hi, has anyone got any advice, I have a beautiful 7 month old german shepherd girl, I have had her since she was 7 weeks old. I am very used to the breed as my mum had them from when I was three years old, but this is the first time I have had one of my own. I waited 12 years to get her, as I had previously lived in a flat and was at work all day. Now we have a house and garden and I'm at home all day, I can be with her most of the time. She is a brilliant pup, I could not have wished for a more lovely dog, my only problem is I am scared to let her off the lead as I dont think she will come back to me, she is great at home with all the training, but I can see when we are out walking she is eager to get away and investigate and explore and the sound of my voice will just go out the window. I know it's stupid but I have these nightmare scenarios that she'll run off and end up running into a main road or something, any advice anyone, sadly my mum died, so I can no longer ask her as she was the expert where gsd's were concerned.

how about taking her out to a park to do some training and use a extending lead . you should teach her to come use treats /toys and praise and also teach the sit stay if she dosent know. and if shes not interested take her to another place quite but still outside. let us know how you get on.
Lady xxxxxxxx

Hi...

I have a Cairn now, after finally getting over the los of my long time friend a GSD. I strongly recommend checking for a training club local to you. If you have a lot of spare time maybe look for 2 - there shouldn't be conflict in the basics at least.

The advice given to use an extending lead is good, I would prefer a good training lead - a nioce long one. Teach the sit and down - then the stay. Keep your hand like a 'wall' towards your pup and retreat just a short distance. if the pup moves just replace it and try again. As soon as you get a good stay and a good 'come' treat and praise lavishly. I hold my hand up holding the treat with my thumb if you see what I mean ;). Like a policeman on point duty ;).

You can do this in your front room to start - just retreat a few feet and recall after just a few secs to start. Build the length of time in the stay as you progress.

I like the training lead because whn you let it out to full the dog gets to know it can roam and sniff about, shortened it's to heel.

Once you master inside then outisde do the same but THIS time have the lead attached - retreat just the same and then lay the lead down BUT keep your foot on it. Lot more distractions outside, smells/noises/sights etc so its tougher but with a combo of inside work - garden work - and training club you will get there. If you have someone that can go with you - put the dog in the stay and let the friend put their foot on the lead and then walk away and around the dog - extend the diameter of the circle you walk as you build up.

Keep the sessions short and have a play afterwards. Don't let your dog get bored, and make it a total fun session.

Long time since I did a lot of obedience... but the basics I described am going through right now with my Cairn pup. A GSD is very intelligent and the reward is fantastic when you have them well trained. I have found it is down to patience, building slowly. I do 2 or 3 5 min or so sessions a day with my 4 1/2 minth pup.

Hope this helps, only my experience and am sure oithers will have suggestions that I will be pleased to see for my own benefit.

This is a link to a directory of training clubs - hopefully 1 in your area:

http://www.apdt.co.uk/

Regards Dave

ps if I didn't do link right copy and paste the bit in between the link bits ;)

can you take her to some where that is fully enclosed and safe to practise recall? i take my sibes (which are exteremly unreliable and unsafe off lead) to my local tennis courts which are fully enclosed to let them run around off lead and practise their recall, knowing they are safe. your girl will still be able to see and smell all the outside distractions but wont come to any harm should she ignore you. i would also take her to a training class to help her focus on you while there are lots of other intresting things going on around her. i have used a horse lunge rein (much stronger than those flimsy extendable cord leads) to practise recall with my sibes in parks etc.
hth,
kelly

We took Gus to an enclosed area of a local park wen we first tried recall.
There was nowhere for him to esape to and then we let him off lead , have a litle sniff about etc and then we would call him to us . Usually my partner and I would take turns calling from one to the other and we would reward with a treat and a "Good Boy" .
Even so it still scarey when you let them off in a larger space forthe first time .
Good luck :)
Lel

Hi everyone,

just to thank you all for your replies and advice, I moved to the isle of wight a year ago and everywhere seems so open here, what with the beach and country side, I shall have a look round for some tennis courts and I have found a local training class through the link suggested. Macy's actual training at home is excellent and I can get her to sit, stay, lie down and beckon her all through hand signals, so we have definately got the basics, I just know this wont work outside off the lead though. I'm going to try all your advice and I know it's probably me being over protective, but I will give it a go next week, My friend and I will pick a day when it's awful weather and hopefully there wont be too many other distractions around as this island seems to be full of dogs and children which she loves. Any way I'll be brave and give it all a go ( gradually ). many thanks.

Maggie.

Maggie,
If you want a longer lead than a 'training' lead, you could always try a tracking line (also know as long lines). These are like regular leads but a lot longer, My working lab pup uses a 25 foot one! They can be very usefull as they come in anything up to 50 foot!. If you can't get hold of one, try a few websites for Working Trials merchandise. I always make sure that I have extra special treats (usually liver cake) for recalling my dogs when I'm out - treats that they don't get any other time and that seems to do the trick.
Anyway Enjoy your pup
Ali

Hello,

I'd say go for a tracking lead too I have one that's 30' long but you can get a 50' one. I find it worked wonders for my own confidence, the pup was great it was me also concerned she'd leg it under a bus or something like you.

But she didn't I also contacted my local football team (semi pro) and arranged to use their enclosed footie field to practise recall she was great and improved my confidence in my ability to keep her interested in me.

Give it a go and try the tracking lead. Good luck.

Karen

Hmmm... like the tracking lead idea a lot! Never even considered it. Have a Cairn and know they are always likely to obey their instincts to chase. Wouldn't be totally safe allowing off lead however well trained outside an enclosed area, this could be just the thing - great suggestion thank you.

Regards Dave

A great cheap alternative to a tracking lead is a lunge line, check out e-bay in the equestrian section and you could get one for a couple of quid + postage.

That is a terrific suggestion - just checked it out and they are absolutely ideal and so cheap!!!

Thank you, once again CD come good thanks to posters like you Crazy.

regards Dave

When you first let her run free, if she goes mad and really runs around then don't call her back immediately - she probably won't even hear you let alone come so there is no point. Let her run off her head of steam and the moment she starts to slow down THEN call her, reward her with a big fuss, food or tuggy game, whichever she likes best and then let her run free again.

Christine

Thanks ever so much everyone, I've never heard of a tracking lead, but i'll check it out tomorrow, and have a look on ebay, promised myself i'm going to give poor macey some freedom this week, she's absoluely dying to run and i'd love nothing more than to see her get the excercise she needs, just walking her round everywhere is doing me more good than her i think. Thanks for all the tips. Will let you all know how it's going.
maggie.

I have a bid in... check the day after tomorrow ;PP

Just kidding ;) I do have a bid in but there are several.

regards Dave

Also buy yourself a whistle. I have 2 labradors and the both return immediately to a whistle. It is much more effective than shouting their names. I have trained them by letting them off the lead and running away from them while whistling at the same time. They see this as a chasing game but at the same time I am getting them used to the sound of the whistle and that they are to come to me when I whistle. Always have a pocket full of rewards for them. It took me 4 days training and now they will immediately return upon my whistling.

This may also help

many thanks to all who gave advice, i finally let macey off the lead 3 days ago, we went to fields close by, very early, she was really good and didn't go to far away from me, she just kept looking to make sure I wasn't to far from her. Today we went to the same fields with my neighbour and her 2 jack russells, even when macey was having an absolute ball with them she still kept checking that I was nearby and when she decided I was to far away she would run back to me, I couldn't have hoped for a better outcome although I will expect her to not always be so concerned about where I am as she gets more confident. I have also invested in a 30 ft lunge lead from ebay, only 2 pounds! bargain. This I will use for the beach as there are far more distractions there and of course the sea. thanks again everyone.