Discussion
looking for advice on getting our puppy a German shepherd (20 weeks old) to come back when called ! at home he will not leave my other half's side but let him off the lead outside and he will wander off or just sit down and watch her when called she has tried using high quality treats , walking away , ect but he will not come when called any advice would be most welcome .
A long line. Let him wander ahead (even out in the garden), ensure you get his attention, lots of noisy exciting look at me come here I'm exciting kind of thing. If he ignores, just a gentle little tug to encourage what you want, and keep gently reeling him in until he's back with you, then lots and lots of praise.
You'll need to do it quite a few times but he should get the message what you want and is required when you recall.
Will he retrieve and return back to you yet?
You'll need to do it quite a few times but he should get the message what you want and is required when you recall.
Will he retrieve and return back to you yet?
Remember as well that whichever command you use (Here, Come, etc), you should only issue the command once. As soon as he starts heading towards you, give lots of positive encouragement (Good boy, etc etc, excitable voice!) but don't issue the command more than once, as this reinforces that he can ignore the first one - and he can't. As above, give him corrections with the long lead and even if you have to pull him all the way in, still praise him once he's where you want him.
I am blessed with a GSD the same age as yours whose recall is by some significant margin the best I have ever had in any dog! That's luck and temperament as well as training but his recall is 101%, even when he is distracted or with other dogs - one word and he's straight back. It's a great feeling once you have cracked it. Worth working on the distraction recall once you have the basics working well.
I am blessed with a GSD the same age as yours whose recall is by some significant margin the best I have ever had in any dog! That's luck and temperament as well as training but his recall is 101%, even when he is distracted or with other dogs - one word and he's straight back. It's a great feeling once you have cracked it. Worth working on the distraction recall once you have the basics working well.
We've been training recall to the whistle for outside stuff (8mth old Springer) and working our way through the book 'Total Recall since about 3mth old.
He's 95% of the way there just now but still hasn't cracked the other dogs part. He's just too friendly to everything and constantly wants to play with them.
He's had a couple of hiccups recently but we've been told it's the age he's at and just testing boundaries however, it's amazing to see the automatic response to a whistle. We've been adding in a 'Stop' command on the whistle and he's pretty good with that too.
You get the occasional strange look but it means that all of us can consistently give the same command and get a response regardless of who is out walking him.
He's 95% of the way there just now but still hasn't cracked the other dogs part. He's just too friendly to everything and constantly wants to play with them.
He's had a couple of hiccups recently but we've been told it's the age he's at and just testing boundaries however, it's amazing to see the automatic response to a whistle. We've been adding in a 'Stop' command on the whistle and he's pretty good with that too.
You get the occasional strange look but it means that all of us can consistently give the same command and get a response regardless of who is out walking him.
denzilpc said:
looking for advice on getting our puppy a German shepherd (20 weeks old) to come back when called ! at home he will not leave my other half's side but let him off the lead outside and he will wander off or just sit down and watch her when called she has tried using high quality treats , walking away , ect but he will not come when called any advice would be most welcome .
Uh what training have you actually done? A dog won't just instantly know what to do.This worked for us mostly
Start off near some trees let him wander off and hide. Very soon he learned not to go too far and keep an eye on us.
Treets worked but not perfectly he would sometimes bolt for another dog if too far away from us. So we soon learned to keep him within recal distance.
Then he got Into tennis balls. Anything any time anywhere we could stop him in his tracks just by having a ball in Our hands.
Start off near some trees let him wander off and hide. Very soon he learned not to go too far and keep an eye on us.
Treets worked but not perfectly he would sometimes bolt for another dog if too far away from us. So we soon learned to keep him within recal distance.
Then he got Into tennis balls. Anything any time anywhere we could stop him in his tracks just by having a ball in Our hands.
I used to compete/teach agility, you need to offer your dog 'pay' worth working for so treats/toys, maybe have a walk toy that only comes out on walks.
If your dog keeps doing a runner you have to reduce the chances of failure otherwise your dogs just reinforcing that he doesn't have to listen to you outdoors , so try reducing the distractions or make the area smaller like going to a enclose paddock/field rather than a huge open space, also use a long line so you no longer let the dog ignore you , but when it comes back really go over the top with praise and rewards.
If it's bad i'd even maybe consider doing a recall (longline) once so rather than over doing it to failure.
If your dog keeps doing a runner you have to reduce the chances of failure otherwise your dogs just reinforcing that he doesn't have to listen to you outdoors , so try reducing the distractions or make the area smaller like going to a enclose paddock/field rather than a huge open space, also use a long line so you no longer let the dog ignore you , but when it comes back really go over the top with praise and rewards.
If it's bad i'd even maybe consider doing a recall (longline) once so rather than over doing it to failure.
I started them off as pups using the recall whistle when feeding them every time.
The dogs soon learned recall was usually swiftly followed by dinner. Then added stop whistle etc. my uncle (gamekeeper and dog trainer always uses this method and it worked for me within a couple of weeks)
http://youtu.be/3BK7hdep0F0
Wee example
The dogs soon learned recall was usually swiftly followed by dinner. Then added stop whistle etc. my uncle (gamekeeper and dog trainer always uses this method and it worked for me within a couple of weeks)
http://youtu.be/3BK7hdep0F0
Wee example
For training treats I've always used cheap supermarket Cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes. Cheaper and less full of s**t than brought treats.
One important tip on recall training that I've always remembered is to reward the recall not a subsequent command. So for example, if you recall your dog then make it sit before giving it a treat, you are rewarding the dog for sitting not for coming back to you.
It's also not uncommon with an adolescent dog to have to go back to basics for recall training several times.
Good luck, but I'm sure you'll be fine with a GSD.
One important tip on recall training that I've always remembered is to reward the recall not a subsequent command. So for example, if you recall your dog then make it sit before giving it a treat, you are rewarding the dog for sitting not for coming back to you.
It's also not uncommon with an adolescent dog to have to go back to basics for recall training several times.
Good luck, but I'm sure you'll be fine with a GSD.
shambolic said:
I started them off as pups using the recall whistle when feeding them every time.
The dogs soon learned recall was usually swiftly followed by dinner. Then added stop whistle etc. my uncle (gamekeeper and dog trainer always uses this method and it worked for me within a couple of weeks)
http://youtu.be/3BK7hdep0F0
Wee example
Three 'toots' to call for dinner. One when he stops and receives his food. Transfer that to the field and the job should be a good one! The dogs soon learned recall was usually swiftly followed by dinner. Then added stop whistle etc. my uncle (gamekeeper and dog trainer always uses this method and it worked for me within a couple of weeks)
http://youtu.be/3BK7hdep0F0
Wee example
We only let our greyhound off the lead in an enclosed space, but when we do, sausages are the key to getting him back. Freshly cooked ones work a treat. Downside of that is we have to cook many sausages!! However, we don't mind as he loves sausages and the Tesco everyday value ones are only £1.50 for 20 
Gassing Station | All Creatures Great & Small | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff