Help..recall problem.

[JaniceH]

Teazle is now 8 months old.

I take her to dog class and I train her every day on basic commands such as sit, down, stay, recalls and heelwork. When we go for a walk (3 - 4 times a day) she is made to sit at kerbs and prior to and after going through gates. She eats her meals after me and is basically on a NILF programe. When I am training her she is very good and listens to me.

I was once concerned she didn't love me as whenever she greeted me (first thing in a morning etc.) it is always quiet and controlled, all 4 feet on the floor, and she would sit and occasionally lick me or give me her paw. However she always welcomes visitors with such enthusiasm and tries to jump up. I was told by several rottie sources that it was because she respects me. This behaviour hasn't changed, but I feel I am losing the respect and I don't know why.

When we go out for a walk I can sometimes let her off the lead where it is safe to do so. I have noticed over the last 2-3 weeks that she doesn't always come to me when I call her, which she used to do. This usually happens when she finds something very interesting or she gets the scent of something and wants to follow it. Normally when I am training her whether indoors or out, if I give her the sit and wait command and then do a recall, she is 100% obedient, but no longer when we are out just on a walk unless I do it formally and put her in the position of wait. Whenever I call her and she comes to me I always reward her with a tasty treat and praise, again whether indoors or on a walk.

Whilst I appreciate rabbit and deer smells etc. are very interesting and she loves to run and investigate things, I need her to come to me when called every time. I love to see her run and zoomie around but this won't be possible if I can't trust her to come to call.

Why is she losing her respect for me ? What am I or have been doing wrong ?
Is it her age ? Is it me ? I would really appreciate so much any advice which will help me sort this out. I feel rather desperate and depressed about this because we walk alot and there is a lot more I have to offer her once she matures. I realise that I must have slipped up somewhere with her training and need your help as to how to regain this part of her obedience which she used to be so good at.

Thank you and sorry for the length of the post.

[murdock maclean]

my dog is the same i have to use a toy sometimes to get him to come inside
Im no expert but maybe its because she is still a puppy and going through stages?

[Denise L.]

Cyrus too. But I have only had him 3 weeks. I don't think your dog has lost respect...they can be bratty when they are young. Heck thay can be bratty when they are old too!

Cyrus is perfect when we do this in the yard and in the house but I definitely don't trust him off leash yet.

I have a 30 ft. lead ordered from our pet shop. This will be part of our next lesson at training class. You can even make one yourself from rope and clips.

Patience, patience, patience! We need LOTS of that too! It takes time and effort but it happens!

[Skip]

Just my opinion, but I feel a reliable recall is one of the most important things to instill in a dog. I would also recommend that until it's very reliable that you only use the command when you can quickly enforce it. When Rocky was younger, I just used a long piece of clothesline to enforce it during training (with treats). As he got more reliable, I would throw in some distractions. He's been very reliable for a long time now, but I still practice with distractions periodically and he is over 4 years old.

[Luvs]

Originally Posted by JaniceH

Teazle is now 8 months old.

When we go out for a walk I can sometimes let her off the lead where it is safe to do so. I have noticed over the last 2-3 weeks that she doesn't always come to me when I call her, which she used to do. This usually happens when she finds something very interesting or she gets the scent of something and wants to follow it. Normally when I am training her whether indoors or out, if I give her the sit and wait command and then do a recall, she is 100% obedient, but no longer when we are out just on a walk unless I do it formally and put her in the position of wait. Whenever I call her and she comes to me I always reward her with a tasty treat and praise, again whether indoors or on a walk.

Whilst I appreciate rabbit and deer smells etc. are very interesting and she loves to run and investigate things, I need her to come to me when called every time. I love to see her run and zoomie around but this won't be possible if I can't trust her to come to call.

Why is she losing her respect for me ? What am I or have been doing wrong ?
Is it her age ? Is it me ? I would really appreciate so much any advice which will help me sort this out. I feel rather desperate and depressed about this because we walk alot and there is a lot more I have to offer her once she matures. I realise that I must have slipped up somewhere with her training and need your help as to how to regain this part of her obedience which she used to be so good at.

Thank you and sorry for the length of the post.

I definately think that part of it is her age, but I think it is also because she knows that when you call her she does NOT have to come to you. She has learned that if she is off lead, you can't make her come to you if she doesn't want to. If I were you I would stop letting her loose until you get her to come to you consistantly. She is too young to be trusted off lead.

You can still let her run and play, just keep her on a long lead, so that you can ALWAYS correct her when she does not come

[Judi W]

It takes much longer as well as maturity to have a dog trained to the point of being called off something they find very interesting. Dogs are situational. They learn what you teach and in this case they have been taught to come from a stationary stay position, but not to come in random situations. To train that you need to have the dog dragging a long line, around your garden, around the free run area. Call when you have quietly picked up the end of the line, and pop the line and bring the dog to you. It takes a long time to teach this so don't be in a hurry or be disappointed. She is just doing what she has been taught.

[JaniceH]

Thank you all for your advice. Just a few follow up questions.

I have a lunging lead for horses...will that do as the long line ? I am not sure how long it is maybe 15 - 20 ft. Should it be longer ? I use it when I am sheep training her.

So, are you saying that when I am out for a walk I should leave her with that attached, and then when I want her to come, pick it up, pop it and call her. I would be a little concerned about it getting caught in bracken etc.

Would a flexi lead be of any use, and do the same thing but not actually let go of it. She won't be able to run freely though which would be a pity. My garden at home is only small. The surrounding countryside makes up for that.

Would you still let her off lead in safe areas where it isn't necessary to actually call her but where she will follow me in her own time ? If I don't call her she can't disobey me. I am really thinking of a field we regularly go in which is fenced off, no way out, and as it is owned by my boss, Teazle and I have the complete field to ourselves.

[Judi W]

There is nothing wrong with letting her run free. There is something wrong with using formal commands when you can't secure her response.

No, don't use the flexi. You can't allow it to be drug behind and it is always applying pressure on the collar. You want her to always respond to collar pressure not to teach her to ignore it.

I prefer a 35 foot long line. A lunge line is too heavy, you want something as light as possible so the dog feels free. I make them out of rapelling line from the mountaineering shop. Rapelling line does not tangle easily, is light weight and easy on the hands.

[damp]

First… dogs don’t love us; they (should) respect us and are happy to greet their leaders! I don’t care if my dog don’t greet me in the morning, but I love to see his enthusiasm, when he hears the rattle of the leash or he sees me in the “dog boots” which means – ready for a walk or training!

Second… (and please don’t take offence) but if your dog is 8 months old and 100% obedient and still a happy dog, I would like to hear about how you train She will continue to make "faults" and "dissapoint" you for years

I am trying to say, she is still a pup and don’t expect too much, even you are diligent and hardworking with the training.

A golden rule is: Never recall a pup/young dog if you are not sure it will obey. Yes… the dog will LEARN…but only that it doesn’t have to come!

If your pup is unleashed and sniffing, paying attention to other humans, dogs, items or in high drive, it would be “unfair” and not advice able to recall.

As you said earlier, every time she comes to you, reward her and let her run again. At THIS AGE she doesn’t have to sit straight or walk into a perfect heel and do other obedience exercises. She has to learn and associate the “come” command with something fun and pleasant waiting for, it be a sausage, a tug toy, a ball to chase, a pat and verbal reward: GOOD GIRL.

Would you still let her off lead in safe areas where it isn't necessary to actually call her but where she will follow me in her own time? If I don't call her she can't disobey me.

Yes I think that’s ok and I do think, that a pup has the “right” to be a pup, just run, sniff and explore without our constant interfering and interrupting commands. (Just do it in a safe area and don’t bother other people)

Be patient and good luck with your training!

[JaniceH]

Once again thank you for your replies.

Judi, there are a couple of mountaineering/walking shops where I live, so I will ask them about the rapelling line.

I haven't taken offence Damp at your comments. On the contrary, I hang on to every word people say and learn. I understand and agree with you 100%. That is why I was afraid people would say don't let her off the lead at all. I love her being a pup and watching her run and zoomie around. I can see where I have gone wrong and I can now see a way forward. I hope I can get a suitable rope to use as Judi has suggested.

Luka, my other rottie (now at the Rainbow Bridge) was 10 months old when I got her. She was so laid back, happy to plod along off lead and not really interested in the environment or dogs or people (unless they had food) and never ran anywhere unless she had a zoomie. Whereas Teazle is on the go all the time and into everything and anything. I have to be on the ball with her at all times. I was just expecting Teazle to be the same as Luka....stupid me.

Thanks again.