6 month old splurcher recall help

[CLAIRE2532]

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Hi I am look in for some advice please I have a 6 month old splurcher bitch we are getting there with the recall when there is no one around. But I do not have a hope in hell when there is another dog Baloo needs to be every dogs best friend which can sometimes come across as overpowering. Some owners don't take very kindly either and I have no control of her only if she makes a foul move and I catch her,treats are of no interest when there is another dog and I am fed up of being tutted at please help.

 

[gypsysmum2]

It is so frustrating, isn't it, when our dog completely ignores our commands.

Firstly we have to remember that she is not the finished article. She, or her training, is a work in progress.

What happens when you do get hold of her? Does she go on lead? If so, and it is perfectly understandable, she knows that this is going to be the result of her responding to recall. This in turn is what is making her ignore your recall.

Firstly, I would not use your "recall" word in situations where you know she is likely to ignore you. I would use a word like "enough" when she is playing too rough. If she does not tone it down then catch her (I know!) and put her on lead. You may need to use a long line to train this for a while. Once she calms down she can play again. Only by training, with the other dog present, will you make any progress. Perhaps ask one of the more tolerant dog owners, who has dog that can cope with your dog, to help you out here. Still reward her when she responds to "enough" and do let her go play again until she is too rough when you interrupt her again.

Separately I would teach her recall using fabulous treats. When she comes give her five small treats, one after the other, while you fuss her and look thrilled. Once she is responding reliably, switch to an intermittent schedule of rewards. This means that sometimes she does not get a treat, just a huge fuss. You might like to use a whistle for recall. Whistles are never angry

Call her regularly, during a walk, reward her and let her go again. Run the other way, turn in a different direction, hide and make yourself irresistible to her. No matter how frustrated you feel, no not get cross and if you are cross just say nothing and mark it down to experience. If she is more toy orientated than treat mad then use a thrilling game with a toy to reward her for coming, even use both at once if the recall was particularly difficult for her. Try not to train, at first, where there are other dogs. Set her up for success to build her confidence that coming to you will always be a fantastic experience.

Never call a dog to tell it off. If they have done something wrong and you use their name or recall word to chastise them it will ruin even the best recall.

 

[CLAIRE2532]

Thank you this is amazingly helpful and I spot my issue immediately I am angry with her and she gets told off for not coming back so it's not an experience she will want to create hence her not coming back that's great advice thank you so much I think I am so busy trying to get her back I don't think too much abut how she reads the situation thank you x

 

[JoanneF]

I believe there is a very good book called Total Recall. I am lucky to have a Velcro dog (if we can't see him it's because we are not looking at our ankles!) but I have seen the book recommended.

 

[Kate75]

We have the same problem with Holly, she is a 5 month old GSD and literally loves everyone and their dogs! Like you I don't have a hope in hell of getting her to come to me when she's engrossed in a game with another dog and when off the lead she would bolt towards any dog she spotted to get them to play. We're lucky we seem to live in a bit more of a tolerant area but even so I'm conscious that as loving and friendly as she is, she is still 20kg of boisterous puppy GSD and can be pretty intimidating for dogs and their owners!

We've done what Gypsysmum suggested and got her a long line while we train her. We've got one that goes up to 50ft (about £10 on amazon) and you can use it at full length or shorten it accordingly. It allows Holly to still have the freedom to roam and play but we still have control while we train her to come back to us. Already she is less interested in bolting and will stop and look at a dog when she spots them but we're having more success on distracting her back to playing with us.

The line takes some getting used to and can be a bit of a pain but it is working for us. We are also starting training in a couple of weeks so I am hoping that will also help especially in desensitising her to other dogs lol!

 

[gypsysmum2]

Training classes do help as the dog learns to focus on you with lots of distractions around. The one drawback with most classes, though, is that they are held inside. Many dogs learn to behave impeccably during their training sessions and are still hooligans when let off lead.

If you are lucky enough to find a class that has the use of some outside space then that would be really helpful. Alternatively you could employ the services of an APDT trainer to come out and work on one to one basis with you and your dog.

On the plus side, weekly classes encourage us to practice for fear of being embarrassed each week.

In the right circumstances you could let go of the long line but be prepared to stand on it (one foot only!) if necessary.