HELP!! Need more motivation in Rally

[Nanc1061]

I hope someone see's this. I see most of the 'dates' on these conversations are years old! I do Rally with my 1 yr old boy. He knows how to do all the signs, but he has ZERO motivation!! I feel like he hates it and just drags along and quickly lags behind :-( We've been training since he was about 4/5 months old. At first he'd trot along next to me, but no more! The only thing that gets his attention is a squeaky toy, but we are entered in our first trial next month and I obviously can't take that in the ring with me. Has anyone else had a non motivated Dane that they successfully worked with? It does get very frustrating at times. I have a closer bond with this boy than any other that I've had, I hate to think that he just hates it... I do at least want to put a RN title on him for all our hard work!! Any thoughts, suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!!!

[kahluadanes]

How often do you train? Do you make training fun and interesting? Do you train in different places? Do you vary the training? Yes a non motivated Dane can earn their rally title...

[Nanc1061]

Formally, 1 x week. Daily at home; short 5-10 mins a couple times a day. Yes - we train in different places, alone and with a few other dogs. We are also on a drill team, which he does great on. I've recently added a squeaky toy which actually gets him up! I'll train for a few minutes and then squeak and throw the toy! He gets to play with it just for a minute, then we move on and he'll get to play with it again. He's a tough one for sure. It's probably more me, but I try to stay up beat and fun, but it can get discouraging. I stop when I feel then creeping in, and always end on a good note! He can be spot on one time, then the next act like we've never done anything...such a Dane!! We are actually entered in our first trial next month. If I can get him to that first sign I'm confident we'll do fine, but I have to say I'm NOT confident that I can get attention from him when we first enter the ring!! I just feel like he is bored out of his mind...LOL. Just for the record, I am not new to Danes. Oh and he is an intact 15 month old.