# Confidence building games



## bob_barker (Dec 31, 2013)

What are some different confidence building games people can recommend to incorporate into training?


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## MayzieGSD (Aug 28, 2006)

TUG! And let him win!


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## amburger16 (May 22, 2015)

Agreed, definitely tug and let him win. Just don't let him win immediately, give him a good go at first.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

If they eat kibble, take that meal and make a track with it. Make it easy in the beginning and more difficult as they get the hang of it. Even take the track outside and lay it out in the yard.


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## jschrest (Jun 16, 2015)

Lilie said:


> If they eat kibble, take that meal and make a track with it. Make it easy in the beginning and more difficult as they get the hang of it. Even take the track outside and lay it out in the yard.


Can you go into a little more detail? Do you mean make a trail of food? My GSD does not play with toys, so I'm looking for ways to get her worked without walks and toys. She is very food motivated and I think this sounds interesting.


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## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

bob_barker said:


> What are some different confidence building games people can recommend to incorporate into training?


Hey Candice, it may help you to think a little differently about it. I don't think you can change temperament. I don't think you can put confidence in a dog that doesn't have it. But dogs do well when things are black and white to them. When there isn't confusion about things. You can get what you want with him by not looking to specific games or anything to try and fix anything.

All your training, just very consistent and clear showing him how to succeed at the simplest of things and exactly whats not acceptable. Things as simple as going for a walk, only following your direction gets him what he wants.


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## Baillif (Jun 26, 2013)

Steve Strom said:


> Hey Candice, it may help you to think a little differently about it. I don't think you can change temperament. I don't think you can put confidence in a dog that doesn't have it. But dogs do well when things are black and white to them. When there isn't confusion about things. You can get what you want with him by not looking to specific games or anything to try and fix anything.
> 
> All your training, just very consistent and clear showing him how to succeed at the simplest of things and exactly whats not acceptable. Things as simple as going for a walk, only following your direction gets him what he wants.


This

You can't train fear out of a dog, just as you can't really train confidence into them. You can change how they react to a degree, you can mask issues, you can try to hide them, but on some level the dog will always be what it will be.


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## jschrest (Jun 16, 2015)

I didn't realize who the OP was or why it was being asked.  

I wanted to find some "games" my GSD could play to engage her, not help with any of her aggressions. Just something fun she could do since she has zero interest in toys, and with the weather, her walks for exercise has been curtailed. Should I start a new thread?


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## bob_barker (Dec 31, 2013)

jschrest said:


> I wanted to find some "games" my GSD could play to engage her, not help with any of her aggressions. Just something fun she could do since she has zero interest in toys, and with the weather, her walks for exercise has been curtailed. Should I start a new thread?



Ummm.... This was also what I was looking for? That's why I started a new thread...


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

jschrest said:


> Can you go into a little more detail? Do you mean make a trail of food? My GSD does not play with toys, so I'm looking for ways to get her worked without walks and toys. She is very food motivated and I think this sounds interesting.


If she is interested in food i used that quite a bit with mine when he was reactive. I used to sit at the park for hours just watching the world go by(I did this everyday rsin or shine for a few months) When we got to the point that a dog was approaching I would take a handful of good and throw it in the opposite direction. He was so busy looking for the food that he did not pay attention to the dog 5 ft away. Really nothing to do with confidence but it might help you out with yours


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## jschrest (Jun 16, 2015)

llombardo said:


> If she is interested in food i used that quite a bit with mine when he was reactive. I used to sit at the park for hours just watching the world go by(I did this everyday rsin or shine for a few months) When we got to the point that a dog was approaching I would take a handful of good and throw it in the opposite direction. He was so busy looking for the food that he did not pay attention to the dog 5 ft away. Really nothing to do with confidence but it might help you out with yours


I've tried this is our front yard. We have had awesome success as far as people and dogs go, but cats, I have to bring her back in. NOTHING unlocks her from cats. 

I haven't tried it in the park yet, too many people, too many animals. It would probably be overload for her at this point. 

I just thought some fun ways to engage her may help her burn off some of her excess energy. Since toys are useless for her, and walks went from twice a day, and hour each time, to basically 15 minutes once a day due to extreme heat, I've been looking into way to get her to use her brain to workout. And food is her only interest at this point


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## jschrest (Jun 16, 2015)

bob_barker said:


> Ummm.... This was also what I was looking for? That's why I started a new thread...


Candace, 

I meant no offense. I just meant that I'm *not* looking for ways to deal with any of my GSD's issues. She has many many many issues, and is seeing a trainer for them. I'm not looking to build confidence with her (in this area) or games to help her with DA, FA, LR, just wanted some fun games she could get involved in since toys are alien to her, and walks are too hot at this point, so she is going stir crazy in the home.


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## bob_barker (Dec 31, 2013)

jschrest said:


> I just thought some fun ways to engage her may help her burn off some of her excess energy. Since toys are useless for her, and walks went from twice a day, and hour each time, to basically 15 minutes once a day due to extreme heat, I've been looking into way to get her to use her brain to workout. And food is her only interest at this point




I have another thread started "exercising in the heat" 

There are a lot of great ideas from people on there. I especially like the muffin tin and tennis ball idea!


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## Baillif (Jun 26, 2013)

Why do you think your dog needs confidence anyway? So far it's 2-0 and the reigning backyard light weight champion of the world.


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## bob_barker (Dec 31, 2013)

Baillif said:


> Why do you think your dog needs confidence anyway? So far it's 2-0 and the reigning backyard light weight champion of the world.



Because he is a nervous dog.


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## Baillif (Jun 26, 2013)

You can't fix that.


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## MadLab (Jan 7, 2013)

Search for food reward or toy reward is good around the house or in the back yard.

Nervous dogs may not be using there noses at all, so any encouragement will improve the dog. They will be overly reactive to what it sees and hears rather than first wanting to investigate things with it's nose, like a normal dog.

I think you can help a nervous dog. I did with my bitch who was extremely reactive/nervous or people/environmentally unsound/high prey drive-human aggression.

But today she is more of a tough block of muscle and bones. her temperament is as it should be- stable. She loves people and will accept any stranger to my home as my guest. As a pup she was ready for combat any time she meet anyone.

I trust her around children and strangers and see she has absolutely no difficulty with the types of things that troubled her at a year of age like push chairs or umbrellas

I trained her and she grew up and accepted or adapted to her environment..

To me a dog is just designed for a job genetically and might not fit into an urban environment surrounded by people noises traffic etc.

My dog will excel at catching dinner in the forest but didn't enjoy being in crowded streets. I forced her to change and she did, but the reward for her is greater for her as she is a calm happy dog now.

I would just encourage people with young dogs growing up to expect them to change and improve, as imo they will.


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## MadLab (Jan 7, 2013)

> Nervous dogs may not be using there noses at all, so any encouragement will improve the dog. They will be overly reactive to what it sees and hears rather than first wanting to investigate things with it's nose, like a normal dog.


What are peoples opinions on this.

Increasing a dogs use of it's nose will increase it's confidence and improve a nervous temperament.


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## Ruby'sMom (May 25, 2014)

I agree 100% Madlab. Dogs use their nose first to assess environment, then their eyes, finally their ears. If the dog skips the nose the data is incomplete. Nosework is a great way to exercise a missing step and build confidence.


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

If a young dog is shown by their owner in a simple, clear and repetitive what is expected of them, in a situation that rattles them , it will eventually help them become more comfortable with whatever the situation is that ales them. The more they can relax the more dog senses they can use. I agree nose work, tracking will help them build confidence.


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## Persinette (Jan 31, 2015)

Baillif said:


> You can't fix that.


While you might not be able to "fix" a nervous temperament, that is not reason NOT to play confidence building games. A nervous dog may always have weak nerves, but confidence building exercising can certainly _help_. Also depends on the severity of the nerves. I agree that nervousness is a core temperament issue and can't be eliminated, but this sentiment just seems like a fatalistic attitude to me.


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## Longfisher (Feb 28, 2013)

*Dog Shy*



bob_barker said:


> What are some different confidence building games people can recommend to incorporate into training?


Mine was dog shy due to some early mishaps in dog parks (yuk. Never take your do to a dog park). Heck, at a couple of month's he'd cower even if a do barked a mile away.

No good.

So, I took to the drainage ditches where the houses back right up to them and are fenced. There are lots of aggressive and territorial dogs in those houses that think that anyone or, especially, any dog that walks along the ditch is on their protected territory.

So, when any dog would bark and lunge behind a fence I would shorten the leash and pull the puppy along with me as I was growling and barking myself and ran towards the fence. Most often I'd crash the fence with my weight and the offending dog would break off the barking and retreat.

Over time that gave my dog substantial courage towards other dogs, and, especially if I was with him, which I always am.

We also would make him sit and just listen and observe dogs that barked at us, sometimes ferociously, from behind their gates and fences on the street. I'd make him sit and then lightly command "easy, easy, easy" the whole while preventing him from running with a tight leash.

Today, he could care less about other dogs barking at him. He just glances back over his shoulder towards me (we long-leash him on walks) awaiting my signal to charge the other dog. If I shorten the leash and charge he charges right with me and sometimes in front of me. If I say "easy" he just trucks on without concern.

At this point, the neighborhood dogs know Zeus and they don't bother anymore to hassle him...but for one.

There's the very large black lab that routinely chews the fence pickets in his yard's fence so as to be able to see other dogs. And, when he does see Zeus he absolutely becomes a zombie crazed, fence destroying maniac trying to get at Zeus.

So, when I round the corner where his yard is I check to wind to ensure it's blowing towards the dog's fence, tighten up the leash and take out my pepper spray. It has a very long spray channel. And, we charge his fence with the dog and the spray.

Well, he's backed off once in a while all the way to the other side of his yard and cried like a baby from the spray when I'm on target. But now he rarely charges us anymore and I just tell Zeus "easy" as we walk peacefully by.

No more confidence problems with other dogs.

LF


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## Longfisher (Feb 28, 2013)

*Yep.*



Persinette said:


> While you might not be able to "fix" a nervous temperament, that is not reason NOT to play confidence building games. A nervous dog may always have weak nerves, but confidence building exercising can certainly _help_. Also depends on the severity of the nerves. I agree that nervousness is a core temperament issue and can't be eliminated, but this sentiment just seems like a fatalistic attitude to me.


Right on.

I was a shy kid growing up in a mixed white and hispanic neighborhood. Because I stayed late a school for extracurricular activities (I'm smart) I often ran into Mexican gangs of young toughs who like to chase me. And, you'd better believe I ran too.

A neighbor took pitty and bought me a punching bag and gloves. Over time I got pretty good and never backed down again.

Then in the Vietnam war I joined the Marines as a private and rapidly made my way to Sgt. due to aggression, mostly controlled. Then I was asked to go to OCS. Finished as a Captain and never had another bad day in my life due to that boxing training.

Dogs can be trained too...just like us. Do it.

LF


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## Longfisher (Feb 28, 2013)

*One more thing...*

...we wanted a territorial dog that would at least alert and bark if someone came into the yard. But Zeus just wasn't that dog.

So, along with the above confidence building measures we would hire a high school kid keen on jumping fences and pay him to patrol our back yard fence from the adjoining cooperating neighbor's yard. From a lawn chair with the dog in the yard, I'd charge him all the while growling and barking and shouting like made. And, he'd yell with fright and run off as I continued to bark and scream and yell and patrol in a menacing manner.

Once a week I'd ask him to jump the fence and I'd also charge him allowing him to just get over the fence in return.

The dog caught on to this and started to charge with me. And, after a while we had to stop the kid from actually jumping into the yard as Zeus grew too large and too fast. Over time, Zeus is a wonderfully protective animal in his own yard and is quite frightening sometimes to those who stop by casually.

GOOD. THAT'S JUST THE DOG WE WANT HIM TO BE.

I know have not only Beware of Dog signs all around the perimeter, but also, have taken to posting that sign you can buy on Amazon that asks the question if there is life after death. Then it shows a profile of a GSD and say, "Find out. Jump this Fence".

We've had no takers after Zeus was one year old...never happened since.

LF


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## voodoolamb (Jun 21, 2015)

Longfisher said:


> At this point, the neighborhood dogs know Zeus and they don't bother anymore to hassle him...but for one.
> 
> There's the very large black lab that routinely chews the fence pickets in his yard's fence so as to be able to see other dogs. And, when he does see Zeus he absolutely becomes a zombie crazed, fence destroying maniac trying to get at Zeus.
> 
> ...


So let me get this straight? You charge at a dog that is CONFINED IN IT'S YARD and mace it? Really? That sounds out right cruel. Also how the heck do you know that this lab is aggressive and not just displaying barrier frustration? 

Oh and seriously about that thing where you charged and threw your weight into people's fences - I dare you to pull that crap in my back yard. Your dog's confidence issues would be the least of your worries.

Not to mention that how friggin illegal it is- the tormenting/teasing of dogs, the trespassing (most fences don't sit up against the property line) and being completely and totally disrespectful of people's property.


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## Longfisher (Feb 28, 2013)

voodoolamb said:


> So let me get this straight? You charge at a dog that is CONFINED IN IT'S YARD and mace it? Really? That sounds out right cruel. Also how the heck do you know that this lab is aggressive and not just displaying barrier frustration?
> 
> Oh and seriously about that thing where you charged and threw your weight into people's fences - I dare you to pull that crap in my back yard. Your dog's confidence issues would be the least of your worries.
> 
> Not to mention that how friggin illegal it is- the tormenting/teasing of dogs, the trespassing (most fences don't sit up against the property line) and being completely and totally disrespectful of people's property.


Ummm, it looks like you missed the point. The offending dog had already chewed through several pickets halfway and when we approached he was acting like a rabid crazed animal that was intent on removing the last little toothpick of a fence picket so as to lunge towards us and harm us.

You bet your sweet fanny I charged him and maced him. No way is that animal not going to get maced.

Perhaps imminent danger is not easy to project on a BBS. But we were in imminent danger.

Now the animal minds his manners when we pass.

LF


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## MineAreWorkingline (May 2, 2015)

voodoolamb said:


> So let me get this straight? You charge at a dog that is CONFINED IN IT'S YARD and mace it? Really? That sounds out right cruel. Also how the heck do you know that this lab is aggressive and not just displaying barrier frustration?
> 
> Oh and seriously about that thing where you charged and threw your weight into people's fences - I dare you to pull that crap in my back yard. Your dog's confidence issues would be the least of your worries.
> 
> Not to mention that how friggin illegal it is- the tormenting/teasing of dogs, the trespassing (most fences don't sit up against the property line) and being completely and totally disrespectful of people's property.


I agree, this is illegal in my state too. If the dogs had gotten loose from their yards, that would be a different story. 

Who knows? Maybe the Lab's owner used to put the Lab on a short leash and charge the fence barking and growling as he dragged the Lab with him to teach him to bark at people and dogs that passed by the fence.


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## voodoolamb (Jun 21, 2015)

Longfisher said:


> Ummm, it looks like you missed the point. The offending dog had already chewed through several pickets halfway and when we approached he was acting like a rabid crazed animal that was intent on removing the last little toothpick of a fence picket so as to lunge towards us and harm us.
> 
> You bet your sweet fanny I charged him and maced him. No way is that animal not going to get maced.
> 
> ...


In your post you made it apparent that this was not a one time occurrence. 



> There's the very large black lab that routinely chews the fence pickets in his yard's fence so as to be able to see other dogs. And, when he does see Zeus he absolutely becomes a zombie crazed, fence destroying maniac trying to get at Zeus.
> 
> So, when I round the corner where his yard is I check to wind to ensure it's blowing towards the dog's fence, tighten up the leash and take out my pepper spray. It has a very long spray channel. And, we charge his fence with the dog and the spray.
> 
> Well, he's backed off once in a while all the way to the other side of his yard and cried like a baby from the spray when I'm on target. But now he rarely charges us anymore and I just tell Zeus "easy" as we walk peacefully by.


Seems like you had this down to a science. I mean, you were even able to get the dog to back all the way to the other side of his yard on occasion if you were on target! 

So why would you routinely put you and your dog in "imminent danger"? 

What happened when the wind was blowing in the wrong direction and it was unsafe to mace the lab?

I find it hard to believe that the fence was tooth pick thin each and every time you passed. The dog would have gotten out and the owners would have had to replace pickets or otherwise confine the dog. Unless you are exaggerating of course. 

Besides the stuff with pepper spraying a lab in it's own yard - What's the justification for provoking the other neighborhood dogs and crashing into your neighbor's fences on purpose? Why would you do that to someone else's property? Is it ok if I come and charge at your fence and crash into it? You can leave zeus out of course. I'll make sure I have mace with me just in case


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## voodoolamb (Jun 21, 2015)

MineAreWorkingline said:


> I agree, this is illegal in my state too. If the dogs had gotten loose from their yards, that would be a different story.


Yeah, it was on the news here just a few weeks ago that a man was charged with animal cruelty for pepper spraying a pit bull that was in it's owner's car with the window's down. 



> Who knows? Maybe the Lab's owner used to put the Lab on a short leash and charge the fence barking and growling as he dragged the Lab with him to teach him to bark at people and dogs that passed by the fence.


:laugh:


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## bob_barker (Dec 31, 2013)

I don't care how much of a jerk my dog is in HIS yard... If you were to mace my dogs... You could bet your ass the cops would be at your door


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I can't believe that I just read that someone deliberately walks past a dog in its own yard and not only charges the fence but maces the dog, is that really what I just read? That is the craziest thing and I'm not even sure how to respond? All I can say is that if the neighbors get wind of what you have done, don't be to surprised if they aren't out there one day waiting for you with pepper spray. I know if it was my dog and I found out what was being done, it wouldn't be pretty, not pretty at all.


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## jschrest (Jun 16, 2015)

I have to be honest here. That is the most insane thing I have ever heard. And I've heard some pretty insane things. Even teaching your dog to rush fences while you're "showing him how" by doing the same with the barking and growling? Sounds like you need some help buddy.

If someone maced my dog while she was in my yard, I would call the cops in a second. And seriously consider letting her loose on them. What kind of person thinks that is a same thing to do?!?!


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## Ceez201 (Jul 3, 2015)

If you maced and harassed my dog while confined on my property you would need a lot more than mace to defend yourself from me. Then you would purposely try to screw with your own dog to make him "territorial". 

You sir are a nutjob and have no business owning a dog.


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