Recall training - starting over again AGAIN.

[Briggo09]

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.

[lescef]

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.

[AlanT]

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.

[Neil]

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.

[pinkmarshmallow]

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 

[Finvarra]

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! 

Lesley and Dylan

[Pearly]

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.......

[Theo961]

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.

[Pearly]

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 . 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 

[Londongirl]

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.

[Briggo09]

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.

[Tornado]

  >:(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?!!!

[Londongirl]

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...   

[Londongirl]

  >:(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.

[Londongirl]

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)?