How to train a dog who doesn't accept rewards?

[Vhyran]

Hi there!

I'm sorry...I know it's a Dutch community but maybe a User have some ideas about my problem...
I also own a White German Shepherd who is know 3 years old. It's very hard to train him because he doesn't react to any kind of rewards....no food, no toys...no affection or other rewards.
I'm very glad/happy that he is a very kind and friendly dog...no problem with other intact dogs, children...he's very well socialised.

But I've no clue how to "really" train him. Also my Mondioring trainer is at the end with his knowledge.

If he doesn't like a food - okay then he doesn't eat a week...the longest time without eating any food was about 17 days.
Toys, prey or other stuff got his attention only for 30 seconds or shorter. I can throw a ball or other stuff around like crazy....he only looks at me with a "are you serious?" face.

I would really appreciate every tip

THank you

[Christie M]

I guess the big question is - what are you trying to train the dog for?? It sounds like the dog has some serious limits as to what you can accomplish with it with out any ability to release/reward. So what all are you looking for?

[Vhyran]

Hi there,

Thank you!
I'm not training him for sports or so...he's just my normal "house/familiy dog". We have huge problems with the normal stuff like the call backs, Sit, Get down, running "heel" with a leash.
Normally he "know" all the commands...on good days "stay" means stay for minutes...no problems...but most of the days he really doesn't care what commands he gets - he ignores them.

My trainerd said: He would be happy in the wilderness with no humans around him.

We tried so many stuff...a "Halti", vibration collar, e schock collar, water, sound collar, food as reward, prey, dummy training, clicker...
The only "good" result we get was the e-schock collar. He behaves good with that...when he wears it.

Withouth the collar he acts like usual - besides this kind of collar is forbidden in this country. Also a pinch collar.

[centrop67]

Perhaps a DNA test is in order to make sure he's not really a cat...

Kidding aside, have you tried exaggerated excitement paired with verbal praise? I just caution this approach, however, because this gets Radar in a playful and nipping mood if I attempt this.

I think I would try some freeform marker training. Simply observe him, and any time he does something you like, click immediately, say yessss, yesss, yesss, rapidly, and do a little dance. You probably won't want to do this for longer than 10 minutes at a time at first, but you might break through.

Other than that, keep trying to find some collateral. There's got to be something that will reward him.

Good luck.

[Vhyran]

Thank you so much!

I'm a bit confused....a few minutes ago my neighbors stood at my door and complained about the dog. In the last hour he was three times in theyr pool. -.-
I have a 1,70 m high fence there and Akos just jumped the fence easily.

So next week I have to get a higher fence *sigh* I'll try to find a 2m fence hope I will find one...sometimes I really think about searching a new home for the dog...hmpf.

[Karin]

Just a thought. I once had an adult dog with no toy drive. I wanted to train her in agility. I built the toy drive by using a rabbit pelt, that got her prey drive up and I eventually transferred it to other toys. She went crazy for the rabbit though.

Just a thought.

Good luck. My first dog ever was a white GSD. I miss her.

[Vhyran]

Thank you for that awesome advice. I'll try to get a pelt and try your advice, it sounds really good!

[LyonsFamily]

Interesting thought about the rabbit pelt. I had a Beagle I trained flyball with using a rabbit fur cat toy. They have these large mouses made for cats out of real rabbit fur and it worked great. It was just the right size to get crammed into the ball hole.

I once sat in a training class where a yorkie with zero motivation for anything was being rewarded with canned food on a spoon. She came along very well.

I'm sure there is a motivation in your dog somewhere, it just might not be tradition. If you have a pool loving dog that's willing to jump fences, he has something in him you can bring out.

[Vhyran]

So, here we go

I got a brand new beaver fur from a friend (he's a taxidermist? Is wthis word right?) I played the last view days with this fur, tried to motive Akos - nothing. Wega loved the fresh fur he shook it to death (yay prey!), but Akos just smelled once at it und went away without andy interest *sighs*

[vicken]

You have one motivator so far, water. What would he do to get to a pool other than jump a fence? Would he want to go swim in a lake? how about a little 1 meter wide round pool? Is it water, or is it swimming? What about a hose, would he like to bite the water? (my girl gets excited to bite the water coming out of the hose if it is spraying hard, but not if it is just falling) how about boating? would he like to go on a boat? If so, would he "work" to get there, like heel nicely for 10 feet to get onto the boat? Or get to a pool? etc. Try it, you can't have it much worse.
v

[Dutchringgirl]

wow, I have worked with dogs with not a lot of motivators, but none? If he will listen to the Ecollar, then just leave that on him for now.

How was he trained for the recall? How long have you had him?

[Raven]

Just in case it went unnoticed, this thread is from August 2013.