Frustrations of a dog owner...
Discussion
Bloody pup has just driven me insane for the last hour! Finished work early so thought i'd take him for a long walk.
Took him somewhere he's not been before, across some fields so plenty of room for him to stretch his legs. Now he's nearly 6 months old and on his regular walks to the dog run area he's pretty good with recall; today however....
Let him off and he just ran around like a complete loon. I look like an idiot standing there shouting at him to 'come', he just kept on doing loops. Finally got him to heel and put him back on the lead; queue the second problem, serial pulling!!
Bit annoyed really, more so because I thought his training was coming on well. Obviously not, looks like it's back to basics.
Current method for recall is using food to get him to 'come'. Has been effective until today.
Lead on the other hand...trying the stop, go; change direction and doesn't seem to be sinking in!
Any tips/advice (or sympathy
) greatly appreciated!
Dan
Took him somewhere he's not been before, across some fields so plenty of room for him to stretch his legs. Now he's nearly 6 months old and on his regular walks to the dog run area he's pretty good with recall; today however....
Let him off and he just ran around like a complete loon. I look like an idiot standing there shouting at him to 'come', he just kept on doing loops. Finally got him to heel and put him back on the lead; queue the second problem, serial pulling!!
Bit annoyed really, more so because I thought his training was coming on well. Obviously not, looks like it's back to basics.
Current method for recall is using food to get him to 'come'. Has been effective until today.
Lead on the other hand...trying the stop, go; change direction and doesn't seem to be sinking in!
Any tips/advice (or sympathy
) greatly appreciated!Dan
Does he go to "new" places off-lead a lot?
It sounds like he just got completely and utterly over-excited by the awesomeness of the walk... commands when you've not got even one iota of the dog's attention (which you wouldn't have, if he was that excited about his surroundings) are useless, as you've found!
A finer semantic might have been the open-ness of the area - I know the first few times one of ours was let off in a new area that had precious little going on in it (a beach, in our case... a field, in your case) - you know, nothing there but horizon and open space? - it can introduce a level of frenzied over-excitement to explore every inch of the place all at the same time, which doesn't diminish when they're put on-lead again... hence the pulling.
Back to basics indeed - a training line when in a few different new places, and use it to practise recall, with treats (increase the "level" of treats on offer). Get to the field, let him run around a bit and settle down a bit... then gain his focus and then call "come"... give it 2 or 3 seconds if no response, then a gentle tug on the leader line to encourage the recall. Treat and fulsome praise for recall... rinse and repeat.
6 months is plenty young enough not to have perfect behaviour...!
Good to catch this when he's still young and ability to alter the behaviour is more effective than for an older dog.
Empathies, also - there's a thread on here somewhere about a springer who drove his owner to despair with recall in a field!
It sounds like he just got completely and utterly over-excited by the awesomeness of the walk... commands when you've not got even one iota of the dog's attention (which you wouldn't have, if he was that excited about his surroundings) are useless, as you've found!
A finer semantic might have been the open-ness of the area - I know the first few times one of ours was let off in a new area that had precious little going on in it (a beach, in our case... a field, in your case) - you know, nothing there but horizon and open space? - it can introduce a level of frenzied over-excitement to explore every inch of the place all at the same time, which doesn't diminish when they're put on-lead again... hence the pulling.
Back to basics indeed - a training line when in a few different new places, and use it to practise recall, with treats (increase the "level" of treats on offer). Get to the field, let him run around a bit and settle down a bit... then gain his focus and then call "come"... give it 2 or 3 seconds if no response, then a gentle tug on the leader line to encourage the recall. Treat and fulsome praise for recall... rinse and repeat.
6 months is plenty young enough not to have perfect behaviour...!
Good to catch this when he's still young and ability to alter the behaviour is more effective than for an older dog.Empathies, also - there's a thread on here somewhere about a springer who drove his owner to despair with recall in a field!
Cheers Karyn, yes it was the first time he'd been to that field and he was very(!!) excited!
Think we'll be investing in a training line and work on recall in new situations.
Treats have already been 'upgraded' to sausages, don't fancy going up to steak lol!
Thanks for advice though, I considered myself a patient person but boy can puppies push you to the limit!
Think we'll be investing in a training line and work on recall in new situations.
Treats have already been 'upgraded' to sausages, don't fancy going up to steak lol!
Thanks for advice though, I considered myself a patient person but boy can puppies push you to the limit!
6-9 months and they get brave enough and curious enough for you not to always be the first thing on their mind.
Have you tried hiding from her? Usually results in panic once they realise you're not there, then jump out and they'll come running. They soon learn it's part of their job to keep an eye on you.
Don't let it turn into a game where it's fun to avoid you. I just walked/ran away when mine used to do it He'd soon come after me.
Have you tried hiding from her? Usually results in panic once they realise you're not there, then jump out and they'll come running. They soon learn it's part of their job to keep an eye on you.
Don't let it turn into a game where it's fun to avoid you. I just walked/ran away when mine used to do it He'd soon come after me.
Make recall fun, jump up and down, wave your hands and generally look like a clown 
but it works, did for my whippet when he was younger, he didn't run away as such but he would just be too interested in sniffing the ground and just look at me when I tried to call him back but he could never resist coming back to see what I was bouncing around at/for!! Followed by a treat when he returned.
He loves food but this wasn't enough to tempt him back, without something else.
He's almost 9 now and very occasionally if I feel he's been stubborn I get him back and do a few basic commands (sit,stay, heel) just for a couple mins just to remind him that I'm not to be ignored when I call. Always works (no treats needed)
but it works, did for my whippet when he was younger, he didn't run away as such but he would just be too interested in sniffing the ground and just look at me when I tried to call him back but he could never resist coming back to see what I was bouncing around at/for!! Followed by a treat when he returned.He loves food but this wasn't enough to tempt him back, without something else.
He's almost 9 now and very occasionally if I feel he's been stubborn I get him back and do a few basic commands (sit,stay, heel) just for a couple mins just to remind him that I'm not to be ignored when I call. Always works (no treats needed)
geeks said:
Does he have a favorite squeaky toy?
If so pocket it before you leave when he cant see, when he doesn't come on the first call, squeak it, i promise he will return!
^^ This.If so pocket it before you leave when he cant see, when he doesn't come on the first call, squeak it, i promise he will return!
And fun recall as Bex says - but lay the basics first with the leader line, otherwise you'll find yourself back in the postition of your first post!
It's a puppy!
All good advice above but try now to cut the food treats out. Your dog should come to you because your the centre of its life and not because of treats.
Don't fall into the trap of thinking you've tried something for a short while and it's failed do its no good. Some dogs take months to crack a task but others 5 minutes.
Remember you have a hunting dog and it will free hunt which is a big no no as it will bog off. Keep your dog close at this early stage and that early stage for some dogs can be two years.
All good advice above but try now to cut the food treats out. Your dog should come to you because your the centre of its life and not because of treats.
Don't fall into the trap of thinking you've tried something for a short while and it's failed do its no good. Some dogs take months to crack a task but others 5 minutes.
Remember you have a hunting dog and it will free hunt which is a big no no as it will bog off. Keep your dog close at this early stage and that early stage for some dogs can be two years.
Cheers for the replies and advice all.
I know he's still young and believe me I will never give up, just wanted to let a bit of 'dog training steam' off!
Training line I think might be the way forward, give him plenty of room to sniff/explore without him heading straight for the river (the little bugger loves water!)
Must remember never to lower myself to his 'chase me' games!
I know he's still young and believe me I will never give up, just wanted to let a bit of 'dog training steam' off!
Training line I think might be the way forward, give him plenty of room to sniff/explore without him heading straight for the river (the little bugger loves water!)
Must remember never to lower myself to his 'chase me' games!
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