I need some real help with my superb yet wonderfully frustrating 8 month old springer dog.  Firstly his recall.... is fine when he has nothing better to do! However if he sees someone and I try to call him back it its a big sod off from him as he runs towards the distraction, last night an old guy with a walking stick, tonight a guy with his toddler on his shoulders!  He just wants a cuddle from them but I would not expect other people to see it like that, he runs at them full pelt and then circles them jumping up, not being aggresive but really really embarrising me and ignoring me at all times!  His recall also goes out of the window if he runs off into the undergrowth, fantastic in that he flushes every animal known to man out (hes from a working family so hey thats great!) but again he comes back when he wants!  But its the jumping up and ignoring me around joggers and walkers thats really getting to me.  Do I have  to go back to putting him on a lead, I really hate the thought of that as he LOVES running around.  Please help!

have you tried having some really tasty treats keep calling him to you make him sit and treat once his recall is back dont treat evertime then he should come because he doesnt know weather this time he will get his treat.
Try him on a long lead about 15 ft then he can still be free but is easy to catch before he gets to far from you ,you could also get him interested in a ball my girls are ball obsessed and are not interested in anything else which is a godsend
practise the recall at home keep calling him to you throughout the day and giving a treat even when he is lying quiet make him come and sit.
my friends have springers and working springers need to use thier brains why not join a obedience and agility class give him something to use that very inquisitive mind on.

Yep I have treats in the pocket and have just introduced a whistle, if he recalls to whistle first time, he gets a treat and loads of praise, a couple of whistles and he just gets praise, any more than that and he gets put on the lead and ignored.  I may well try a long lead and a toy, but so far he is not really interested in toys.  thanks any more advice??

When you are starting out the recall training you really need to give the treats every time he comes back, even if it takes a while before he does. This way he will come to realise that coming back to you will immediately give him a treat. With Springers I find that it can take a while to sink in. They have too much to think about (too many nice smells ;) ) Once he comes back every time you call him THEN you can start cutting out the treats. But he has to know that treats are forthcoming every time or he just won't come back every time.

To be honest, if he's got working lines, I would tend to do some "work" with him as he will probably prefer that to anything else and to running up to people. It will take time, it's no quick fix. but try some nosework, tracking - anything like that.

Get him keen on a toy which is only used for special occasions. Take time in finding out what he likes best of all, and keep that as YOUR TOY  which he gets if he's lucky and good.

Hide the toy and send him intothe wind to find it, he should love this sort of thing. Gradually make it more and more difficult. If he gets to love this, you cann then even use this game as a reward for him recalling well and so on... :)

LIndsay
X

maybe i didnt explain myself very well lindylou I did say once recall is back (meaning up coming back everytime)  then I would not treat everytime.

Hi Scramble, I had a dog who was very bad at recall.  I started working on getting a REALLY good sit out of him.  Practising anywhere and everywhere.  When I was out, if he wouldn't return when I called him I could always get him to sit.  It really did work and it meant even though he may not come straight back, he would sit and I could just go and get him.  Hope this helps.

I used to have a Springer (working stock) that turned very deaf when she wanted ;) It just took perserverence, but she came good in the end. They are juvenile delinquents when young, and will grow up at different ages. I now have Large Munsterlanders. They are just as bad when in training (and for ever after ) I wouldn't put your dog back on a lead as you won't be able to trust him when you let him off again. Just keep on with the training. I know your heart will be somewhere in your throat when you see someone coming towards you for a while, but it will come right in the end.

On the training front, can you get a friend to go with you who will be able to help? This could just be in the form of the two of you getting him to go between you both and getting treats when he comes to you? When he is good at that you could increase the distance. Getting him to sit is a good idea, as has just been said. That way you will feel in command, and he will look to you as his source of 'entertainment' instead of someone else. :D

Thanks for all the replies.  I have started using a whistle and when he comes back first go he gets a treat, second go and just praise, when he completely ignores me and eventually comes back he gets put on the lead for a little while and no attention.  Its the ignoring me and setting off and then jumping up at people that is really getting to me.  What with his (ever so) muddy paws, strangely they are even muddy when is is dry out!!! Jumping up at clean people walking past is just sooooo embarrasing.  Perhaps as he is running towards someone I just run off in the opposite direction....... My partner does want a chocolate lab .....!!!!

Hi Scramble,
The problem is caused by the method of use of the training aids you are using - the dog is being taught to come for the food/toys etc - consequently he is only coming for those, NOT YOU. The answer is obedience training, what you are doing comes under very earl teaching, teaching and obedience are two different things.

I use al the training aids you use for some things, but if I tried using them like that I would have the same problems as you, seen from the dogs perspective - -  "I want to run to the man, that's more rewarding than that toy/treat she offered  as my alternative" - - almost all recall and obedience problems I have seen on this board involves the methods you are using.

Anyway - rather than droll on - there was someone here last week with a young GSD I wrote on that post and she and someone else who came on have been referred to a couple of flexible trainers who fit the method to the individual dog and owner.

If you can muster up enough patience to read the post it is informative and does apply to your dog, rather than me repeat the same things again here. The post is at the following link, to add, if you carry on training the dog to come for toys and treats etc, you will always have unreliable obedience problems, the dog must be trained to do things for YOU and that's 'method'.

Just copy the link below  OR scroll to the post called "Excitable little girl help!"

http://www.champdogsforum.co.uk/cgi-bin/board/topic_show.pl?tid=67706#fnp

Running off in the opposite direction might work.  At the moment your springer has the confidence that whatever she does you will be waiting for her when she gets back from doing it.  So, don't wait and even if she doesn't see you go, with that nose she will easily twig where you have gone!!  If you sometimes call her and run away, she will come after you and learn to keep an eye on you in case you do one of your disappearing acts. 

You say that you sometimes call her repeatedly, this also reassures her that you are still there waiting.  What about one call, then off you go and it's her job to find you?

I have a working springer and two working cockers.  My youngest is now 10 months and has started training recently, up until now we have just done sit and stay + heel.  It has taken up until now to compound the basics and in a scenario that you describe I would return to basics again.

Take him right back to the beginning with sit + stay + heel.  Personally I don't use treats as I don't have food orientated dogs, but I do have dogs that would run to the next county for a pheasant or rabbit given half a chance!  Dogs are a bit like teenagers and given half a chance will make up their own rules, they need firm but gentle reminders that WE make the rules!  Reign him in, remind him of 'the rules' and then gently let him go again!

I hope this makes sense.