Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2007 4:41 pm Post subject: 11 month old ignoring off lead recall
I'm SO embarrassed. I've just got back from a walk with 11 month old Daisy. She's always been very excitable when she's seen other people or dogs, but today was one of the worst
We were walking through a field near the house with Daisy on lead as the field has horses in it - she spotted a lady with 2 chocolate labs walking across the top of another field and immediately started to pull and whimper towards them. Once we got into the next field, I let her off lead as the other dogs were also and theyy were wuite a way from us. She immediately got their scent and raced across to play, ignoring my calls to stay close. I let her play for a minute or two and she then returned to me on command. We then headed off in another direction to the other lady and dogs, when Daisy spotted them again in another field quite a long way off - she went mental - raced off across the crops, jumped the hedge, up the hill to play with the other dogs. She totally ignored me and I had to walk some distance to get into the other field where the poor lady had to wait with her dogs before Daisy finally saw me again and returned. It was very windy and I was some way from the lady that I couldn't even thank her or apologise. I felt so awful.
She did the same thing last week with my husband - this time racing across to a person without dog, jumping all over them and not returning on command.
I just don't know what to do anymore as I feel like I've tried so many things to try to keep her under control around other dogs or people. She just seems to get this manic excitement and totally forgets any training, to the point that we can't approach other dogs nicely, let alone walk past without attempting to play.
Pleeeease can anyone offer any advice - I feel like I'm incapable of training my dog and that others must think she has terrible owners and is really naughty and has no manners....do I need to think about 1-2-1 training with a specialist perhaps??
It's so frustrating when they do that. What treats are you using? Tripe burger or beef jerky seems to ensure that ours (13 months old) pretty much has our undivided attention. When Moo's recall has gone a bit wobbly during previous phases I have put more of what he would have been fed at meal times into the pile of treats that he has to earn during the day. They're totally food motivated - exploit it!
Our other favourite tactic is hiding from him - if he thinks you're going to disappear behind trees or hedges etc they become much more attentive. Moo knows if he doesn't watch us we'll give him the slip. He always gets a huge reward for finding us and looks so pleased with himself.
Ok, this is not a disaster She has many things against her including her age, the windy day which does blow their minds a little and get their 'tail up' nd the fact the first dogs were Labs, and our breed are attracted to their own.
From your note you don't go to training classes, not that this is a problem in itself, many don't, but a single dog, with only the occasional interaction with other dogs (and once or twice a day on a walk is occasional to a sociable confident 11 month old) can cause other dogs, especially dogs of their own breed to be a mindblowing experience She is not being a deliberate git but is absolutely ecsatic. Thrilled.
There are no magic wands to wave in raising a dog, set backs happen. You have found the recall you thought was there, actually isn't once she hits a certain elevel of excitmenet. I would think she shares that with maybe 50% of dogs of our breed from 11 months to 11 years!
now there is no one quick piece of advice anyone could give to stop this. You HAVE to reschool the dog if you want it to improve or what will happen is you will walk around nervous of other dogs appearing because you know you have no emergency brake.
The effort you put in now will pay dividends within a few short weeks. Leave this now and it will happen for years to come, and could happen across a busy road, that is always the way I try and ease people into the pain that is going back to playschool with their dog
Buy a longline. She will not need it for the rest of her days, just whilst you reschool and renforce that recall. This can be a horse lungeline, a washing line or some such thinish rope that you can tie or clip to her collar but gives her a lot of freerunning distance when you let it out.
Do NOT use one of the worlds most hidious devices ever invented, a plastic handled flexi lead, one of those things which zips in and out and causes hidious burns to owners, dogs and anyone the dog happens to become entangled with. They are dangerous, thin and easily breakable and make lots of noise as they whip in and out and really you want the dog to forget he is 'wearing' anything
Go out for a walk on the long line, let her romp about, but you have ultimate control. The BEST thing is if you can set her up with some dogs that she likes, friends or family dogs. Its hard doing this on strangers dogs but is possible as she never actually gets to jump all over them.
Now, I am assuming that you worked on your puppy as a youngster and taught, at classes, or at home and out and about a consistant recall. Does she REALLY know the word 'come!'. test this. Sit her up in another room, have OH hold her. Go out the room then call 'come!' and ONLY 'come! not her name not 'come here' not 'come to mummy!' just COME. If she comes test her outside, sit her up, leave her in a stay, walk away, stop. Keep your back to her and without moving your arms in any way, bending down or using any body language use 'come!'. Chances are most dogs stay where they are sat. They don't know the word they know their name or our body language... so its no wonder when we yell it at a fast dissapearing dog with its back to us it ignores it.
Work on general obedience for 2 minutes a couple of times a day at home. Do LOTS of stays and recalls. Lots. Use COME a LOT. Not her name, but COME. Always treat her when she does a particularly fast nice recall.
Then out on the longline, either set up someone walking dogs across a field, or wait for someone. Then have a pocket full of tasty treats. as you see the dogs appear and you see her stop and her head go up and her tail rise (adrenaline is starting to pump, ears are starting to close!) call her into you THEN. The first couple of times if she doesn't come that instant, tow her in with the long line even if she comes walking reluctantly backwards nearly falling over, then be real;ly pleased with her, clap your hands, be INTERESTING and treat her mightily. Then turn so the dogs are behind you and walk away. Try and do this a MAXIMUM of twice before you make a fuss and go home. You are never out of control and she will be shocked. Repeat this for several days in a row. Don't be tempted to allow a mess up by letting her off even if 'noone is about' as one failure right now is memorable. To her she needs to firstly be amazed you always have control even though SHE has freedom and secondly she needs to learn that come means a nice treat and even if she doesn't FANCY coming, there is NO option
Time will show you when to attempt this without the longline. If she fails, and a lot depends on you getting her attention BEFORE she is at the point of no retrun, that point when she has started forward motion towards the dogs, go back for a couple of days to the longline.
You don't need more explanation right now, you need a longline and I'm sure you can make one if you don't fancy buying one.
Best! Ask anything you like if it is unclear.
Di
Last edited by Diana on Tue Jan 09, 2007 5:42 pm; edited 2 times in total
____________
The boys!
Read: Wylanbriar Dog Blog on the website: Updated! 1st February 12´!
I thought we were doing so well with Poppy but sadly on Saturday I took her to a largr park with no one in sight, somehow she spotted a girl and her mum a long distance away and just sped of in a mad rush.
I had her mum waving a umbrella at her to stop Poppy jumping at them it was awful. I felt so sorry for the lady and child with all this awful news at the mo about dogs and their owners they must have been really worried.
For Poppy she just saw a play friend her tail was wagging but totally wrong behaviour. I put her lead on and went for a long walk instead. I was so upset normally her recall has been quite good
Thanks Di..this is really helpful. I will get a long line tomorrow! I'm determined to get this sorted!
She did go to training when she was a little puppy and we took her again from about 8 months - however it didn't seem to help at all. She'd spend the first 15 minutes so excited and whimpering and pulling that it was a real struggle, but once she got used to the other dogs being there and realsied she wasn't there to play she started to concentrate she was one of the best in the class at the obedience to the point that by the end of the class she looked thoroughly bored and fed up!. The class was indoors, so once out in the countryside any retrainst that she learnt went straight out the window! It's just that initial excitement that we struggle with. Both classes did not allow any free time off lead for the dogs to play - which I think we should have had when she was very little. I'm hoping that come the spring and longer evenings I may find a class that is outdoors with some off lead play time. Like you say she is a VERY socialble dog and just LOVES to play!
We'll give the long line a go and hopefully we'll make some progress
Thanks Emma for asking this question, and thanks Di for answering it so brilliantly!! I too have had an awful day with Rolo out in the park, 3 times I had to go and get her, run and get her,and the other owners had to call their dogs to them to let me get hold of her. But I let her off the lead because when other dogs are around, I simply haven't got the strentgh to stop her pulling me over and at only 8 months Even screaming like a banshee didn't help
I'm going on ebay right now for a long line.
Shall we try this out together and keep each other informed of our progress? Good luck with Daisy, Di, you're a star!
It's nice to know mine isn't the only 'rebel with 4 paws' as I call her! She's been as good as gold this evening - looking up from her bed with those big brown eyes...they know how to make sure you still love them even though they've embarrassed the hell out of you. Let me know how you get on with the long line!
Lindsey.... now you KNOW what I'm going to say woman... what IS that poor child wearing NOW? No wonder it wasnts to leg it from you.... probably scared you have a full Henry VIII costume lurking in narnia at the back of the wallrobe
Massive grin and good luck with trying the treat, longline thing. It really does work if you co-ordinate yourself to be able to bring them back in without too much fuss and you don't get them weaving round trees and bridges too much (and people).
If you happen to be single however a long line is a great thing. Watch for a good looking chap and dog, LET your dog bolt up to theirs, then puff up looking mortified and accidentally wind the hunk in with the dog.... Ta dahhhhhh! (as the Sissor sisters said...) Bagged.
Wink
Di
____________
The boys!
Read: Wylanbriar Dog Blog on the website: Updated! 1st February 12´!
If you happen to be single however a long line is a great thing. Watch for a good looking chap and dog, LET your dog bolt up to theirs, then puff up looking mortified and accidentally wind the hunk in with the dog.... Ta dahhhhhh! (as the Sissor sisters said...) Bagged.Wink
Di
Di what a fab idea, i don't have a problem with Alfie's recall but i still might try your suggestion of how to bag a good looking chap hehehehe
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She has many things against her including her age, the windy day which does blow their minds a little and get their 'tail up' nd the fact the first dogs were Labs, and our breed are attracted to their own.
I too have had an awful day with Rolo out in the park, 3 times I had to go and get her, 
and at only 8 months 
Even screaming like a banshee didn't help 
Good luck with Daisy, Di, you're a star! 
