[Kendra]

Firstly, apologies for length!!

I seem to be having a couple of little problems with Indy, mainly to do with recall.

From the garden she's fine, recalls when she's asked, same when we go down to our local beach. It's when we get into strange surroundings that she won't do as she's asked because she's obviously very interested in what's to see and smell.

For example...NE training day. She did excellently with learning to walk to heel, but I suspect she got a little bored watching the retrieves and such-like so when she did finally get let off (the first and third time), she went off on one...but the second time she was sent for a retrieve, she did really well and came back when asked :? Today we went to visit my family where they're staying at a caravan site, we'd planned to go over to a reservior later in the day. We had a nice play with the ball before lunch and she was fine. Played nicely with the ball, had a good run about and a sniff off the grass around the van, then came back into the van when asked to. Yet once we'd had lunch and got into the cars to drive to the local reservoir, she went off on one and refused to get into the car! She didn't go out of sight, but would not let us get close enough to put her onto the lead/into the car! After around 5 minutes of her making a complete fool of me (much like at the end of the NE training day - if westmacott or centrefire is reading, I'd appreciate your input here) we had to get into the car and start driving away, at this point she actually came rushing up to the driver's side (like "noooooo, don't leave me!!") and was happy to let my partner put her into the boot. Earlier in the day we'd visited a friend who have a Springer, she'd never been there before and the Springer was too nervous to play with her but she amused herself and again, was easy to round up and place back into the car for us to drive to the caravan.
When we got to the reservoir, I put her onto a long line and let her go into the water to have a splash about, but she refused to let me reel her in and the result of the melee means I've really hurt my finger :sad:
I had to put her back into the car at that point, she didn't protest as I suspect she was tired!

She seems to have this trigger...she'll be fine and do as I ask and then suddenly the switch is flicked and it doesn't matter what I say, what I do or what I offer her, she will not return to me. I don't get angry or stressy with her, I find ignoring her and walking away or hiding will get her to eventually return and at that point she'll stop and sit, letting me hold her collar or put her lead on but obviously I can't keep doing that! It's kind of like a bumtuck run I suppose, she gets mad eyes and I can imagine her sticking her fingers in her ears, pulling her tongue out and saying "Ner ner ner ner, you can't catch me..." I can't work out if it's an overtired response or not, but I expected that at the age of almost 1, she should have a fair bit of stamina!

It's a bit odd, even when there are distractions, she will always "WAIT" when told when the boot is opened and not try to get out. I can get her to sit at the front door when we've finished a walk, I can take the lead off and she'll walk into the house when asked to, she won't try and make a run for it. When I ask her to sit and I remove the lead for whatever reason, she'll always "WAIT" until I release her to go on a free run or whatever else it is we're doing.

I could do with some input here because it's all well and good her having nice recall and doing as she's asked when we're somewhere she's familiar with, but she just seems to go totally crazy when we're somewhere new and it is literally like having two different dogs!

*pulls hair out and nurses bruised finger*

 

[Pook]

I can't offer advice, but I can say you're not alone - Ruby is just the same. I get great recall in the garden with her, but not in public places when, as you say, it's like a switch has been flicked and nothing I do will get her to come back to me. She occasionally does it in the garden too, if something more interesting grabs her attention.

I'll be interested to see what people suggest!

 

[poppington]

again, no advice, sorry!

but i can really sympathise with you with the "going off on one". poppy can be really quite good at it if she's not getting her own way, has got over excited and or frustrated as she did yesterday when a cat wouldn't talk to her so she did a mad eyed bum tuck at the side of a road with my husband hanging on for dear life on the other end of the lead 8O

also interested in any advice given and i hope your finger is ok.

 

[centrefire]

Try putting her in a position where she has to come back to you like in an alleyway get someone to stand at the opposite end and you then recall her awayfrom them towards you. I know it's hard but with our dogs they start at a very early age and I won't let them do anything I don't want them to do free hunt pulling on the lead etc. Go back to basics and have her steady to you walking away (always going back to her to instill confidence and giving her lots and lots of praise) from her and gradually build up to one in ten times calling her up to you but ONLY WHEN SHE IS STEADY to you walking away and returning to her, its what they learn in their first few months that are the building blocks of the rest of their lives. Also try training her for 15 to 20 minutes morning and evening with no playtime for a week or so just training then straight home and i'm sure you'll see a difference after a that time.

Keith

 

[Kendra]

Thanks Keith, I'll certainly give it a go

 

[westmacott]

Hi

Going back to basics is always a positive process

If I am right in thinking you use a whistle, if not slowly introduce a whistle with the word sit

1.Continue with your heel work, everytime you stop blow one pip on the whistle as well as speaking sit and display the pam of your hand to the dog, ensure the dog sits each time, jerk the leader upwards if needed and place your hand pushing down on your dogs back end, continue this until your dog responds each time everytime...100%

2.Slowly introduce/ when you have your dog in the sit position, back away a few steps from the dog showing the pam of your hand, never call your dog to you, always go back to your dog and give lots of praise, walk on at heel and repeat again, this is a slow build up of the distance you leave your dog, I would keep the lead on to start with, watch your dog at all times so you can interviene if your dog decides to move, keeping the lead on at this stage will assist you in checking the dog and regaining the dogs focus, (like you did at training day) remember always return to your dog at this stage, giving plenty of praise, never let the dog get bored, complete these stages for 10-15, 4 times a day. Never use the dogs name for the sit as this may induce your dog to move towards you.
once this is completed 100%

3.Slowly introduce/ recall, several pips on the whistle, slap your thighs, encouraging the dog to return, when your dog returns give lots of praise.

Remember do not bore your dog with this, you will need to change your comands around so your dog does not antisipate your actions. so sometimes you will keep your dog at sit and return to your dog and sometimes recall your dog, if your dog looks like it is going to antisipate you do the opposite one.

At this stage this is all you want your dog to do, ensuring everyones safety.

Hope this helps

Steve

 

[Kendra]

Thank you Steve

We'll give that a go as well....

I'll update and let you know how we get on!

 

[Eshiels]

Recall is always one of the main problems pet owners have. I think it is due to the excess amount of free time they are given. Steve and Keith have both given you good advice.

The key is to try and not do too much at once. I would if possible work on four short sessions every other day for 15 minutes per session. Starting with sit and stay for a week, with you going out of site by the end of the week, then introduce the recall, and make it fun.

Try not to put your dog in a position were it might fail.

Good Luck.

Ian