another terrible walk , please help

[JohnK]

  Dennis the Menace does exactly the same, keeps coming back close then running away again. A squeeky tog does help though

[Archie bean]

If you're having trouble controlling your dog then keep it on a long line while you proof recall and leave commands.  If your dog hasn't proofed recall around distractions it really shouldn't be off the lead in the first place.  Exchanging is okay for teaching to give items, but the real issue is that your dog is running off after things he has no business with in the first place.  Train and proof for recall around heavy distraction using a long line as a way to maintain control. 

I get pretty annoyed as well when some strange dog steals a ball from me and my dogs.  My main irritation really isn't the fact that the ball was stolen. Balls are easily replaced.  What gets me upset is that the good game I had with my well-trained dogs was ruined by some out of control dog.

Praia I do understand your frustration, I really do and I am glad that you have perfectly well trained dog who responds to your every command, but it really isn't that simple. Those of us with problems work really hard at fixing them and try to keep our dogs out of tricky situations. Mishaps happen and it doesn't help when other owners get irritated and upset with us. Archie's recall is rock solid and his give is 100%  - in a training situation but replicating this in the real world is not always possible.    I could just as easily argue that why should my dog's lovely off lead walk be ruined by someone randomly chucking balls about and distracting him form focussing on me. Of course I would never argue such a thing - live and let live and just be civil and calm if a mistake should occur. 

[JeffD]

If you're having trouble controlling your dog then keep it on a long line while you proof recall and leave commands.  If your dog hasn't proofed recall around distractions it really shouldn't be off the lead in the first place.  Exchanging is okay for teaching to give items, but the real issue is that your dog is running off after things he has no business with in the first place.  Train and proof for recall around heavy distraction using a long line as a way to maintain control. 

I get pretty annoyed as well when some strange dog steals a ball from me and my dogs.  My main irritation really isn't the fact that the ball was stolen. Balls are easily replaced.  What gets me upset is that the good game I had with my well-trained dogs was ruined by some out of control dog.

Praia I do understand your frustration, I really do and I am glad that you have perfectly well trained dog who responds to your every command, but it really isn't that simple. Those of us with problems work really hard at fixing them and try to keep our dogs out of tricky situations. Mishaps happen and it doesn't help when other owners get irritated and upset with us. Archie's recall is rock solid and his give is 100%  - in a training situation but replicating this in the real world is not always possible.    I could just as easily argue that why should my dog's lovely off lead walk be ruined by someone randomly chucking balls about and distracting him form focussing on me. Of course I would never argue such a thing - live and let live and just be civil and calm if a mistake should occur. 

I really can see both sides here, training gundogs is hard enough without another dog joining in and spoiling what could have been a good training session, but last week due to a lapse in my consentration Teal ran on to the the field during a football game and thought she would show the players how good a footballer she is. Yes lots of apologies from a very red faced me.

I just have to accept that if I am training in a very public area sometimes other dogs will put their noses in, just as I have to accept no matter how hard I try and as much as I don't like it she will do the same to others.
If Teal always behaved herself perfectly she wouldn't need to be trained in the first place.
I just try as best I can to train at times when there are no other dogs about or slip her on the lead if I can see another owner and dog training or playing but just like Teal I am not perfect and sometimes it all goes wrong.

[Archie bean]

If you're having trouble controlling your dog then keep it on a long line while you proof recall and leave commands.  If your dog hasn't proofed recall around distractions it really shouldn't be off the lead in the first place.  Exchanging is okay for teaching to give items, but the real issue is that your dog is running off after things he has no business with in the first place.  Train and proof for recall around heavy distraction using a long line as a way to maintain control. 

I get pretty annoyed as well when some strange dog steals a ball from me and my dogs.  My main irritation really isn't the fact that the ball was stolen. Balls are easily replaced.  What gets me upset is that the good game I had with my well-trained dogs was ruined by some out of control dog.

Praia I do understand your frustration, I really do and I am glad that you have perfectly well trained dog who responds to your every command, but it really isn't that simple. Those of us with problems work really hard at fixing them and try to keep our dogs out of tricky situations. Mishaps happen and it doesn't help when other owners get irritated and upset with us. Archie's recall is rock solid and his give is 100%  - in a training situation but replicating this in the real world is not always possible.    I could just as easily argue that why should my dog's lovely off lead walk be ruined by someone randomly chucking balls about and distracting him form focussing on me. Of course I would never argue such a thing - live and let live and just be civil and calm if a mistake should occur. 

I really can see both sides here, training gundogs is hard enough without another dog joining in and spoiling what could have been a good training session, but last week due to a lapse in my consentration Teal ran on to the the field during a football game and thought she would show the players how good a footballer she is. Yes lots of apologies from a very red faced me.

I just have to accept that if I am training in a very public area sometimes other dogs will put their noses in, just as I have to accept no matter how hard I try and as much as I don't like it she will do the same to others.
If Teal always behaved herself perfectly she wouldn't need to be trained in the first place.
I just try as best I can to train at times when there are no other dogs about or slip her on the lead if I can see another owner and dog training or playing but just like Teal I am not perfect and sometimes it all goes wrong.

Very well put Jeff, thanks. I think that's what I was trying to say but you managed it much better. 

[Lovely]

Anyone who has ever been picking up on a shoot will know that not all the dogs will behave well 100% of the time and dogs need to get used to all sorts of distractions from other dogs. As long as my dog isn't getting attacked i put it all down to good experience. We all have to learn as do our dogs and they can't be trained in a vacuum. Just smile sweetly at anyone grumpy it really isn't a war crime to steal a ball.

[JeffD]

Just smile sweetly at anyone grumpy it really isn't a war crime to steal a ball.

  I didnt smile the day a big black lab ran off with a £8 dummy, never did find the owner or the bloddy lab

[Lovely]

You know what i mean Jeff,  i'm not suggesting people allow their dogs to run off with things but sometimes it happens i do understand both sides and most of the time i keep my border on a long line as he will disappear down holes given half a chance. If you're exercising your dog in an open area the dog can still be allowed to run free on the longline as the idea is it gives you a much better chance of catching the dog. Just not so easy in dense veg as they get caught up, but it sounds like this ball stealing is happening in open parks. Just let the dog pull the longline along the ground behind them. I suppose having been in situations where my dog has suddenly gone deaf i have a degree  of sympathy when it happens to other people. Mind you if dummies now retailing at £8 might encourage mine to steal a few whatever happened to the old sock stuffed with wet newspaper. I can see a business opportunity here

[Ali101]

We were in this situation last week, I use a small squeaky ball to recall Isla with, we are training her to the whistle but she just LOVES her squeaky ball. I never saw the Labradoodle appear, but out of nowhere this dog appeared as I threw her the ball and proceeded to pick it up and completely refuse to let either me or his owner near it. If it had been an ordinary ball I wouldn't have minded in the least, but this is a very special ball (I would not throw it had I seen another dog around) and I have looked high and low for another but to no avail.
I must admit, I wasn't best pleased and I do understand about dogs not being perfect, as mine certainly aren't, but I was suprised that the man had no control over his dog at all, and if it was me would worry about the dog getting something potentially dangerous in his/her mouth and being in danger because the owner could not take it away from him.
I can see both sides to this.

[Karma]

I think, in general, most dog owners understand a bit of give-and-take with things like balls. 
Honey never ever bothered anyone else's ball, until another owner decided that, as their dog wasn't interested in chasing their ball, they'd throw the ball for Honey instead - something clicked and she realised that ANY ball was fun, not just the ones we provided.   

I can get a ball back from Honey, as long as the other owner can keep their dog away from Honey.  In the situations where Honey has stolen a ball, I've generally found I have more control of Honey than the "victim" has of their dog... OH can't get a ball from Honey as easily, as he hasn't done as much of the training - but I NEED him to do occassional dog walks, as otherwise she just wouldn't always get a walk...

It took me a couple of years to be confident I could get a ball from Honey, and before that I carried 3 balls with me to swap/replace....
Don't give up!

[*MaryG*]

Thank you so much for being so understanding and the ideas. i went out better prepared today which was as well as everyone seemed to have balls. i took good treats and a spare squeeky ball. Pepper's recall was very good and i managed to see each ball before him ,get him back and put him on the lead, just as well as one dog ran over and dropped the ball at his feet! interesting how often that one happens! Thanks , we'll keep training but i guess it will always be something to watch. he is very food motivated so i think upping the treats probably should help.