CockersOnline Forum
Cocker Specific Discussion => Behaviour & Training => Topic started by: Londongirl on August 30, 2016, 11:26:51 AM
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Just posting for some moral support really. I know what I have to do, and I know we'll get there eventually. But once again I am struggling with Henry's recall.
It's the age old spaniel problem - when he gets sight of a squirrel his ears just shut down and he's off, running. Same with pigeons and I'm really worried he'll run out of the park after a bird one of these days.
I worked really hard at proofing his recall, having him on the long line and exposing him to all these distractions while whistle training. For a few months he was solid, would turn back to me even when at full pelt. Then there were one or two occasions when he hesitated. Then the odd occasion when he didn't come straight back. And so the deterioration set in. I made sure to vary his rewards and give occasional jackpots. I carried on reinforcing when he was off the long line and made sure to carry on giving some whistles when he was already on his way to ensure success was reinforced. I really feel like I did everything by the book. But even so, the whistle no longer works.
There are situations where his recall is very good, such as when we are in the woods, so I don't want to keep him on the lead all the time as I worry he'll lose what recall he has. It's just in open spaces where there are things to chase. I usually get him back on the lead before we hit those spaces, but it's boring for both of us.
So I'll start again. I think I'll go right back to basics and start whistle training again at home. He's TERRIBLE at coming in from the garden when called (as he's usually barking at the damned squirrels that sit on the fence and taunt him) so maybe I'll start with that.
I do wonder if I should start with a new whistle pattern or stick to the old one.
Sigh.
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I am sure somebody will be along soon with some solid advice, but when I went to a trainer he said to stick to the same thing for the whistle eg one short peep for stop then 3 or 4 for come back. He also said to not blow the whistle hard for the first command as you have nowhere to go if you are blowing at your loudest first time (hope that makes sense)
In the past as well I varied it from just calling her back and giving her lots of fuss or the return on the whistle is high value food.
Good luck!
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When we started recall with Dexter we just got him to sit in front of us and gave the command and gave him a treat and repeated this every 10 seconds. Then we done it from a small distance and worked our way up. We used a high value reward every time and also done the odd jackpot.
His recall is good but not stunning as he will totally ignore us sometimes when there is a squirrel or bird that is far more interesting than a nice little treat. It is part of having a Spaniel I am told but he is good most of the time now.
I think you will just have to keep trying and don't be frightened in taking a step back to the long lead as it may be needed.
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I have good recall almost all the time. But these dogs are clever and opinionated. There comes a time when mine just decides he will go and "do something". Mostly he will then just do it.
It's not that he does not know, he just makes a decision. I don't see how any of the usual training will overcome this.
Here is an example. We go to the Heartwood Forest. He knows it well. There is an old clay-pit hole and he rolls his ball into it and retrieves. Favourite game!
But its early morning and cold under the trees and so I turn left so as to follow a sunny path.
I release him but pretty soon he turns around and runs back to the junction.
He sits and waits for for me. I call and there is a standoff. Then come a few loud barks. I stand-still and call.
He clears off to the pit.
I follow and we roll ball. The dog has trained me to follow when he calls.
So we go off lead only in places where you can't get into much trouble.
I know, I know!
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Ha! One of the things I have realised in my few short but glorious weeks of Cocker ownership is that I'm the one being trained, not Blue. :huh:
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I'm so glad I'm not the only one having problems! Rhodri is coming up to ten months and since we've returned from holidays, his recall had been pretty dire. His main distraction at the moment is water. We take him regularly to the nearby sand dunes and there is a large green area where we always play ball. He'll play really well, even ignoring other dogs until something stirs in him and he takes off to the nearby pool and no amount of calling or whistling will bring him back. By the time we reach him at the pool, he's had a good swim so ready to come out!
You have my sympathy and I will be watching this thread for some advice!
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Ain't no way to keep my Cocker out of water. Will swim for a hour in February unless I catch him.
Likes to dive for big rocks but I'm discouraging this because I am worried about broken teeth.
I am using a sinking ball on a line. This is proving very popular.
I used a golf-ball for recall training when he was a puppy. Worked well until he grew up and we went walking on golf-courses. Pretty soon we had 50 golf-balls.
Try to have a sense of humour.
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Oh Lordy, you guys are not filling me with confidence here! :lol2: :lol2: :lol2:
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If you remember, Coral is a few months older and working through similar stages! At 18 months old she was trying really hard to stop herself from running off and most of the time did..........unless there's something to chase!
Progress from the last update is that The weekend before the bank holiday she took part in a scurry competition and was completely rubbish! :005: However, she did retrieve and hunted beautifully, recalling on the whistle but scurries are supposed to be high-speed retrieve games :lol2: I found it amusing simply because she did what I've been training her to do for a year - hunt for a dummy and bring it back, which she did (until he hedgrow looked more interesting for about a minute and then came back :shades:)
She still chases. That's a work in progress and will take a long time to embed with Coral but to be fair, at 19 months old that's a very big ask for a working cocker spaniel of trials lines. It would be easy to give up and "live with where we are" but I have plans for this puppy! She's enrolled on an agility course from October and in the meantime I will keep (positively) reinforcing brakes ;)
Coral stops on a pin now - each and every time I blow the whistle with the exception of mid flight after a cat.....or other small furry creature, that will come with maturity and perseverence. At every opportunity I use the stop whistle, before food - mid way to food - out walking to heel, before getting out of the car etc..........she does run in on some thrown balls/dummy's which she didn't do as a younger phase 2 pup but does now (not helped by my neighbour playing ball with her ph34r) we are now working on steadiness to thrown items which is all part of stopping the chasing.
The same weekend as the scurry competition we attended the last of the Gundog training "summer school" - hunting in woodland, stopping on a starting pistol and a retrieve - out of 11 dogs running, Coral was placed second best (she was a bit excitable on the first firing of the pistol). The wood was full of rabbits and squirrels but Coral was far too interested in me and the game she was playing......
So yes, there is hope but it's a long haul! I was told at the start of the year that dogs develop in three stages: puppy, aka the cockerdile stage followed by a hint of the nice dog your pup will be before the teenage phase kicks in......in Coral's case that been the best part of 10 months! We are now starting the third phase of maturing into an adult, another hint of the future dog followed by sheer battle of wills as they become fully grown/mature.......hence starting agility as it will bring in more obedience!
My best advice is to keep doing what you are but up the level of mind training and reward with exercise off lead - get some "brakes" the more you practice the more it becomes intrinsic and if all else fails, find a Gundog trainer with a rabbit pen
Jayne
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Dylan has been getting better at coming back, he still has to,say hello to other dogs and people when off lead, he goes up to them and sits for a fuss, and then he comes back, so much better there. But when he gets a scent he is off. Yesterday when going to the car for a walk he ran up the drive and down the lane, and would not come back. Totally ignored calls and the whistle. Finally ran back towards us, then past and back the other way! Little blighter. >:D >:D Finally caught him up just before the road. It's like you go some steps,forward and think how much he's improving, and then it all,goes,out of the window.
Lesley and Dylan
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...but isn't it just SOOOOOO reassuring to know we're not on our own? Whenever we're standing there exasperated, waiting for our little angels to acknowledge that we're still there, we can take comfort that another one of us is is standing somewhere else feeling just the same!!!!
(Just had to walk with Humphrey through the town, forget loose lead, forget heel, NIGHTMARE!!!) 😂😂
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I was watching a lady with a little terrier type of dog. She was clearly training his recall and he came galloping back EVERY TIME. while Henry plodded beside me on his lead, exhausted by his chasing shenanigans.
Onwards and upwards, as they say!
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I have the same problem with Smudge LG some days brill some days not good as soon as he smells something the recall goes out of the window. I just think perseverance and patience is the key they are still youngsters, that's what I tell myself anyway hope you are both ok :D
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Thanks for all the replies, guys. It IS good to know they are all pretty much the same, the little rotters!
Jayne - the training you are doing with Coral sounds utterly amazing but so far removed from my life with a daft show cocker in suburban London! This forum has given me a huge insight into the life of working dogs and the dedication that goes into training them, but I'm sometimes left feeling woefully inadequate when I just happy when Henry sits as he's told.
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Thanks for all the replies, guys. It IS good to know they are all pretty much the same, the little rotters!
Jayne - the training you are doing with Coral sounds utterly amazing but so far removed from my life with a daft show cocker in suburban London! This forum has given me a huge insight into the life of working dogs and the dedication that goes into training them, but I'm sometimes left feeling woefully inadequate when I just happy when Henry sits as he's told.
I was exactly the same with with my show type (Pearl) it took a very long time for the recall to fully embed and to be fair, she didn't have any chase instinct until Coral arrived.......oh and the last drive of the last day of last season when she suddenly realised what all the other dogs were looking for ph34r until then, she was just on a walk through dense undergrowth :lol2:
Coral has been a whole new learning curve. Think pretty pony club v high speed international show jumper. I have no choice but to put the hours in with her - to not do so would be irresponsible. The real challenge is that I didn't have many coping strategies or techniques as it was all new to me!
I do see a difference in Coral each day now. She's currently lying on he floor, next to Pearl, at my feet. It's breakfast time ;)
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I know the feeling oh so well- Charlie is back on the long line as he has got his confidence, especially on the park and will ignore me to go say hello to dogs. Keep it up! I'm sure we will all get there eventually.
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Maddie is five and I can't let her off lead around other dogs in case they run over to her. We have, however, been letting her off at the edge of a playing field this last week where we can keep an eye out. Her recall is rubbish. The trainers words are ringing in my ears...... it has to be practiced for life!
A few things I have done which have helped is to not let her go too far in the first place. I use the clicker and throw treats around me to keep her close. I've also introduced new words 'let's go', really to get her away from any approaching dogs, but it works as a recall. Maddie now likes playing 'touch' so will come running if I put my hand out and shout.
But I know any distraction will send her off in that direction. When she was younger she ran back across a huge field to eat the dumped food!
Bramble is better at staying close and her recall is not bad in comparison. She will chase birds, but we manage that with a 'leave' and she comes back.
It is interesting to see how dogs can be so different. Maddie just wants to sniff and is independent whereas Bramble is more a people dog, likes to be with you and needs a job to do.
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I'm lucky really, mine is NOT INTERESTED in chasing anything living.
His attitude is, "you shoot it, I'll fetch it"
Balls and Jetplanes are for chasing.
Mercifully bicycles count as living.
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I think I raised a similar thread recently. I have exactly the same problem with Bobby, except it's rabbits, not squirrels. He's wilfull and headstrong and when he gets the urge to run off and hunt no amount of calling is going to hold him back. I'm hoping the neutering will help but it's made no difference yet.
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It's so reassuring to know we are all in it together! Benji can have great walks and does everything he's told then the next couple of days his nose is down in the grasses and not taking a blind bit of notice of me >:(. He'll be 2 soon and he's a lot more obedient but with stubborn tendencies :005:
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Dylan still feels it's his duty to speak to every dog and their owners, but he runs up to them and sits while the dog comes up, then he rushes to the people to say hallo, totally ignoring us. We have learnt (been trained) to let hi say hallo, and then he will happily come back to us and continue on our way. Everybody fusses him, he is so lovely, so I guess we just compromise here as he is happy, the strangers who fuss hi are happy, we are happy as he does eventually rejoin is. Just super friendly, better than the alternative! :lol2:
Lesley and Dylan
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I think I raised a similar thread recently. I have exactly the same problem with Bobby, except it's rabbits, not squirrels. He's wilfull and headstrong and when he gets the urge to run off and hunt no amount of calling is going to hold him back. I'm hoping the neutering will help but it's made no difference yet.
If it's specifically rabbits then you need to get him in a rabbit pen ;)
I took Coral out training last night. 15 minutes in a wood, 2 retrieves, 1 distraction dummy.....when she was considering running off - she chose to stay with me instead! This in a rabbit laden area at dusk when the scent is at its strongest!
Open field is a whole different matter though.......
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I am having the same issue with Reese. He has always been so good at recall and will still come back at the blow of the whistle instantly when out, even if he is racing his way to meet other dogs. However i have started to notice a slight hesitation, the main problem I am having with him is wildlife! I am taking him out on the long line now and even having to take him in the garden on long line early morning or late at night, after it took me over 20 mins of him being very vocal (my poor neighbours!) to catch him when he found a hedgehog in the garden.
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I am having the same issue with Reese. He has always been so good at recall and will still come back at the blow of the whistle instantly when out, even if he is racing his way to meet other dogs. However i have started to notice a slight hesitation, the main problem I am having with him is wildlife! I am taking him out on the long line now and even having to take him in the garden on long line early morning or late at night, after it took me over 20 mins of him being very vocal (my poor neighbours!) to catch him when he found a hedgehog in the garden.
Coral started to chase at 8 months old. She's grown through the running off phase but is still selective on when she comes back to the recall whistle.
Reese's hearing will be starting to change now as it isn't fully developed until 10 months old. Personally, I would forget the whistle for a couple of months and focus on word commands using the words to replicate the whistle (come here = 2 pips or here, here, here for 3 etc). The biggest mistake I've made is thinking that Coral would continue to understand the whistle pips - meaning as her hearing developed ph34r. I do regret continuing to do the same things with her and not adapting to her growth development. Also thinking that a couple of weeks on the long line would be enough! If Reese has a high prey drive, which it sounds as though he has.....you may need that line for several months. I still use one with Coral in open spaces or areas where she (or others) may be at risk if she bogs off! I heard a great saying: a year on the lead = 12 years off lead and the reverse is also true!
Coral is now 20 months old. It's hard work and there are days where I've been mentally and physically exhausted trying to keep up with her but I can see the progress she's making and she really is becoming a lovely little dog :luv:
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That's interesting what you say about the whistle, Jayne. When Henry started ignoring it (again!) at about 11 months old, I put him back on the long line but decided to stop using the whistle for the time being. It felt like the right thing to do - for both of us! I call him before he gets too far off and at a distance I know he'll turn. If he's already got the scent of something, I don't bother trying to get him to hear me at all, not at the moment. Occasionally I'll whistle when he's already on his way back, but generally I'm giving it a rest and plan to start over, from scratch, with the whistle in a month or two.
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I've been working through total recall but proofing is taking ages. Now trying to proof with dogs- but don't know to many people with dogs who can come to mine. Really wanna get it out on location now as today just emphasised how much I need it- 'dog runs off across the playing field to greet man with dog- pesters and ignores until I'm totally embarrassed.' I know I shouldn't rush it but am tempted to get the Long line on and use the dogs over the park to proof as taking to long.
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>:(comforting to know others are having the same problem. Mine was doing so well until a minor op' to remove a blackthorn put him back. Couldn't do any training as instructed by vet to rest him. Now he's forgotten the recall whistle and runs around like a lunatic. He has also buried bones in the garden and has got very possessive with the location in which they're buried. He has also taken to licking the life out of me and 'playfully' chewing my fingers-what is that all about?!!!
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I've been working through total recall but proofing is taking ages. Now trying to proof with dogs- but don't know to many people with dogs who can come to mine. Really wanna get it out on location now as today just emphasised how much I need it- 'dog runs off across the playing field to greet man with dog- pesters and ignores until I'm totally embarrassed.' I know I shouldn't rush it but am tempted to get the Long line on and use the dogs over the park to proof as taking to long.
I use the longline for proofing against other dogs. We amble about practicing recalls. I keep an eye out for his usual distractions - other dogs, birds etc. When I see his head come up and stare at the distraction, I quickly do a recall before he makes a move. If he doesn't come, I give a quick tug on the line. If he really tries to bolt, I reel him in so he doesn't get a chance to completely ignore the recall. For me the long line has been an invaluable way of doing the proofing stage of the Total Recall book. Some of the suggestions of 'set up' situations are a bit hard to recreate in real life.
Now if someone could sugggest a way to proof against Henry disappearing into the woods enter to be seen again...
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>:(comforting to know others are having the same problem. Mine was doing so well until a minor op' to remove a blackthorn put him back. Couldn't do any training as instructed by vet to rest him. Now he's forgotten the recall whistle and runs around like a lunatic. He has also buried bones in the garden and has got very possessive with the location in which they're buried. He has also taken to licking the life out of me and 'playfully' chewing my fingers-what is that all about?!!!
Is so frustrating, isn't it? Have you tried doing a 'refresher' course on the whistle around the house? I found that helped refresh Henry's memory.
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Right, so I've had Henry on the long line for a few months now. He is paying much more attention to me (or rather my treat pocket) and rarely bolts to the end of the line. I can drop the line while we play ball - he has FINALLY decided that playing fetch is fun and rockets back to me with the ball pretty much every time. I have started working on proofing his recall when there are other dogs to play with, squirrels in bushes, birds on the ground. I've also started just dropping his lead (just for a few minutes) and letting him dander beside me but only later in the walk when he's calm and settled and in a fairly unchallenging environment. Not unclipping the lead as I think that used to be a signal to him that running off was about to be possible. Going pretty well. Until...
OH was off work on Monday and offered to take Henry out for his walk. As I walk the dog seven days a week I readily agreed. OH comes with me and Henry on the weekends so he's been trained along with the dog. ;) He knows the drill. He was swapping Henry from the long line to the standard lead and accidentally dropped both. Henry wandered on but not far so OH decided to leave him off lead. Only five minutes into the walk. In a place where Henry has a history of chasing squirrels. Guess what? Yup, within a few minutes Henry was but a dot in the distance.
The next day when I took Henry out and put him on the long line he immediately charged away and I had to step on it and hold on for dear life. It took twenty minutes to get him focussed on me and not every passing bird or squirrel. He refused to play fetch, running after the ball then running on past it. He's been better today, but still on the lookout in case he gets a chance to leg it.
So, my question is: would any court in the world convict me if I kill him (OH, not the dog)?
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you have my blessing ;) Sometimes they are just not worth the time :005:
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Uh uh - looks like OH is really in the proverbial dog house now!! :005:
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Don't you just feel you're fighting a losing battle - they just think they know it all! (I have one of those! ) :005: :005:
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Wow this sounds really hard, and you are putting in so much time and effort to fixing it too. For all the behavioural problems Ollie has had thankfully recall has not been one of them. We waited him out one day when he was dancing around and growling about having the lead put on at the end of a walk in the park...just sat down on a bench mostly ignoring him until he was pretty much begging us to have the lead put on to go home. Since then he hasn't done that again. Not sure if something like waiting him out would work in your situation though.
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I guess you could try to create a situation where he became afraid that he had been abandoned altogether after he had wandered off. This experience might make him think better of disappearing altogether the next time. You could hide from him. Or the person walking him could return home whilst OH appeared unbeknownst to him to keep an eye on things. This confusion and uncertainty might convince him to think that staying closer is a better option in the future. You can get tracking devices for them too to give you extra reassurance. This would only work if he is motivated by fear of losing you...if not then its harder to think what might work.
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He owes you a pretty awesome Christmas pressie. If it's a toaster you'd definitely get a not guilty verdict.
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I guess you could try to create a situation where he became afraid that he had been abandoned altogether after he had wandered off. This experience might make him think better of disappearing altogether the next time. You could hide from him. Or the person walking him could return home whilst OH appeared unbeknownst to him to keep an eye on things. This confusion and uncertainty might convince him to think that staying closer is a better option in the future. You can get tracking devices for them too to give you extra reassurance. This would only work if he is motivated by fear of losing you...if not then its harder to think what might work.
Thanks, hoover, but I'm pretty sure that wouldn't work and might even make him worse. I'm sure (praying!) we'll get there eventually, as long as OH doesn't let Henry off in such highly tempting circumstances until they are BOTH ready for it!
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I guess you could try to create a situation where he became afraid that he had been abandoned altogether after he had wandered off. This experience might make him think better of disappearing altogether the next time. You could hide from him. Or the person walking him could return home whilst OH appeared unbeknownst to him to keep an eye on things. This confusion and uncertainty might convince him to think that staying closer is a better option in the future. You can get tracking devices for them too to give you extra reassurance. This would only work if he is motivated by fear of losing you...if not then its harder to think what might work.
It is an interesting thought, you're obviously the best judge of the way Henry would deal with it but I understand where Hoover's coming from - we inadvertently "lost" our last dog for over half an hour when he was very young. The look of relief on his face (and mine!) when he eventually found us again was clear to see. We didn't go looking for him but just stayed put, calling occasionally, until he eventually turned up, he never ever ran off again. The exercise wasn't planned however, it was just one of those things. I just wonder if having Henry on the long lead most of the time has actually given him a sort of false sense of security i.e. he's still doing his thing but YOU have his safe return under control, so he doesn't have to discipline himself? Maybe hiding occasionally, somewhere safe obviously and preferably somewhere new to him, might just wake him up to the fact he's got to keep a look out too? My trainer said he throws treats out occasionally while he's walking, it supposedly messages the dogs that if they stay close, they'll be rewarded and at the same time gives them a job to do searching the treats. Every dog's different and what works for one doesn't for the other but I think you perhaps need to work on making yourself more interesting than whatever else is out there - (maybe you need to get one of those Hot Dog costumes!!😂😂)
Thanks, hoover, but I'm pretty sure that wouldn't work and might even make him worse. I'm sure (praying!) we'll get there eventually, as long as OH doesn't let Henry off in such highly tempting circumstances until they are BOTH ready for it!
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I think the whole thing of letting them get 'lost' works when they are puppies and for some dogs that lesson is never forgotten. Remember Henry was off lead and well behaved from 12 weeks to 11 months, when all the usual tactics worked. And let's not forget the other COL member who posted here recently to say his 'runner' disappeared for SIX HOURS and still runs off. People keep say 'just let him off' but I know Henry. One of the things that makes him an easy going dog is also the thing that makes his recall difficult - he's fearless and not particularly anxious about anything. Including getting lost.
We haven't built up distance recall yet and I think that's where my OH went wrong. If he'd called Henry the minute he saw his head go up and the 'squirrel' glint in his eye, he might well have come straight back. But by the time he thought to blow the whistle, the red mist had descended! I'm still working on Henry turning back to me for guidance when he sees something he wants to chase.
I do drop the long line when we are walking in the fields. We play ball and I toss treats for him to find. I let him get so far then call him back for 'special' rewards (cheese and a good chest rub!). I'm working on it being Henry's choice not my control. It's just taking a very, very long time.
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I wonder if he may have come back for you but perhaps not for your OH? If you are the one doing all the training then he may be learning to obey YOUR commands, but not the command itself? Perhaps OH could join in some of the training just to make sure that when the lessons do sink in (and it sounds like you are working so hard so I'm sure eventually he will get there) he is rock solid with whoever is with him? Mums Jade has a perfect recall to the whistle - when Mum is there. When she's just with me she can be a right little madam!! >:D
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I see Maddie reflected in a lot of these comments
Her recall isn't good if she's in a 'sniff'. I know it's probably my fault as I didn't sort it out early enough, but she doesn't care two hoots where we are. I can hide but she takes no notice. I can be on the other side of the field and she wouldn't care. However, it's this problem partly that has led her to become fearful and aggressive as I couldn't get her back or get to her before other dogs had 'bombed' and scared her. Bramble on the other hand never goes very far from us. Interestingly, I know the lady who has Maddie's cousin and her dog is exactly the same - so genetics must play a part too.
Because I mainly train Maddie I also find she won't come back for OH. We are trying to work on that too!
I saw a training tip on another site that basically waited for the dog to come back of its own accord then treat heavily. I've actually found that this is working well for Maddie when there are no distractions. It does at least mean she's staying closer to us which can only be a good thing!
I think they can have a stubborn streak!
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Yes,it is all the distractions that are the problem and there's no doubt that LG has a lot more to deal with than I do, - our walks are more or less event free, unless a tractor happens to appear, in which case Humphrey will sit and wait for it to go past but on the whole there isn't much else happening so in those circumstances I'm pretty cool I guess - it'd be a different kettle of fish in a park.....
LG - I honestly think you're doing a terrific job and you're putting a lot of work into Henry's training, you're certainly a lot more persistent than I am - hats off!! -I think its like you say, its in his character to be interested and inquisitive and that, after all, is what makes him Henry! If he was human, he'd probably go down in history as a famous explorer :005: :005:. So maybe you just have to accept that he's like he is for now and hang on to the hope that he'll decide to take early retirement from his expeditions and be content to amble along at your side smelling the flowers!! ;) He will grow up, - eventually! (and in the meantime, there's always wine and chocolates and valium!! ) :rofl1:
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I wonder if he may have come back for you but perhaps not for your OH? If you are the one doing all the training then he may be learning to obey YOUR commands, but not the command itself? Perhaps OH could join in some of the training just to make sure that when the lessons do sink in (and it sounds like you are working so hard so I'm sure eventually he will get there) he is rock solid with whoever is with him? Mums Jade has a perfect recall to the whistle - when Mum is there. When she's just with me she can be a right little madam!! >:D
OH trains at the weekends. We make sure Henry goes back to the person who called him, not the person he loves most. 😉
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Yes,it is all the distractions that are the problem and there's no doubt that LG has a lot more to deal with than I do, - our walks are more or less event free, unless a tractor happens to appear, in which case Humphrey will sit and wait for it to go past but on the whole there isn't much else happening so in those circumstances I'm pretty cool I guess - it'd be a different kettle of fish in a park.....
LG - I honestly think you're doing a terrific job and you're putting a lot of work into Henry's training, you're certainly a lot more persistent than I am - hats off!! -I think its like you say, its in his character to be interested and inquisitive and that, after all, is what makes him Henry! If he was human, he'd probably go down in history as a famous explorer :005: :005:. So maybe you just have to accept that he's like he is for now and hang on to the hope that he'll decide to take early retirement from his expeditions and be content to amble along at your side smelling the flowers!! ;) He will grow up, - eventually! (and in the meantime, there's always wine and chocolates and valium!! ) :rofl1:
A huge thank you to you and all the COLers for the moral support. It really does help!
In the grand scheme of things, this is not the worst behavioural problem to have because while it is hard to fix, it is easy to manage: we still have lovely walks with Henry on the long line and lead. Other problems are much more difficult to manage and keep under your control and impact on life at home as well as out on walks. Really, I can count my blessings with Henry if this is the worst he ever throws at me. *drawing a veil over the worst of the puppy months*
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Gemma is trained to return on the whistle and she will return to whoever blew it.
How she knows which one of us it was when we are both with her, I do not know.
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Have you thought about finding a good gun dog trainer & having a few sessions ? I've seen lots of posts on here where people have found this very useful - I'm just thinking that Henry seems to have a love of chasing squirrels & they could help you both with that . Sometimes using a trainer can give you different things to try that make all the difference ;)
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Have you thought about finding a good gun dog trainer & having a few sessions ? I've seen lots of posts on here where people have found this very useful - I'm just thinking that Henry seems to have a love of chasing squirrels & they could help you both with that . Sometimes using a trainer can give you different things to try that make all the difference ;)
I have thought about using a trainer. I'm not sure how many gun dog trainers there are in the wilds of South East London. Definitely worth considering, though, if we don't crack this soon.
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The desensitization method which you described doing, sounds the way to go as regards the squirrels and I reckon, if you keep that up you'll get there. The only problem I have with some trainers, including the one we have now, is that they fail to realize that different breeds pose different challenges. Our trainer is a nice guy but after over six months of trying to make him realize that getting Humphrey's undivided attention is not as easy as it is with his Australian Shepherd, he must have come across an article in a doggy magazine last week and announced on Saturday, "I read this week that cockers are apparantly not quite as easy to train as other dogs because they always have their noses to the ground!" EUREKA!! Think he's finally cottoned on!!!!!😂
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That's exactly the reason I've shied away from getting a trainer so far. There are plenty around here, but they are very general pet trainers and I don't want to spend time and money with someone who doesn't get the Spaniel mindset.
We had some good moments this morning, calling him back from birds sitting on the ground and dogs he wanted to play with. But some mad whirling dervish moments too where I think if I'd let him go he'd have been off like a rocket. Last burst of puppydom, maybe. He's 16 months old today.
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Well going on the "7 dog years = 1 human year " theory, that would put Henry at about 15/16 ??........... What more needs to be said? :005: :005:
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Well going on the "7 dog years = 1 human year " theory, that would put Henry at about 15/16 ??........... What more needs to be said? :005: :005:
I also own a human 16 year-old male... is it too early for wine?