" everyone knows me now when walking that early so they all say How's her training going they probably know full well as they will hear me shouting and calling left right and centre "
...Grin, I rest my case
Too many commands tunes your dog out to you Especially the ones they just ignore... which were better not given in the first place. Its hard, I know, I know.
I ran in a working test yesterday with middle girl. She has gone up a step of the ladderin the last few months and is having to perform 'at the top end of her ability' at the moment to keep up with the big boys.
To quickly give you an idea (and bear with me, this is relevent) there are 4 or 6 exercises set in a working test for the dogs. Each is marked out of 20. Your dog needs to achieve of course in a confident, accurate manner, and on blind retrieves where the dog has not seen the dummy thrown, you are allowed to handle your dog onto the dummy, or at least 'into the area' that you have been told it is. HOWEVER, each time you use a command that is not necessary or is ignored by the dog, OR the dog goes a different way to the one you asked it to go in you lose one, sometimes two marks from your 20.
So yesterday from a total of 120 marks we COULD have got for the 6 exercises, I scored 98, however of those 22 lost marks, upon speaking with thetwo judges and them checking their books EIGHTEEN of those lost marks were for ME overcommanding my dog. For example sending her 'back' and her GOING back, but me, from nerves and a sense of 'keeping her going', yelling 'back! back!' a couple more times for good measure! Two lost marks straight away!
One judge said 'young lady (grin, hes such a charmer!) if I were your dog I'd have tuned you out hours ago....' then winked!
Overcommanding, and ignored commands, its teaching our dogs NOT to behave rather THAN behave.
Di
Have you tried using a whistle or a clicker? When Stormy was younger 8 months old, he often ignored my voice, but then I introduced the whistle and he would not ignore that. Also practicing recalls at home in the garden or from room to room and then instead of saying good boy, use a clicker.If you don't want to use a clicker, just do recalls a few times a day in the house, from room to room and even from the garden. When he comes to you give him a treat, this makes him want to come back. My trainer use to say, if he comes straightaway, that is a jackpot and to give him a few tiny treats. If you call him a few times before he comes back, then give him one treat, but never get angry. We have to make it a lovely place to be around us, so recalls become strong. His fav toy is great for distractions in the park. Stormy has 2 kong flyers and they come to the park with us every day, but he does not have them at home. This makes him all the more keen to play with them, so much so even other dogs are ignored as he wants to play with us with the frisbee. I always carry 2 frisbees, then I can always have one in my hand.
I forgot to say, but I know I have posted this next bit in reply to someone else. Stormy's recall was spot on until he reached 8 months and then it went to pot. I had to put him on a long line for 6 months and work on his recall everytime we were in the park, that is when I had a 1-1 with my trainer and she told me to do the things I mentioned in my previous message, like introduce the whistle more often etc,etc. I hated that long line and was relieved to get rid of it, but it did the trick. I practised recalls on the line using toys, treats and the whistle. As soon as I took him off of it, his recall was spot on and still is. He came off the line last December and I have had no probs since. I do wish I had taken him off before the 6 months were up, but I was worried he would ignore me again. I had gotten to the stage where I dreaded walks, but now I can relax and enjoy them and so will you.
Last edited by craftee on Fri Jul 14, 2006 7:52 pm; edited 1 time in total
Hi tell you what i started doing if Charlie wouldn't come start walking the other way give a wistle just to let her know your not going to chase her try it
I read your post with total sympathy!! I had the exact problem with Cadbury when he was about 9 months old. Up until then training had been fab, I had left him off lead for part of most walks since he was tiny and he was coming back to recall very well.
Then suddenly at 9 months he totally changed. I felt that all my work with him had been in vain and I started to dread taking him on the walks I used to love -as it was so stressful.
He just seemed to ignore me. I tried lots of methods and in the end got support from a dog trainer who suggested i try her masterplus collar ( NOT electric!!) but just squirts a small amount of air on the dogs neck.
Now I am sure this may not be a cure for all dog recall problems but for Cadbury the change was almost instant. It simply seemed to hellp me regain his attention in that split second before he would go dashing off!
The collars are expensive to buy but I think you can hire them.
Don't despair though, what ever method you choose you will get there!!
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