Hi
just wanted any tips for recall when other dogs are around .
Gus is 5 months now and is brilliant at recall when no one else is around - he comes first time every time .
When out walking he is only allowed off lead when no dogs are around and if we see one he is immediately put back on lead . On the odd occasion when he does spot another dog , no amount of recall works . He blatantly ignores us and goes bounding over . He thinks every other dog just wants to meet him and play with him but unfortunately not all are like that . I am worried that one day , another dog may turn on him but why wont he return when shouted ? i also feel such an idiot :(
He used to be like that with people too but I think he has now realised that everyone doesnt want to make a fuss of him .
It seems a shame to keep him on the lead all the time so how can i get him to learn and respond ?
Lel

Hia lel

Charlie is roughly 6 weeks older than Gus, and its only in the last two weeks or so that he has started to pay attention to recall with other dogs around - and even then, its a case of if HE feels like it! We had got to the point were we could only have Charl off the lead if there were two of us walking him - with one running ahead to check there were no other dogs coming!!

We've been carrying charlies training into his walks by taking his clicker and some treats (from his brekkie / dinner) with us, and using that to help with his recall, which does seem to be working. Plus, over the last few weeks he seems to be calming down a bit round other dogs too - although, i'm not sure u'll get that with an SBT :D! I know theres not much advice i can give you bar commen sense ideas, but at least you can take some hope from the fact is does get better ;)

Good Luck
Majix

Thanks Majix
We do take treats with us but as i say when he sees another dog he doesnt care about them , or us or anything .
He is never aggressive , he just bounds over and likes to have a sniff but he's sooo bouncy around them that i worry that a less tolerant dog will "have a go" at him . We only let him off when we go to the woods and we are constantly scanning for anything but on occasion you will get a dog appear from the trees behind or something . He hasnt had any nasty experiences with other dogs ( yet) so i fear he may be too trusting . Today we took him deep into the woods where no-one else was walking and there he is trotting along with his little stick in his mouth when i spotted a man up ahead , I called Gus but he must have also seen the man and shot off . We called and called but no response . The man had an English Bull which he had hold of luckily and it was fine with Gus sniffing and dancing around him but i felt really daft ( like a novice owner) . The man and the dog were both ok with him but as i say it could have been a differnt situation .
:(
Lel
I thought mybe an extending lead but it makes walking in the woods a bit difficult as it snags on everything -
any other ideas ?

Charlie is the same, thinks every dog is his friend - and he *has* had a bad experience, with a border terrier who took an extreme disliking to his bounciness! Luckily it was more a warning snap than anything else, which seemed to make charlie more wary of other dogs for all of about *ooooh* five minutes?? :) And the bigger the oter dog the better with him - its terrifying haring after our little ball of fluff while he goes bounding up to dogs about six times his size!! We awlk him in the local woods of a week, and i agree an extedning lead is a bit rubbish there, although we do tend to use one if we take him the park of a weekend. I think from your other posts Gus goes to classes - have you spoken to your trainer about it?

Good luck!
Majix

our trainer is taking a 6 week break :( . She is pregnant and wants to get over the "sicky" period but He will be going back then ( I'm counting the days) .
He was fine in class too (although the classes are limited to 6 dogs) but he ignored them at class and did return .
Maybe if we practise on an extending lead in somewhere like the park where he will still see other dogs and we can practise thta way ?
Lel

Hey, nowthats an idea! CHarlie's classes have just re-started after a four week break. We were looking forward to it no end, but we forgot that we had booked charlie in to the groomers a few hours before. Because his anal glands were bothering him we took him to both anyway - and he spent the whole class whining and grumbling, dragging his bum across the floor, refusing to do ANYTHING that was asked of him, and generally being a right nuisance - monster!! Although, there was a new dog started that week, who cocked his leg over the suede handbag of the next dogs owner, so at least we weren't the only social lepers :D HAve given him an extra five mins training each day this week, so hopefully he wont show us up this week :D

:D
LOL at dog cocking his leg over suede handbag !!!
Now that is an ice breaker :D
Lel

Hi Lel,

I don't know if it's possible but do you know anyone with a friendly "well trained" adult dog, whom you could ask to walk with you, maybe Gus would get the idea when they recalled their dog.

Just a suggestion, thinking about it I might try this with Sal in a couple of weeks when I let her off by other dogs.

At the moment I'm like you sending some poor soul scouting ahead for other dogs in the vicitinty, but in our case, we are a month or so behind you that includes people too. She hasn't realised not everyone loves her, and to be honest I can see her point of view.

Could you try practicing the down command at home and then do it in the field so that he stays and you can go to him and leash him?

I have never had a dog, so this might not be a good idea. :)

Hi Lel - I have the same problem with Murphy and as far as the woods goes the Flexi lease is the only way to go ( I do spend half the time untangling from trees tho' :rolleyes: ) murphy ran over to a small gsd only to be met by a very protective older one !!
Murphy is still very giddy around dogs and he's 18 mths old although he does walk well and recall from my friends dog.
may be the distant down or sit is not such a bad idea untill you can ask is it ok to play( but I will admit Murph wont do it !! :D )
Liz :)

Neither would Willis. I just keep my eyes peeled and call him back.
I have perfected keeping him close to me though, if he goes further than 5 yards away then I hide behind a tree and he panicks. Comes racing back. And I call him once, and if he ignores me then I take two paces back and he literally *launches* himself at me :rolleyes:

Lel - I make Will sit when we meet other dogs. He now sees that as the preferred method of meeting and greeting. It has taught him he is not allowed to bound straight over to them and play, and hopefully this will carry over into when he meets them off the lead. Oh for a dog that ignores other dogs.

Anyone else have any ideas ?
( please??) :)
Lel

HI Lel

It's not at all unnatural for a youngster to display this sort of behaviour -just when you feel he is obedient and have got it sussed, he gives you a challenge ;)

Personally I feel it is not necessary to worry about his recall from other dogs as he runs up to them. If a dog looks aggro, put him on the lead before he does have a chance to run off. (So keep scanning the horizon.) Otherwise he is safe.

Don't worry too much if he runs off and plays - but don't wait for him, keep walking, even hide. If he is not too excited, he will soon realise you aregone and will come running to find you - if he does, big praise and reward. If not, keep cool - and as he gets tired and starts to leave the other dog/s, call him enthusiastically. Reward, preferably when your hand is on his collar, and let him go again.

Do this lots, it may take weeks but you will see a gradual improvement. Also practice lettinghim off near distractions, not just dogs, and do the same. Its really a matter of building up the training. I used a toy as a reward, so if he loves toys try that, butif not give him reallygood treats. Of course the idea eventuallyis to ditch the treats, but keep them up, and/or toy, for a while.

If he doesn't respond to this then keep him on a long lead and keep practsing at home, and with other dogs out and about but on the lead. Make yourself really exciting.

Some young dogs do go through a very distracted phase and this is hard to train through, but dont give up. Also some just canlt listen to anyting but hormones but it's a bit early for your fella yet ;)

Lindsay

Our dog's the same! Many people comment how often I am telling her off about it. She is, however improving seeing as we now have a check chain and an proper training lead - they're brill!

ps. What do clickers do, & where can I get one?

Our dog's the same! Many people comment how often I am telling her off about it. She is, however improving seeing as we now have a check chain and an proper training lead - they're brill!

ps. What do clickers do, & where can I get one?

Our dog's the same! Many people comment how often I am telling her off about it. She is, however improving seeing as we now have a check chain and an proper training lead - they're brill!

A clicker is used to train your dog with regards to hearing the click of the clicker in response to your dog doing as you want -and so recieving a treat . That is a simplified version .
Every time you get the correct response ie; Sit , lie etc you click and give a treat . Eventually your dog gets to know what you want merely from hearing the clicker .
I admit I tried in the early days and found it didnt work for me . Too many people in the house using it in differnet ways. You have to be consistent and all work the same way .
It is brilliant if you use it correctly :)
There are people on here who can explain it a lot better than me
Lel