Would neutering improve his attention?

[Cob-Web]

Molo was a little b***er at Agility again last night - he went off three times to explore the sand school where we train and no amount of cajoling could get him back 

It is increasingly frustrating, because when I do keep his attention, he runs courses brilliantly - quick, and accurate - and is ready for competing, but he gets distracted too often, and goes off when he gets a wiff something good to sniff - and develops that deafness that only a cocker owner can fully appreciate 

When I go out with him during the week and train him, I don't have the same problem - I can run, walk, change direction in the local fields and he is glued to my side, but I cannot seem to transfer that to the agility course 

It has been suggested to me that he may be less sniff-driven if he was neutered........I am not convinced, but thought I'd see what COL'ers thought?

[Helen]

it possibly could help ...but is agility class reason enough to get molo neutered? 

I think you need to ask yourself how you would feel if you went ahead with the neutering and it didn't make any difference to his attention span

Maybe thats just part of Molo - maybe he just never will be the most attentive dog at Agility and as we've said many a time - dogs are individuals.......

(secretly rachel i do think you are a bit more keen on competing than molo is..... )

[Cob-Web]

it possibly could help ...but is agility class reason enough to get molo neutered? 

I think you need to ask yourself how you would feel if you went ahead with the neutering and it didn't make any difference to his attention span

Maybe thats just part of Molo - maybe he just never will be the most attentive dog at Agility and as we've said many a time - dogs are individuals.......

(secretly rachel i do think you are a bit more keen on competing than molo is..... )

doG, no...I'm the least competitive person I know    I'm more interested in demonstrations, tbh - and he is cute enough to win over the crowd if he does run off, and add to the entertainment value 

It is the trainer who suggested that neutering may help, she is keen for him to *achieve his potential* ....but there is no way I would neuter him just for agility 

[spanielcrazy]

It may or it may not.        (There, wasn't that helpful?  )

There is just no way to know how any one dog will respond to neutering.

I think you need to ask yourself how you would feel if you went ahead with the neutering and it didn't make any difference to his attention span

Maybe thats just part of Molo - maybe he just never will be the most attentive dog at Agility and as we've said many a time - dogs are individuals.......

I think that says it all 

[Helen]

it possibly could help ...but is agility class reason enough to get molo neutered? 

I think you need to ask yourself how you would feel if you went ahead with the neutering and it didn't make any difference to his attention span

Maybe thats just part of Molo - maybe he just never will be the most attentive dog at Agility and as we've said many a time - dogs are individuals.......

(secretly rachel i do think you are a bit more keen on competing than molo is..... )

doG, no...I'm the least competitive person I know    I'm more interested in demonstrations, tbh - and he is cute enough to win over the crowd if he does run off, and add to the entertainment value 

It is the trainer who suggested that neutering may help, she is keen for him to *achieve his potential* ....but there is no way I would neuter him just for agility 

aaah competitive teacher!!!!

[CraftySam]

I would say almost definitely no!

Max had "Molo" moments when doing agility and he's been castrated for along time now. Granted alot of that was OH's handling skills but even when Jen did it with him he'd suddenly get distracted and run off.  If I attempted to have a go with him he'd wait for me to catch him up!  

I also don't agree with that being castrated will lead him to be less sniff driven. Barney from being a young pup has been a head down sniff driven dog on walks and castrating him hasn't changed that one bit.  

I would say he's finding the lure of the surroundings too great to resist. He obviously knows what to do, and he's great at doing it away from the agility course on your normal stomping ground, but is that because he already knows it well and has thoroughly explored by him?
Whatever, I definitely wouldn't think that castrating him is the answer to this problem.

[Top Barks]

All my three are nuetered and I think it doesn't make a jot of difference.
They like to sniff bits or no bits.
You just have to use the sniifing to your advantage.
I do this with Ollie as his major reward for attention on me is "go sniff"
Mark

[Cob-Web]

All my three are nuetered and I think it doesn't make a jot of difference.
They like to sniff bits or no bits.
You just have to use the sniifing to your advantage.
I do this with Ollie as his major reward for attention on me is "go sniff"
Mark

Mmm, tricky to do this during agility - but I like the idea of introducing this as a reward; did you teach him the command first, Mark ?  I give Molo the "off you go" command, which releases him to go and do his own thing......

[ali]

barkley was neutered six months ago and has continued to be just as determined to sniff every single blade of grass on the block as always.   also, he can be focusing brilliantly on a command and then, suddenly, his nose goes up, his eyes glaze over as he inhales, and he's off.  

[Cazzie]

Goose is neutered and hasnt changed his sniffing or distraction capabilities one bit. Im now doing some training with him with major distractions around to get him more used to different situations. 

[Cob-Web]

I confess, this makes me feel much better - the trainer concerned owns/trains collies, and the only one which has a sniffing *problem* is her entire dog, hence her suggestion 

Molo and I have loads of fun at agility, and tbh, I think I am asking a lot for him to ignore the smell of horse and other dogs on sand/rubber chips 

[Top Barks]

All my three are nuetered and I think it doesn't make a jot of difference.
They like to sniff bits or no bits.
You just have to use the sniifing to your advantage.
I do this with Ollie as his major reward for attention on me is "go sniff"
Mark

Mmm, tricky to do this during agility - but I like the idea of introducing this as a reward; did you teach him the command first, Mark ?  I give Molo the "off you go" command, which releases him to go and do his own thing......

Use it at the end of a round Rachel and only let him sniff then.
build up one obstacle at a time if neccessary.
I clicked and released him with the words go sniff, i also reinforce "come away" in any split second of attention on you  during the sniff, reward with food and give the go sniff cue again.
You have to have something real high value on you when you do this to compete with the world of the smell.

[Cob-Web]

Use it at the end of a round Rachel and only let him sniff then.

When we finish a round, his favourite thing is to be scooped up in my arms and cuddled    I want to teach him to jump into my arms 

I think I will book a couple of one-to-one sessions...it might help 

[ali]

I want to teach him to jump into my arms 

ooh, that'd be a good party trick!

having said that, if barkley ever learned to jump into my arms, i'd be flat on my back. he's a heavy wotsit! 

[Cazzie]

All my three are nuetered and I think it doesn't make a jot of difference.
They like to sniff bits or no bits.
You just have to use the sniifing to your advantage.
I do this with Ollie as his major reward for attention on me is "go sniff"
Mark

Mmm, tricky to do this during agility - but I like the idea of introducing this as a reward; did you teach him the command first, Mark ?  I give Molo the "off you go" command, which releases him to go and do his own thing......

Use it at the end of a round Rachel and only let him sniff then.
build up one obstacle at a time if neccessary.
I clicked and released him with the words go sniff, i also reinforce "come away" in any split second of attention on you  during the sniff, reward with food and give the go sniff cue again.
You have to have something real high value on you when you do this to compete with the world of the smell.

Mark what would you use as high value as I wont to start agility with daisy and tips would be good   she is very food driven