Dave is being a wotsit

[Hurtwood Dogs]

Thanks guys, I do know the theory and it's how I dealt with Normy and I do only call him regularly when he is 'lost' not on normal recalls and generally they don't get praised until they are right where I want them. A lot of Dave's trouble is (and I'll freely hold my hands up here) that I've had to focus so hard on Normy because she was/is the more dangerous and the one with the more extreme problems so he hasn't had as much work put into him as he should have. He's always been very easy and generally bumbles along near me.

He's caught me out to some extent as unlike a dog with a naturally high hunt drive and high energy, he still is most of the time, pretty chilled out and bumbling and doesn't stray far from me. He doesn't get excited or show any of the normal focused hunt signs, when he goes, there is very little, if any warning.. you'll just suddenly realise he'd not there and he'll have quietly and slowly slunk off into the undergrowth and disappeared. He doesn't chase stuff - for example if a deer/squirrel/rabbit is right in front of him, he just looks at it then gets back to bumbling. About the only thing he does chase is Normy, much to her utter annoyance  and obviously scents but that's a slow burn before he gets going.

He's an odd little dog, I've had him checked but I'm still not convinced he has the best eyesight or hearing he's also very hard to get focused on me. A lot of the time it's almost like he's on another planet even when he's in the same room as you I don't think I'll ever fully understand him but we're definitely going back to basics for a while I think 

Jo, I forgot to mention, I had a proper cow bell (the sort your granny buys you as a souvenir when she's on holiday in Austria) on Normy for a while and it was absolutely brilliant. It also seemed to put her off hunting too as if she knew there was no way she could sneak up on anything whilst sounding like Daisy redbull And also helped us find her a lot more quickly when she did bog off

xx

[Karma]

Just adding a comment on the calling and calling front... I again, will never recall repeatedly - I have on occassion repeated once, when a fresh distraction appeared mid-recall, or when it was obvious she genuinely hadn't heard (another noise at the same time or something).  But when she is off exploring in our local woods (she never goes far, but can get herself a little distracted at times) I will give repeated calls so she knows where we are - this is never a recall, but a combination of her name, little whistles, "this way" and other little pet names... this is not to try and get her to us, but so she realises that we are still continuing to walk and if she doesn't catch up she'll be left behind...    It works for us, but we do have a very solid recall....  

[Cockertime Blues]

. When suddenly, he appeared . There he was charging up the path to me, tongue flying in the wind white flag tail in the low spoiler position, running back to me as fast as his little legs would carry him. My heart melted and I armed myself with a handful of treats, arms out to him, praising his socks off...........

but he ran straight past me and off up another path at high speed - it was as if we didn't even exist. It was only sheer luck that we'd seen him as the scent trail he was following just happened to take him past us  15 minutes later he did rejoin us but by then, my heart was firmly unmelted and treats very much back in my pocket

Had me in stitches too.

Alfie tried to do it once with me and I nipped it in the bud pronto. I started recalling him (when he was nearby and focussing on me) with my back to various walls, trees, hedges etc. so he couldn't get past me and on the couple of occasions he tried it again I knew he was going to do it from about 10 feet away and he got a full on VOD and I stepped out towards him which brought his focus back onto me sharpish. He got praise and fuss when he was sitting at my feet looking at me as I'd asked him to do.

I reap the rewards.  Only one time has Alfie blatantly disobeyed me - he (unfortunately for him) was mid-bogging-off when he had to stop for a cr*p and as I went to collar him he took off again pronto.  Apart from that, when he realises he has to return and actually sees me, it's like I'm the biggest thing since Christmas and he's been waiting his whole life to get back to me.

I don't agree with calling and calling either, my lot get called once and if they don't obey I go after them.

Have a heart.  I'm 61 and used to be athletic but ain't no roadrunner no more.  Alf is 3 fields away in 3 secs.

I don't ever let them ignore me, it was the big mistake I made with Alfie at the beginning and it was a dear one. The key to this is not letting them go too far from you; for Alfie who knows what recall is but chooses to be selective about obeying it it was about 20 feet to begin with as any further than that and my influence started to wane. . . .It is tiring and frustrating keeping on top of them all the time, I had to watch Alfie like a hawk and I knew what his 'I'm offski' signals were so as soon as I saw them I was able to intercept. If I missed it by that split second and he started to trot off he got a very loud and very sharp 'AH AH!' and I was right after him to bring him back - all this involved was running towards him to get his attention and then calling him back to me, usually while then running backwards to encourage him and once he'd done that I would do a short heelwork session with him to get the focus back on me and then the magic tennis ball would appear and he'd get a game of fetch. If he knew I had a ball on me he was generally much better at sticking close. Also as Helen says he NEVER got praise unless he'd done exactly what I'd asked him to, if you start lavishing praise on the dog when they're 15 feet away from you that's as far as they'll think they have to come.

Very helpful.  Am taking it all in.  (I just wish my hobby was dog-training.................)

[lindseyp]

 When suddenly, he appeared . There he was charging up the path to me, tongue flying in the wind white flag tail in the low spoiler position, running back to me as fast as his little legs would carry him. My heart melted and I armed myself with a handful of treats, arms out to him, praising his socks off...........

but he ran straight past me and off up another path at high speed - it was as if we didn't even exist. It was only sheer luck that we'd seen him as the scent trail he was following just happened to take him past us  15 minutes later he did rejoin us but by then, my heart was firmly unmelted and treats very much back in my pocket



Jo, I forgot to mention, I had a proper cow bell (the sort your granny buys you as a souvenir when she's on holiday in Austria) on Normy for a while and it was absolutely brilliant. It also seemed to put her off hunting too as if she knew there was no way she could sneak up on anything whilst sounding like Daisy redbull And also helped us find her a lot more quickly when she did bog off

xx
    Sorry Hannah......i know it's not funny at the time (Livie is the same, hense the enrolling in gundog training for the both of us) but you make it sound hilarious .....and the bit about Normy & the cow bell is 

I don't agree with calling and calling either, my lot get called once and if they don't obey I go after them.

Have a heart.  I'm 61 and used to be athletic but ain't no roadrunner no more.  Alf is 3 fields away in 3 secs.

 

[SkyeSue]

Have a heart.  I'm 61 and used to be athletic but ain't no roadrunner no more.  Alf is 3 fields away in 3 secs.

I know exactly what you mean...when Chloe bogs off it's usually into the dense forest and it would be physically impossible for me to go and bring her back 

[mcphee]

Have a heart.  I'm 61 and used to be athletic but ain't no roadrunner no more.  Alf is 3 fields away in 3 secs.

I know exactly what you mean...when Chloe bogs off it's usually into the dense forest and it would be physically impossible for me to go and bring her back 

Perhaps we ought to have a separate category for "bogging off little b*****s" (but politely titled), where we could all share our inadequacies.Rufus would be the oldest member. I'm 53 and played hockey for 30 years and I can't always get there either. The description of the feeling of relief then fury as he comes hurtling back and then rugby dogdes me as an unnecessary inconvenience is dreadfully familiar, although luckily less common than it was. They just move so quickly; even at nearly 5 if he decides to go, Rufus gets to places I could not possible access, like the middle of blackthorn thickets. Skye Sue and the forest reminds me that we have not been back to Eartham Woods since Sir found the gap under the perimeter fence and did a runner in the private bit after the deer. He came back, but couldn't get back through so my friend's hubby had to climb over and pick him up. This is why we have a restricted repetoire of walks, and the dreaded long line is in use again.

[Nicola]

Have a heart.  I'm 61 and used to be athletic but ain't no roadrunner no more.  Alf is 3 fields away in 3 secs.

I know exactly what you mean...when Chloe bogs off it's usually into the dense forest and it would be physically impossible for me to go and bring her back 

Alfie didn't exactly bog off into the middle of grassy fields   I wish!! In the times I went after him I nearly got ripped to shreds by brambles, stung to death by nettles and had my face whacked and eyes almost taken out by more branches than I care to remember; I just got my bull head on and was so determined to get him back I'd push through. It was far from enjoyable but once I'd done it a few times the message began to sink in that no matter where he went I'd be after him so it was pointless him trying to ignore me.

And you have to be quick, that's why you have to watch them so carefully for their 'bogging off signals' (which they all have) so you can be on them before they have a chance to get too far for you to get them back. It really is hard work, tiring and frustrating to begin with but once they start to get the idea it gets easier.