Doggy Zen seems to be working ok, I clicker train my dogs anyway and she responds to that well. It doesn't matter what kind of treat I use, if it's kibble she ignores me, if it's better she just doesn't listen. Really, as of yet the thing I'd most like to break her of is her obsessive barking. She never stops, we put our dogs in the bedroom when we have guests over because Mylee, our beagle barks really, really loudly. It's terrible.
BTW everyone I'm getting a new puppy. A neighbor of ours has pups that are only 6 weeks old but their mother stopped nursing and she can't take care of them. I've had young puppies before, so it won't be to hard for me.

rosemaryninja · 08-03-2008, 08:21 PM

Are you sure a new puppy is a good idea? It sounds like you have your hands full at this point. Personally, I wouldn't get another puppy until all my existing dogs were well-trained and fully under control.

Most Beagles will bark because they are bored. How much physical and mental exercise does your girl get?

Chels_girl · 08-03-2008, 09:09 PM

The puppy is still very young, but her owner can't keep them any longer. Mylee is getting better, and the Doggy Zen seems to be working. I got her to stop barking earlier...things seem to be getting better. It's hard for me to walk her, because on a leash she drags at it trying to chase any exciting things...which is everything. My mother, who's dog she actually is, refuses to do anything with her. So I'm stuck with the cute little demon dog. So far things seem to be getting better...lets hope it stays that way

rosemaryninja · 08-03-2008, 09:47 PM

I understand that -- however, I'm concerned about the amount of attention you will be able to devote to both Mylee and the pup, with Mylee so out of hand.

Have you considered taking Mylee to obedience class? She needs to learn how to walk properly on leash so that you can exercise her properly. She won't get anywhere training-wise with all that pent-up energy in her.

Chels_girl · 08-03-2008, 10:39 PM

I tried something new tonight. I had bought a Halti a few months ago to help my Aussie learn to walk nicely on a leash, which worked wonderfully while I clicker trained it. She's an angel on the leash. I was shocked, Mylee was perfect, and she crashed instantly when we got home. I am going to try and work on her leash walking until I get the pup, if the walks work out this well all the time we should have no problem, and she won't have any energy to bark ^__^
My mother also decided that we'll fence in our back yard soon, so our dogs will have some space to run and play, that should also help loads.
We actually got Mylee a little older than I would have liked, she had an owner before us for a few weeks who spoiled her rotten, let her bark and demand all the time, she was given to my brother, who gave her to my mom as a companion dog, since Sydney, my aussie is not a snuggler, and is my dog. My mother spoiled her even worse, but we're working on that...
Another thing, my grandma has Alzheimer's, and the woman who cares for her while my mother and me are at work, she doesn't spoil my dog, but she does spoil Mylee, feeds her all the time, and doesn't let them out enough...

Chels_girl · 08-03-2008, 11:35 PM

Thanks everyone, your all being so helpful, and I forgot to add into my other post, the answer to the obedience class comment. I would take her but out local obedience instructor...well lets just say I don't like her. Her methods aren't great but I do plan to take my puppy to the puppy kindergarten class, she uses clicker training, but I think it's a different instructor for the puppy classes...Mylee's been really good so far since her walk, I'll keep up walking her and I'll talk to the lady who takes care of my grandma about not feeding the dogs. They get food put out while we're gone anyway.