Help please, training issues

[Teacher]

Again, I have said it before - she will do what I ask, whether it's playing with a toy, having tug of war and letting her win, obedience, agility, tracking and searching, but she will only do it so much, then it's not interesting anymore. My obedience/tracking/IPO trainer who's very experienced with many diff kinds of dogs like german shepherd, dobermann, rottweiler, Tervueren, boxer, malinois etc tried his very best to get her motivated in tracking cos she was clearly not interested in the bite work, that's when we starved her for 48 hours and put food in the trail. That didn't work either.

I've jumped around happy happy for so long now that I need other options, she needs another KIND of motivation it's just that I haven't found it yet.
As for trying too many things, she's not THAT young that she's not fully developed or anything. I keep hoping that one of you will have something that I have not tried yet, but so far I've tried everything.
Update on the new toy game - I made sure she knows where I place it at home, and I pick it up sometimes and then put it back on the shelf. I don't show her that I have it with me when we go out, and then I will command her to stay, I will hide the toy and she stays for a little while longer, now we're up to 1 minute (hey it's not much but it's something   ) and then she's happy to find it. For now I don't make her come back with it immediately, I let her play for a little bit before I take it. I never do it twice in a row in the same place, I will tuck it away and bring it out some time after she's stopped asking for it.
This weekend I will bring my dogsitter with me out, I think that Uzie now have bonded with her enough that searching for me might be a fun game. Keep your fingers crossed for us please  

[Nikki]

I think you have to be honest with yourself and dog. A malinois that has not a good pray and play drive is not a tipical one.
To me I really can not imagine that malinois would not be interested in bite work, if prepared well.
You have to find something that your dog enjoys doing and stick to it. You can train any kind of dog for obediance but it takes time. Like others suggested take away all the toys and play only when working or walking the dog. Make it short and intense whatever you do. You can even intruduce the word when she is acting lively and condition her to it, that you can use it when you start working as a motivator.

Regards,

Maja

[Teacher]

Hi Maja, I know that my malinois is not a typical one. The upside is that she's extremely sociable and likes people and feel safe wherever she is, the downside is that thus it's hard to get her into any kind of drive. Currently I'm letting her alone, I'm hoping that she'll show me something by creating a situation where she wants to do something. I am activating her brain by training her to listen to what toy I demand she go find, when she gets it right she's very happy and she's improving. Out of doors I only keep her on everyday obedience for now, ie heeling when passing people in the forest, going left or right or straight ahead, and stopping on the sidewalk when we're about to cross the street. After all she IS a malinois, she WILL eventually want to do SOMETHING and when she does I'll pick up on, and build on it. Thanks  

[hunden]

Teacher, how is it going with your training now  

[Teacher]

What training  :-/ Seriously I'm letting it lie for now, she's about to come into heat so she's even more scatterbrained than usual. I am trying to find a partner to do some search work with because she's so fond of people that I think that people searching might work really well. Unfortunately it's not easy to find somebody, I need to put out an ad for a boyfriend  

Thanks for asking though, I will keep the board posted on any progress.

[hunden]

  well, you are like me...I dont think its funny to train alone. Its really hard to find someone to train with...its a pitty you dont live in Gothenborg   or me in Stockholm, otherwise we could train together...