# Why do they have to be so cute?!?!



## rachljo22 (Jul 11, 2010)

In the 2 weeks we have had Cody he has done such a great job with all his training. He is improving on the leash and potty training gets better by the day. He has learned sit, lay and roll over so far. My problem is that he performs whatever trick he is learning without being asked first before actually listning to the right command. For example we have been working on roll over for the last few days, so today when I get the treats he starts rolling over right away before I even asked him to do anything LOL!

So my question: I should not treat him when he rolls over before even being asked right? It's so hard though! He is so cute when he wants to please, I have a hard time not giving him the treat 

Help! Is this just something that will fine tune itself over time? Should I be asking him more than once to perform a command or wait till he gets it right after one time?

Thanks!


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

Ha ha ha just enjoy his enthusiasm!!! I would ask him to do something else before i give him the treat. I would say "good roll over" now "Sit" and then treat him. They get a longer attention span as they get older. So just enjoy the cuteness.


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## marjrc (Jan 13, 2007)

Great advice, Missy. I have a hard time resisting mine too when they do this, but I don't want to reward a trick I didn't ask for, simply because they'll go through the whole roll call of them and hope they get the treat eventually! Funny as heck, yes, but not what I want to train them to do.


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## Gizmo'sMom (Jul 9, 2010)

LOL WAIT! Mine now does "Treat Mode"!

I nudge treat bag, she starts practically shaking from exciment then sits, lays, smacks ground with paws, runs into crate, comes out taps me and repeats! 

I usually let her do it once or twice then laugh and give her a treat


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## Gizmo'sMom (Jul 9, 2010)

marjrc said:


> Great advice, Missy. I have a hard time resisting mine too when they do this, but I don't want to reward a trick I didn't ask for, simply because they'll go through the whole roll call of them and hope they get the treat eventually! Funny as heck, yes, but not what I want to train them to do.


LOL! Guess I messed that one up


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## SMARTY (Apr 19, 2007)

Welcome to the Forum. You can mark the movement with a click or treat…BUT…If he knows the command and is just going through his bag of tricks to get the treat then you do not reward this. 

It is very hard as they are so cute. When we come in from the yard my Girls run to the refrig and start dancing. Bad habit I’ve let develop.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

SMARTY said:


> Welcome to the Forum. You can mark the movement with a click or treat&#8230;BUT&#8230;If he knows the command and is just going through his bag of tricks to get the treat then you do not reward this.


I know you know this Sandi, but just to be clear to the OP, if the dog is learning a new behavior you can "capture" it with the clicker, and follow up with a treat, whether you have asked for the behavior or not.

If the dog already knows the behavior you don't click OR treat if you haven't asked for the behavior. If you click, you HAVE to treat. That's what the click means... "Yes, you did it! Treat on the way!"<g>


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## rachljo22 (Jul 11, 2010)

krandall said:


> I know you know this Sandi, but just to be clear to the OP, if the dog is learning a new behavior you can "capture" it with the clicker, and follow up with a treat, whether you have asked for the behavior or not.
> 
> If the dog already knows the behavior you don't click OR treat if you haven't asked for the behavior. If you click, you HAVE to treat. That's what the click means... "Yes, you did it! Treat on the way!"<g>


I have not tried the clicker yet.....maybe in the future. He definetly knows the command and just does it right away before being asked. This only happens with whatever trick we are currently working on. Right now we are learning to sit pretty so everytime I get out the treats he sits pretty without me asking. If this happens then I tell him "nice pretty now roll over." He seems to respond ok to this, sometimes it works sometimes not LOL!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

If he's doing it before your command, and only "sometimes" responding to your command for a different behavior, he hasn't really internalized the commands yet. He's offering behaviors that he knows make you happy, and have gotten him praise and treats in the past. The fact that he's more likely to offer what you've been working on most recently is because that is freshest and strongest in his mind.


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

Dexter did the lots of rollovers due to the excitement of treats also. I would not treat, I just asked for a different command. They are so cute and smart!


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