Dependence on toys

What do you guys think about creating a dependence on toys for training purposes? Also for using a toy to (successfully) manage a serious fear aggression issue? Is this dependence a bad thing?

I suppose it depends.

I have 2 dogs who are very toy dependent. Flynn can switch off from the toy and concentrate on something else, but I can then bring the toy back out to reward him or distract him and he'll switch his concentration to that.

Jessie however has typical collie fixation on toys. If she knows I have a toy, she will not do anything else apart from badger me for it. Trying to get her attention from the toy on to something else, even a treat or a live rabbit in front of her nose, is nigh on impossible. Nothing else exists as far as she is concerned.

So, in Flynn's case, it's a very useful tool for training and switching focus, but in Jessie's case it's a big hindrance.

With Daisy (and now with Prince, although with him it`s exuberance I need to control, not aggression) transferring their drive on to toys was / is invaluable.
Food does just not elicit the same quivering response. The dogs will sit oblivious to crowds, nosy dogs, cats, motorbikes etc... because I have the Ballie and am saying Watch.
I use it to train - it is the reward. It makes training slow, but it makes it solid because the reward is huge.
However - I do use it to train in a response. A Pavlovian response, that does not rely on me having the actual ball in my hand. Because that one time you need it it might be at the bottom of your bag.
That`s how you get round that dependence. 99 times you ask for a Watch with the ball in your hand, then throw it. The hundreth time the response is still there, although the reward may not be. Because you make damn sure that the NEXT time - it is!

If used properly there is not a dependence as such.

I reward whistle recall with a game of tug but the response is now automatic. I don't need to have the toy to get the recall, so if I were without it one day I still get the recall.

I also use a tug toy for an 'emergency' situation if I get caught in a trap surrounded by too many dogs and push Polo above threshold with his reactivity to dogs. I can use a game of tug to get me out of the situation and he redirects his aggression to the toy. However, I use a variety of other techniques to help him overcome his reactivity towards unknown dogs.

It depends.

On the dog, on the handler, on the context.

You have to weigh up the pros and cons.

For example.

Having something of extremely high value to a dog can be very useful IF you can control access to it. It means you can have ultimate control of your dog's behaviour in any situation.

However.

It can be dangerous in some circumstances eg in the presence of another dog or even human that the dog thinks is competition.

It can also, in high drive dogs, raise arousal to unacceptably high levels and actually put the dog under a lot of stress and create an "adrenaline junkie".

The other issue is, are you using it as a tool to change a CER (conditioned emotional response) or as a distraction?

As in anything, unless you can clearly signal when a ball may or may not be available you can create a rod for your own back.

Off switches need to be trained alongside the dependency.

This is something I have to be careful about with Flynn. When dogs approach, people have advised me to use food rewards to control reactivity. It only makes it worse since he resource guards. The same happens to a lesser extent with a toy, plus he has another reason to tell the dog off because he doesnt like being disturbed when we are 'doing something'.

Ollie sounds as if he is as fixated on toys as Jess so we need to hide all the toys at home when we don't need them, otherwise he won't switch off. I don't work him so having him totally fixated on toys is a very useful tool.

I agree with this. I have also trained a Pavlovian response that is triggered by my hand going near to my pocket. I don't even need to get the ball out, just the possibility is enough. Ollie's recall is superb because as soon as he hears the whistle you see a thought bubble containing a ball above his head.

I was walking in some woods in Wales last week and some sheep had escaped into it from a neighbouring field. The first time I realised was when I saw them running, with my dog chasing them. Three pips on the whistle and he turned on a sixpence and come straight back. Thanks to toys, he is like a robot and at times like that I am enormously grateful. I have also called him off deer numerous times in similar circumstances

I tried to wean Ollie off the toys and found that he became very hunty and his recall started to suffer. I can still get the ball response even if I don't have a ball with me, it took about 6 weeks to wean him off. However I realised it was a bad idea and reinstated the addiction, much to his relief!

I have found this with Ollie, who will shoo other dogs away from me if I make a fuss of them when I'm holding the ball, as if to say "Go away she's working". It's not a big issue and fairly easily managed by putting the ball away or not fussing other dogs when he's "on task".