Off lead - I think I;m a bit of a worrier...

[Pudding]

Bob is good off lead, he is never very far away from me , i always have a pocket full of treats
if i fell the need to call him he will come, if he dose stray i tend to keep walking, and he soon runs too keep up with me 

[Helen]

Once i got home I let him know just how vital it was that he listened to top dog and ever since he has been perfect.

How did you do that?

Just what I thought Nic....

[J]

Once i got home I let him know just how vital it was that he listened to top dog and ever since he has been perfect.

How did you do that?

Just what I thought Nic....

Put back on the lead,,a few harsh words (no smack in sight as he knew he was in trouble) sat by my feet in the house, then taken back out to the park,, let off the lead. Played again, re called to back on the lead, praised, given a treat, let back off the lead. Continued to play, then re called, re put back on the lead and walked home.

[johndoran]

I am a lot more confidant now with Bonnie Boo her recall is good ,not 100% mind you .She doesnt run off its just that sometimes a particular smell or something to roll in tends to be more important but its only a matter of moments. I do tend to be better safe than sorry though if we are anywhere near a road. Luckily dont seem to have a problem with any dogs we meet on our walks ,so far.

[Ben's mum]

I always let Ben go wherever he liked, but mainly that was becuase he wanted to and I didn't know how to do any other way.  I also thought that it was unfair to keep a busy energetic dog close as it would ruin his walk. He would run quite a long way off exploring, but he soon realised her could do whatever he liked cos i oculdn't get to him in time!  That included eating poo, rolling in everything and causing meyhem.

After visiting Top Barks, Ben walks no more than about 30 - 40 ft away from us and checks in all the time, just with a look or running up to us for a click and a treat.  It certainly hasn't reduced the quality of his walks, he does all the same things sniffing, rootling through the undergrowth and having a great time, its just that he is nearer.  If anything its better as there is no conflict as he is not scavanging poo so he can just do his own thing.  It really feels like he is walking with me now, instead of me trailing round after him

[PennyB]

Once i got home I let him know just how vital it was that he listened to top dog and ever since he has been perfect.

How did you do that?

Just what I thought Nic....

Put back on the lead,,a few harsh words

I would think that harsh words are what you should not do when a dog comes back

[joanne_v]

Once i got home I let him know just how vital it was that he listened to top dog and ever since he has been perfect.

How did you do that?

Just what I thought Nic....

Put back on the lead,,a few harsh words (no smack in sight as he knew he was in trouble) sat by my feet in the house, then taken back out to the park,, let off the lead. Played again, re called to back on the lead, praised, given a treat, let back off the lead. Continued to play, then re called, re put back on the lead and walked home.

The harsh words wont have done any good but the reinforcing good behaviour is what will have taught him....

[fizzyntiffy]

Thanks everyone    I do the 'this way' and they come straight after me (I used to hide behind trees when the dobe was young too  )  Maybe I'm not as paranoid as I thought  They usually go no more than 30-40 feet away before checking back

I was just feeling conscious that I seemed to have a revolving head and was shreiking a lot at the meet on Sunday when everyone else seemed really relaxed    I was maybe a tad over zealous in my 'this way's 

[mcphee]

Rufus is under his new training regime to try to ensure I am more important to him on walks. He has often been out of sight, near and far. For instance deep in bushes, even though actually quite near and I know where he is. It was because of his likelihood to follow a scent that restricted where I walked him off lead.However, even though he does not approach other dogs when his is away, I do not like it, and worry. Checking in has happened in the past, but mainly because he was familiar with the places he was let off, he was not really having to decide to do it. Now we walk in new places, it is very obvious that he does it regularly. However, my worry is always not knowing what is behind hedges or the other side of a thicket, or up a bank so I have been calling him back. Cruella says I do it too often. It is very difficult to stop worrying if you have a wayward cocker!

[Joules]

Once i got home I let him know just how vital it was that he listened to top dog and ever since he has been perfect.

How did you do that?

Just what I thought Nic....

Put back on the lead,,a few harsh words (no smack in sight as he knew he was in trouble) sat by my feet in the house, then taken back out to the park,, let off the lead. Played again, re called to back on the lead, praised, given a treat, let back off the lead. Continued to play, then re called, re put back on the lead and walked home.

The harsh words wont have done any good but the reinforcing good behaviour is what will have taught him....

Agree - can't see the point of the harsh words at all

[Jan/Billy]

Once i got home I let him know just how vital it was that he listened to top dog and ever since he has been perfect.

How did you do that?

Just what I thought Nic....

Put back on the lead,,a few harsh words (no smack in sight as he knew he was in trouble) sat by my feet in the house, then taken back out to the park,, let off the lead. Played again, re called to back on the lead, praised, given a treat, let back off the lead. Continued to play, then re called, re put back on the lead and walked home.

The harsh words wont have done any good but the reinforcing good behaviour is what will have taught him....

Agree - can't see the point of the harsh words at all

Agree too, especially "after the event". He wouldn't have had a clue as to why you were giving him harsh words   

[SkyeSue]

Well, whatever J did, seems to have worked...and as Jo says, it would have been the reinforcing of good behaviour that won through...his dog looks pretty happy to me. Anyway, aren't we going a bit off topic here? I'm sorry, but this seems to be a bit of an attack on a member that didn't even start the thread...will rush off and get coat and leave now 

[Jan/Billy]

Well, whatever J did, seems to have worked...and as Jo says, it would have been the reinforcing of good behaviour that won through...his dog looks pretty happy to me. Anyway, aren't we going a bit off topic here? I'm sorry, but this seems to be a bit of an attack on a member that didn't even start the thread...will rush off and get coat and leave now 

Sorry Sue but I disagree completely. If someone says something that I personally think is wrong and potentially distressing to a dog then I'll say something, regardless of whether they started the thread or not. Forums are here to ultimately benefit the dogs, I certainly don't see it as being an attack on J  , just honest opinions 

[SkyeSue]

 If someone says something that I personally think is wrong and potentially distressing to a dog then I'll say something,

So, are you saying that you personally think that the way J handles his dog is wrong and potentially distressing then?

[Jan/Billy]

 If someone says something that I personally think is wrong and potentially distressing to a dog then I'll say something,

So, are you saying that you personally think that the way J handles his dog is wrong and potentially distressing then?

Yes. But not intentionally though.