Help!!!

[Elisa]

Hello everybody!

Im hoping someone can give me some advice regarding Bailey.  He is 1 on sunday.  The problem we have is when we take him for a walk.  We are struggling to control him when he sees a cyclist, jogger or another dog.  He just wants to chase or play with them.  We dont have a garden so I do like to let him off the lead to let him run about.  Should I revert back to keeping him on the lead?  How can I distract him? Ive tried treats but even these dont seem to work.  He does come back to me eventually, especially if I say Im going home, but not before he has terrorised any of the above!!!

He has also taken to barking at people he takes an instant dislike too.  No common factor (except the police!!!).  He gets a firm NO! but it can be quite embarrasing.

Other than this he is absolutely perfect!!

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

Stressed out Elisa & and the ever happy go lucky Bailey                    

[PennyB]

Anything to distract him away is useful (just having treats doesn't always work, jumping up and down like an idiot does!), and allows him to be off the lead. Vary it as well, as cockers know when you're trying to to show them the same old thing again so use treats and toys and may be try training him to a whistle (acme ones are good) or squeaky toy! Phrases like 'what's this' to break their concentration on the object of their desire help as once they look at you they can get a reward (toy, treat, whatever) and then the 'spell' of the 'thing' has been broken.

As with cocker teenagers this requires patience as it may not always work and you're going to have to keep doing it even when it does.                    

[Elisa]

Thanks for the reply.  Later yesterday and this morning he was so much better.  It seems that I, with a pocket full of cheese was much more interesting than anything else.  However, I know that I will have to vary it.  I just seem to lack that bit of control when he sees something that interests him more, although, dare I tempt fate, he does seem to be a little better and will come to me eventually (before I had to go and get him!).  Fingers crossed.  Im determined to train him not to run off, it may take a while but like you say patience is the key.  They sure are stubborn and single minded, these cockers arnt they!!

Thanks again.

Elisa & Bailey                    

[PennyB]

You could always train him on a long line as well. I use one for Wilf if we go along the Taff Trail as there are far too many interesting things to distract him. I use it more as a precaution as while he is very good there are a few steep drops he gets a little too interested in. I got mine from training lines and its basically a 10 m thin climbing rope with a trigger hook on the end of it so it has a little weight too it, which I use with a harness on these walks.

If they do wander and get too interested in moving away from me running away from them which always goes against what we want to do often works with mine as long as you grab their attention so they look at you (in my case jumping up and down like an idiot and then legging it the other way)