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Author Topic : Recall question.
 Waggs Norfolk Terriers
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8/8/2014 9:06:16 AM reply with quote send message to Waggs Norfolk Terriers Object to Post   



I've had my rescue staffie Dibble for just over a year now. When we first got him he had no training what so ever. We used to nickname him our juvenile delinquent!

Anyway, a year on he is well trained and has a good recall - that I continue to build on. However it is pretty rubbish around other dogs. Because of this when we see a dog approach I put him on the lead - he will come to me when dogs approach. However he is a really sociable dog and I would love to let him play with other dogs but once he is playing there is nothing I can do to get him back to me until the other dog is gone - even then he often follows them for a little way until he remembers I exist!

He is such a friendly wee thing I have no worries about aggression but for safety reasons I don't like him to play with dogs I don't know in case it turns nasty and I can't get him back. Any suggestions to improve his recall?
 ShoStopper
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8/9/2014 2:14:59 PM reply with quote send message to ShoStopper Object to Post

this post has been edited 1 time(s)

It sounds like you're already doing the right things--you've built up a nice base to work on, he understands what "come" means in the context of "I'm out doing something offlead, there are no dogs, and now I hear my owner;" he just hasn't yet been proofed on what "come" means when there are other dogs and/or possibly other distractions.

Do you have some dog-owning friends with pups that are pretty bomb-proof (good recall, dog friendly?)

I'd start heading out to quiet, fenced-in parks with him, the friend and the friend's dog. If I was really worried, I might even start in a fenced in backyard. Have your friend keep her dog on lead, sitting quietly beside her. Have your dog on a long, long lead (I've used a really long piece of rope before), and release him to explore and say hi to the other dog. You might even keep the distance really short between the two of you at first. When he's sniffed around and said hi a bit, call him to you and look super inviting. If he doesn't come, bring him in with the lead, without making a big deal about it. If he does, praise him enthusiastically and reward him with a treat.

You may discover that his threshold for hearing you when he's distracted by another dog is really low. If that's the case, work back to the level that he can be successful at. Maybe it means the distance between you two is insanely short, or that the other dog is really far away, or really, really disinterested in him. Once you figure out where he *can* be successful, slowly dial up the difficulty/distractions. (IE, distance between you two, energy level and/or level of engagement of the other dog).

When he isn't successful, don't chase him down or repeat the command over and over. Just bring him in with the lead. If you have to go get him, this can even be the end of the fun. No fuss or anything, just a "oh too, bad. This game is over. We can try again later."

When he comes to you successfully praise him a ton and then release him to go visit with the dog again. This way he starts to learn that "come" doesn't mean "the fun is over; we're going home." He can learn that checking in with you always means good things for him.

Hope I explained this well and that it might be of use to you!

I don't know if you guys have worked with/have any interest in clicker training, but it's pretty neat for stuff like this. I also like Kathy Sdao, Karen Pryor, and Patricia McConnell for dog training ideas and advice - those ladies are all far more accomplished than I and can explain better than I can, so at least this is a jumping off point!

Good luck!

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Last edited by ShoStopper on 8/9/2014 2:17:42 PM
 Waggs Norfolk Terriers
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8/11/2014 2:51:01 PM reply with quote send message to Waggs Norfolk Terriers Object to Post


That's really handy advice thanks for that. Unfortunately we don't currently know anyone with a dog that would be willing to do this. But we do have a long training lead so we could use that in places where there are lots of dogs.

We have decided to take him to advanced training classes (he has already passed the puppy classes) so hopefully we can work on it there.

It is hard not to get frustrated after all the work we have put in to get him trained - and everyone remarks on his obedience - that we can't quite crack this last bit, but we will get there eventually.

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A specialty show is a dog show which reviews a single breed, unlike other dog shows, particularly conformation shows, which are generally referred to as "all-breed" because they are open to all breeds recognized by the sponsoring kennel club.