I have just recently taken on a blue roan cocker spaniel bitch, who is just over a year old, who will not come back when called, she runs off to greet every dog, person, chases the crows, and with me shouting in a high pitched voice, waving my arms like a mad woman to get her attention, she looks at me as if i am mad and then thinks it is really amusing to keep running past me just putting enough distance between the pair of us so i can not catch her. Today up the park she decided to go and say hello to a gsd, because she lives with my two i suppose she thought it would be ok, but she found out it wasnt, as the dog chased her, trying to get hold of her, with the woman shouting at me to call my dog, which i did but she still did not come back, because she has no interest in me what so ever, I have tryed everything i did with my shepherds but she really is a little bugger when it comes to this. I take her to obedience classes and she does a lovely recall, but up the park it is a completely different story, having never owned a cocker before are they always this stubborn, hate being told off, crave for attention, jealous breed of dog, or has she been made into this by the previous owners, she is very bright, probably to bright for her own good, and do you think i can keep her out of all the muddy puddles that she loves rolling in!! any advise would be greatfully recieved, otherwise it will be back on the lead for her.

I'm not sure if it's a colour thing or a spaniel thing but my parents Blue Roan was a right little monster at coming back. Like yours she was the best in the training classes but put her in a field, park or garden and she was awful.

My parents never let her off the lead and she was excercised on a flexi lead as dad never felt he could trust her.

Sorry I couldn't be more help,

Fiona

We have to keep Max our GSD on the lead at all times, because he just doesn't listen and has in the past chased cyclists, joggers, and other dogs. We just don't trust him as he's the most stubborn, contrary and apparently deaf dog we've ever known. We has a cross Shephered before who had a beautiful recall and would actually listen to what you said. But Max has decided this isn't for him. We've tried food, jumping up and down, toys and all sorts. If he's chasing a toy he's a really abediant dog, going down before the toy is thrown. We have been to trainers and behaviourists all over the country without success. In fact the only trainer to have some success with him advised us to always keep a long line on him if we ever let him off the lead. So we just keep him on a flexi lead as you never know what trouble he will get into. He just has to frighten someone and he could be in real trouble so we think it's simply not worth the risk!

I don't think it's a colour thing - I have mainly blue roan Cockers and all are reliable off the lead. It's a case of early training & upbringing - yes, Cockers can be stubborn & yes being gundogs, they can easily be distracted by interesting scents but they are certainly not difficult to train as long as this starts young & is consistent (but it's never too late to learn!) Being perfect at training classes but not outside "in the real world" isn't something confined to Cockers - I've heard this countless times concerning a variety of breeds & think it comes down to owners not being taught recall techniques that they can actually use outside classes - just my opinion :-) The subject has certainly come up on this board before (not relating just to Spaniels) so I'm sure a search will bring up some good advice. If I am having trouble getting the attention of one of my youngsters when out, then I will turn & walk in the opposite direction & if necessary hide - it tends to have the desired affect :-) Never chase after your Cocker - she will find this great fun & you will never win!

You will certainly find a Cocker v different to GSDs, Metpol :-) How's the coat looking now as I seem to remember you were thinking about showing your bitch?

Jane

I too have found that a dog in obedience class may not be so good outside, so i like the classes that practise a loose recall at the club, actually letting the dogs play (if that is suitable with all the different dogs) off lead, then a recall, then a reward, let 'em off again and so on. It doesn't always work, but does give a good bit of help because the situation is more like "real life" in the park or wherever. It's relatively easy, IMHO, to get a good formal recall, but this is to me, very differnet from what may be required on a walk, although of course others may disagree :)

When i first got my dog, I hid from her, and made myself totally unpredictable, took her on different walks and so on. i have since done this with a lady whose dog was dreadful at coming back, she once waited over 2 hours to get her dog back as it was chasing rabbits, and kept comng back to check sh ewas there, and then racing off again !!! It has been really successful, as the dog now constantly wonders where she is. To top it off, we got her coming right back, for a handful of chicken... I know not all like the food approach, but it worked wonders.

I also would never tell a dog off if it came back, no matter what, and concentrate on making myself more fun than everything else, how about playing a game, chucking a ball, etc?

This sort of approach works well for us, I think it was Kerioak who once posted a more formal recall type training method which can be started off round the house....

Oh, one other thing i do is to call the dog to me several times during the walk, reward and then let go again. Too many owners make the mistake of only calling when they want to put the dog back on the lead :)

Don't despair though Metpolfan, as in time I am sure your Cocker will shine through!

HTH a bit
LIndsay

Hi Metpol

I have three Cockers all dogs one Orange Roan and two Blue Roan. Sebastian the Orange Roan used to do exactly the same as yours about coming back when off the lead, and as JaneS has said if you chase them to try and catch them it only makes matters worse as they think you want to play :)

Sebastian used to go and say hello to everybody that he saw people with dogs, people without dogs etc, he even chased after some horses much to my horror :(

I managed to sort this out quickly though by when calling him back having a treat for him and to make a big fuss of him. If a treat didn't get his attention to start with I used a squeeky toy. I would let him go a little in front of me and then quickly call him back, you must call them back in a happy excited voice though as they are as previously mentioned Stubborn and easily distracted by interesting smells. If your voice tone is annoyed with them they will carry on in the opposite direction to you.

Also as JaneS has said if you hide from them they will soon come running back. I used to play this trick with Sebastian as well, and now he always looks to see where I am and if I go in the other direction he is quickly there.

I hope this helps.

Derryn

Diane, I think you probably live quite close to us, so if you would like to come out training with us some time,drop me an email and we can meet up somewhere :-) we have also owned a cocker.

Thanks leigh, where do you live? it would be helpfull to go out with someone that doesnt mind a mad cocker, flying all over the place.

She doesn't come back to you because she doesn't like you! No, not really, only joking. I attended a training session last weekend held by Walter Harrison, a well respected spaniel trainer, and he first got us to walk around in a big circle with the dogs at heel. Most were young dogs and were all over the place, then he told us just to drop the lead, but carry on walking in a circle. Laugh, all the dogs legged it in every direction at a hell of a speed. Then, after a couple of minutes, they all started to realise that they had lost sight of their masters. Walter told us to only call once, not stand there shouting. Slowly but surely, all the dogs started to get nervous and were desperate for their owners, despite all the other people and dogs around, they only wanted their owners. It ended with my 6 month old bitch stood in the centre of the circle, tail between legs, looking decidedly sheepish, desperately eyeing everyone up as they walked past. Finally she saw me, and you could see the relief in her face as she ran over as fast as her little legs could carry her. For the rest of the day she wouldn't take her eye off me, even though the were another 19 people and dogs nearby.
If you live near sussex, there is the Mid-Sussex Working Spaniel Club that hold regular training sessions. If she's bright, as you say, she is the right age to start some real training that'll make you more interesting than other stuff around her.

I'm in Welling Diane. If you are interested I can show you how to whistle train her? Save you shouting, she can ignore the whistle instead :D We could also do some dummy work if she shows an interest. Email me and I'll send you my phone number.

Can I come as well Leigh :d

Thanks Leigh, i have sent you an email with my phone number, she got out of the front door today, and do you think she would come back, she was following a man up the road, far more interesting than coming back to me!!!!!, it wont be interesting when something bad happens to her, like getting run over.

I had exactly the same problem with my older Goldie, Ellie, when she was younger. I know this sounds a bit barmy but it worked for us:). I was told by a trainer to tie a long length of washing line to her collar, then when we went out, to take her lead off as normal and let out the washing line. I let her run about a bit, but then called her and reeled her in!
Apparently, it was just to remind her that I was still in charge even when she wasn't on the lead. I only had to do this for 2 or 3 walks and she was fine after that. Mind you I did end up with miles of washing line wrapped round me and anyone who happened to cross our path :D

Paula

Not as barmy as you think, I did it with my GSD and I've just gone and got a horses lunge rein to do it with the new shiba, the lunge rein doesn't attract so many strange looks as a washing line, hope it wasn't one of those rotary ones! :D

Think yourseld lucky - if Max gets out he chases the cars and the postman - I found our postman doing the "Postman Freeze" in someones garden a few months ago.

No, but perhaps it wouldn't be such a bad idea, at least I'd know where she was going and could grab her if the recall didn't work :D :D

Paula