Terrible Recall

[Mich]

Over the past month Bailey's recall has been getting worse and worse. Last week he simply would not come back, I had to walk off and leave him, then he ran out of the park, up the road and into my neighbours gardens :: .
As you can imagine I was both terrified for his safety, REALLY MAD with him and very embarassed.

He is brilliant at everything else, but once he is off the lead, it is like I don't exist, he is obsessed with chasing birds.

Anyway I have booked a one on one trainer who is coming tomorrow to help get me, and him back on the right track.  I have never had any experience of this before is there any thing I should expect? What makes a good trainer good?!!

I would appreciate any views or other peoples experiences!

Thanks Mich xx

[Tracey J]

I hope you get good results Miche!  Molly has no recall (can never be allowed off lead ) despite 3 different trainers having a go with her (and an experienced cocker owner).  Nothing is more important to Molly than smells on the ground and birds .  If you have any tips from your trainer I'd be really glad to hear them.

[Penel]

Kind reward based methods    anything else - I wouldn't be too keen on.... good luck - he seemed fine when you brought him down here though  

[Annette]

Hope it goes well for you Mich. Let us know how you get on.

[Mich]

Kind reward based methods    anything else - I wouldn't be too keen on.... good luck - he seemed fine when you brought him down here though 

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He is better when we go somewhere new, but anywhere familiar he is terrible.  It's like he doesn't even hear me!!

I have already tried tasty cooked chicken, favourite toys, running away and hiding!!  He just wont ever get close enough for me to put his lead on

[silkstocking]

I know this has really been worrying you Mich so I hope the trainer works miracles    

As I've said to you before, he still is really young so there is still lots of hope and time!!!

[suzysu]

Hope it goes well for you Mich  

[suki1964]

I had a 1-2-1 and it was the best money spent on Alfie so far

One of the things she did advise was not to use the local park so much but to change walks as often as possible. Like Bailey Alfie is excellent in unknown spaces but a was a horror in the local park. Hes a lot better now using the methods she showed me - keeping him focussed, keeping him on his toes,reward, and today I managed to call him back from a bitch in season - result

Good luck

[PennyB]

When mine went through this phase I tended to play retrieve games with the chuckitt rather than just walked them. Mine still do have phases (bin day usually) so again I engage them with games and training until the phase passes!

One thing I've noticed is that mine now naturally interact with me at times whereas I see with other cockers on the park theirs don't as they often just walked them. This is mostly to do with the fact that we do stuff I guess (mine love using their noses so I just develop that while I walk with fun games). This has had the effect that they generally stay close.

[silkstocking]

today I managed to call him back from a bitch in season - result

Good luck

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Blimey, now that is impressive Caroline  

Why do people walk bitches in season where other dogs are though it annoys me?!! When Nance was in I got up an hour earlier so I was out before any other dogs

[Mich]

When mine went through this phase I tended to play retrieve games with the chuckitt rather than just walked them. Mine still do have phases (bin day usually) so again I engage them with games and training until the phase passes!

One thing I've noticed is that mine now naturally interact with me at times whereas I see with other cockers on the park theirs don't as they often just walked them. This is mostly to do with the fact that we do stuff I guess (mine love using their noses so I just develop that while I walk with fun games). This has had the effect that they generally stay close.

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I have tried this, well actually i have tried to try it!!

Bailey will fetch in the back garden, and leave and drop (normally when treats are offered as a reward), but when we are out anywhere else he is NOT interested!

How can I engage him in retrieve when i can't let him off the lead because he wont come back!
If he is off the lead and I throw for him, he will always chase after it, but will never bring it right back to me, treat or no treat, even though he does this in the back garden perfectly.  He brings the item so close and then runs off again because he wants me to chase him, I don't I run away in the other direction and of course he follows me but he NEVER gets close enough for me to get his lead on!

Honestly, i have never been one to just let him walk while I do nothing, when he was a little younger he was FANTASTIC i would just say come and he would run over and sit at my feet for a treat.

Now I can scream, cheer, wave my arms in the air, run way, squeak 7 toys at the same time, do cartwheels (you think I am joking) and he still wont get close enough for me to put his lead on!!

You may be thinking that I don't walk him enough, this in not the case, he is nearly 6 months old and he has 20 mins in the morning 30 mins at lunch time and about 45 mins after work.

[Mich]

I had a 1-2-1 and it was the best money spent on Alfie so far

One of the things she did advise was not to use the local park so much but to change walks as often as possible. Like Bailey Alfie is excellent in unknown spaces but a was a horror in the local park. Hes a lot better now using the methods she showed me - keeping him focussed, keeping him on his toes,reward, and today I managed to call him back from a bitch in season - result

Good luck

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I don't use the local park for long runs I go to lots of different places (Very lucky where I live ) but the park is at the end of my road and I would like to be able to use it in the mornings and at lunch times to give him a run!  Thing is at the moment I am too scared I wont be able to get him back in time for me to get to work!!

[silkstocking]

When mine went through this phase I tended to play retrieve games with the chuckitt rather than just walked them. Mine still do have phases (bin day usually) so again I engage them with games and training until the phase passes!

One thing I've noticed is that mine now naturally interact with me at times whereas I see with other cockers on the park theirs don't as they often just walked them. This is mostly to do with the fact that we do stuff I guess (mine love using their noses so I just develop that while I walk with fun games). This has had the effect that they generally stay close.

[snapback]184500[/snapback]

I have tried this, well actually i have tried to try it!!

Bailey will fetch in the back garden, and leave and drop (normally when treats are offered as a reward), but when we are out anywhere else he is NOT interested!

How can I engage him in retrieve when i can't let him off the lead because he wont come back!
If he is off the lead and I throw for him, he will always chase after it, but will never bring it right back to me, treat or no treat, even though he does this in the back garden perfectly.  He brings the item so close and then runs off again because he wants me to chase him, I don't I run away in the other direction and of course he follows me but he NEVER gets close enough for me to get his lead on!

Honestly, i have never been one to just let him walk while I do nothing, when he was a little younger he was FANTASTIC i would just say come and he would run over and sit at my feet for a treat.

Now I can scream, cheer, wave my arms in the air, run way, squeak 7 toys at the same time, do cartwheels (you think I am joking) and he still wont get close enough for me to put his lead on!!

You may be thinking that I don't walk him enough, this in not the case, he is nearly 6 months old and he has 20 mins in the morning 30 mins at lunch time and about 45 mins after work.

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Mich, hun we've all been there hun please don't fret. As I've already said I still maintain he is a very young dog and he will get there in the end. Milo isn't interested in games when we are out where as Nance looooooves games. Just becasue its right for some dogs doesn't mean its right for others. Milo would no rather play a game than I would want to eat the pilchards they had just had for dinner!!!!(Stiiiiinky!!)

Milo will play at home but when he is out he wants to walk and run and chase and explore    Like I said every doggy is different, thats what makes them fun!!!!

[PennyB]

When mine went through this phase I tended to play retrieve games with the chuckitt rather than just walked them. Mine still do have phases (bin day usually) so again I engage them with games and training until the phase passes!

One thing I've noticed is that mine now naturally interact with me at times whereas I see with other cockers on the park theirs don't as they often just walked them. This is mostly to do with the fact that we do stuff I guess (mine love using their noses so I just develop that while I walk with fun games). This has had the effect that they generally stay close.

[snapback]184500[/snapback]

I have tried this, well actually i have tried to try it!!

Bailey will fetch in the back garden, and leave and drop (normally when treats are offered as a reward), but when we are out anywhere else he is NOT interested!

How can I engage him in retrieve when i can't let him off the lead because he wont come back!
If he is off the lead and I throw for him, he will always chase after it, but will never bring it right back to me, treat or no treat, even though he does this in the back garden perfectly.  He brings the item so close and then runs off again because he wants me to chase him, I don't I run away in the other direction and of course he follows me but he NEVER gets close enough for me to get his lead on!

Honestly, i have never been one to just let him walk while I do nothing, when he was a little younger he was FANTASTIC i would just say come and he would run over and sit at my feet for a treat.

Now I can scream, cheer, wave my arms in the air, run way, squeak 7 toys at the same time, do cartwheels (you think I am joking) and he still wont get close enough for me to put his lead on!!

You may be thinking that I don't walk him enough, this in not the case, he is nearly 6 months old and he has 20 mins in the morning 30 mins at lunch time and about 45 mins after work.

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The trick is you take more than one ball out with you!

Mine would never retrieve or play fetch, but when I go the chuckitt then they could retrieve for Wales! The idea of more than one ball is that when they come close you just chuck another one so they have to drop it (I take 4 out with my two and its a hell of a game now but when I just used to take one ball and throw it they were never really interested or did what yours does and not drop or give back, I guess now they just like the speed and distance the ball goes now with the chuckitt)

[Mich]

The trick is you take more than one ball out with you!

Mine would never retrieve or play fetch, but when I go the chuckitt then they could retrieve for Wales! The idea of more than one ball is that when they come close you just chuck another one so they have to drop it (I take 4 out with my two and its a hell of a game now but when I just used to take one ball and throw it they were never really interested or did what yours does and not drop or give back, I guess now they just like the speed and distance the ball goes now with the chuckitt)

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[/quote]

Good tip
 I will try this, although I am not sure he would ever get close enough for me to get the lead on him!!

Thanks for the advice