18 month old - keeping close

[LauraBob2019]

I am still trying to keep my 18 month old pet cocker spaniel close. I originally focused on recall which he is good at but it doesn't stop him from going further and further away. We have tried and continue to try:

-changing direction
-hiding, hide and seek
-engaging in games like 'find it'
-long line training appropriate range / recall

I can do all of the above and my dog will stay close to me but as soon as I stop he will go off hunting by himself.

I see other cocker spaniels out on walks and their owners are not constantly having to engage and train their spaniel to stay close.

How can I progress so I can walk with my dog without him taking off to hunt far away from me?

Thanks for any advice

[Shaun W]

Think fun, what is fun for your dog?
The idea is to make them want to be with/near you.
I used Absolute Dogs/Sexier than a Squirrel podcast.
They have a variety of video/downloads to manage certain things.
The basic premise is playing games to get/reinforce the behaviour you want.

It works for me, Alfie (6mo WCS) sticks fairly close, he will wander off but checks in frequently and comes back like a rocket when called.

I’ll play a quick game, praise, make a fuss or give a treat - which keeps it interesting for him.
I’m working on the whistle recall - using the method on here.

[LucyJ]

If you can get him to recall from a long distance, then you are doing a lot better than many of the dog owners I see around here! 

The only other thing I can thing of is doing some training with him at a distance - so getting him to stand still, sit, lie down, even change direction - this would mean that even when he is further away he will still be looking to you for commands instead of doing his own thing.

Have you ever tried any gundog training with him? 

[LauraBob2019]

Thanks Lucy and Shaun

Shaun- my dog stuck to me like glue but he got further and further away after about 10months

Lucy - thanks for the suggestion. We tried gun dog training once but unfortunately it wasn't positive reinforcement so I djdnt go back

[bizzylizzy]

If you can get him to recall from a long distance, then you are doing a lot better than many of the dog owners I see around here! 

The only other thing I can thing of is doing some training with him at a distance - so getting him to stand still, sit, lie down, even change direction - this would mean that even when he is further away he will still be looking to you for commands instead of doing his own thing.

Have you ever tried any gundog training with him?

Completely agree! and a stand or lie down at distance can be a life saver. Also, try and watch him very closely and every single time he turns to look at you, even if its only a quick glance praise praise praise, sometimes praise and call back for a reward or a game, sometimes just praise and let him continue, that way he never really knows what to expect. (The same applies if he’s on the long lead) I drop a glove or a packet of tissues ocasionally and just hold up my arms and call „lost“ and Humphrey will tear back to look for it. Scatter some treats under a tree or wedge some in the cracks in the bark and let him sniff them out.
He‘s still a young inquisitive dog but as Shaun says, the key is keeping him interested and the more variety you can include in the walk, the activities  and the rewards, the better. But  avoid overdoing the recalls, otherwise he‘ll just switch off.....