Hello all,
I'm sorry to bore you all again but i can't stop crowing. This won't interest any of you with well trained dogs but to those whose dogs go stone deaf at the 'come' command it will give some hope. I posted approx a week ago to say that my male Westie Buddy has turned a corner in the obidience department. He's going from strength to strength now. I can leave him off the lead all the way around the park even with other dogs around (i never thought i'd see the day). I honestly thought he was going to spend the rest of his walks on the lead. He runs around with other dogs having a great time and comes when called.
I can even get him to sit and wait while other dogs pass by.
Our walks are fantastic now that i don't have to scan every horizon for other dogs.
So a message to all of you having similar problems just hang on in there. They get the message eventually.
Budmag
(still glowing from our walk this morning)

I'll try to hang in there :D Took Tara (and Bramble) out for their late night walk - just getting dark. She is very sensitive to the dark and everything in the field is worse by X 10 :) Out local TA use it to practise in and last night they were rolling around in the grass and then making mad dashes across to the hedges :D I just managed to walk through the field (twice - there and back) without being dragged through the grass too :D (Remarkably fit for a dog who was spayed the day before). Fortunately they will stop using the field when it gets a bit darker. (We never let her off the lead in the dark/dusk )

Do you think that she'll ever grow to love them ?????? :D :D

Daisy

Edited - sorry meant to say well done with yoour Westie - it's lovely when it all falls in to place isn't it :)

Hi, don't stop crowing - it is soooo encouraging to hear success when ur struggling and when things go well it's great to feel you have someone to rejoice with! I read the original post about Buddy when Morse was slinging a deffie and it cheered me up. Yesterday we had a great walk, with Morse coming when called even when at a distance and watching another dog approach, and trotting back to us fjrom his mates, and he's gone from being bottom of the obedience class to demonstration dog - invited to Advanced Obedience on Monday. How long has it taken to get to off lead reliability?

Budmag - that's great news... well done to YOU and your doggie. I have a 10 month old Lab who just loves to play with other dogs, I have been working on "come" from day one but it is still not reliable. I can get her to come back to me when she is playing with other dogs, but stopping her from running to them in the first place is my biggest challenge. The temptation is far too much for her! It is great to hear success stories as it gives me hope. I work sooo hard with my girl it feels like I'm getting no-where at times and I wonder if she'll ever overcome her eagerness to play with other dogs. Thanks so much for sharing.

Hi Lorelei
In answer to your question how long to get to off the lead reliablity. Uhm it all seems to have happened all at once. Could be that i was always too nervous to let him off the lead to test him out. Had a couple of scary moments as i've mentioned before with him running off. I started carrying Beef Jerky treats which he loves and started off getting him to stay while other dogs passed using the treats. Now he knows their in my pocket and i suppose he comes back in the hope he'll get a treat every time (which he does'nt always but hey he does'nt know that).
Me chilling out about him running around with bigger dogs has propably helped also. I'd say in all it's a combination of factors. He's 17months old and success has only been in the last 2-3 weeks (around other dogs that is)
Well done with your pooch by the way.
Budmag

I had that problem too, but its a wonderful feeling when you get success! The treats are a great idea and its a good thing that he doesn't get one everytime cos it keeps him guessing. If he doesn't get one the first time he will try to work out how he can get the treat thus working harder for you! Congratulations, it takes such hard work to get a good recall. (And boy i should know!!) ;-)

There's nothing like that glow of success - well done for persevering :)

Lindsay

Thanks Budmag it sounds as if we're doing the same things and it just takes time and patience.