Help needed - Dog not coming to call

[tamsinkb]

Hi Guys - I could really do with some advice here - I have a 7 month old cocker. Up until recently he's been really good about coming to call and not going too far away, however he has now discovered rabbits! When he picks up a scent his nose goes down, bum goes up and he disappears at the speed of light - he obviously turns deaf as well as he refuses to even acknowledge you are calling him! What do you suggest? - I walk him in the mornings, I constantly keep doing things to keep his attention ( games of 'fetch', sit / down / stay practice etc) and reward good behaviour with treats, however he still disappears and won't come back for 10 mins or so - normally not out of sight completely, just not coming back. OH walks him in the evenings and refuses to use treats to reward good behaviour, and today apparently dog disappeared for 20 mins, OH finally caught him, beat him ( I am FURIOUS!) and then locked him in 'isolation' in the shed for 45 mins! ( OH couldn't see why I was upset .... I told him 'why should the dog want to come back to you if thats how you treat him!?!)

Any sugggestions welcome (for dog, not OH!)

 

[mattilda]

Beat OH then lock in a room with no tv or beer for 20 mins! In all seriousness if he beats the dog when it comes to him (even in his own time) he will never come back at all. As for naughty doggy put him on a long line so you can get his attention when he decides to ignore you. That way you keep control until he learns to behave again.

 

[GinaGem]

Hide from him

 

[FinnishLapphund]

Well if I'm not allowed to give my advices about what to do with OH, I can only second what Mattilda said, harness and a long line for the dog.

Ps _Gina_, my first thought was that you meant she should hide the dog from OH?!

from Sweden.

 

[GinaGem]

Lol no i meant hide from the dog when it pisses off!!!

 

[CAYLA]

This could potentially be a hard instinct to break, if you don't try and curb it now, it's one of the hardest traits to get out of a dog, my friends cocker is murder for pheasant hunting in the summer, however she just leaves him to it

I would as suggested longline him, and work on his recall, introduce a clicker and treats, he would never usually get, like chicken breast, something he can assosiate with as, a delicasy for good behaviour, only use the treat for this exercise and banish all other treats, unless it's a reward based treat.
Stear clear of the fields for the moment, and keep him on the lead, as much as u will be tempted to let him off after week, don't do it, he is very young and cannot and is not mature enough to learn in an instant.
Long lead walks and one on one training and exercise, call him on the long line, when he arrives, use your clicker and treat at the exact same instant, u could also introduce a whistle, just call his name, whistle, then click and treat when he arrives.
The most important thing is u do not or your husband get to impatient and let him off the lead, Im working with a puppy doberman at the moment, with the same problems, I have now been long lining her for 12 weeks, and still have not let her off, she is responding very well, and Im in no hurry to undo the work I have done, she is approaching 9 months, she will be lucky id she gets her, off lead freedom by the time she is 1

The first few time you do let him off again, do it in a secure area, that he cannot escape from, paddock, garden e,t,c. rather than the first open field u see.
U will of course have to lengthen his lead walks to make up for off lead exercise.

 

[tamsinkb]

Hi Guys
Thanks for the responses so far - I have actually started using a 5m retractable lead to walk him as of yesterday morning (as we have one in the cupboard) - I guess by a long lead you are meaning something longer than that ?? if so where do I get one ?

I suspect it will be more difficult to train the OH than the puppy who is actually a sweetheart, just gets so distracted by all the wonderful smells around the South Downs!!

Thanks again
Tamsin

 

[CAYLA]

Go to saddlers and get a lunge line, or try pet shop

, they are much better for training sessions for recall than retractable leads......I have a feeling your OH will be harder to train

, but you must explain, it's very important u are both consistant and mimic your training sessions, when one or the other has him.
Good Luck

If he is a puller, I would stick to normal lead for walks, to work on his heel work e,t,c and lunge line for training, as the retractable leads encourage pulling, but if he does not pull your arms out then use it, if u find it better, I personally hate them, but can see if u have a breed u cannot let off, they are usefull, I do have one for my Akita to go swimming, as she is not allowed off lead, but as soon as we resume land, she goes back on normal lead.

 

[tamsinkb]

Thanks CALA - I hate the retractable lead as well, but was the best thing that came to hand!!!! He does pull a bit but not too badly - will use a lunge line from now on!

 

[Lucy_Nottingham]

My friend has a spray collar, you know like an electric collar, but instead of a shock it sprays water at teh dogs face, or whatever solution is in it.
She has an italian spinoni, and has the same problem except her dog is 5!
I don't know if a 7 month old puppy would be too young to use one on?!

 

[Ravenwood]

Is he working bred?

Is he whistle trained? That might be a good place to start. If you can get the stop and recall whistle instilled he will keep one ear out for you as he will (hopefully) want to rely on you for direction to the next rabbit!

 

[Patches]

I'm ashamed to say I gave up letting my Cocker off the lead in the fields he can get out of. He's ok in the horse fields (when the horses aren't in there...not sure how they'd react to him) as he cannot get out of their fencing.

He used to be brilliant. Never had any issues of him coming to call. He used to go "beating" with my ex-husband (which is not at all the type of beating your OH does with your dog

) and was great at it.

We divorced and later on I met and married a farmer. Well.....he's in doggy heaven on the farm. Badgers, foxes, ducks, geese, rabbits, hares....you name it...he can smell it. He gets a scent and he's off in hot pursuit!

He will come back, eventually, but I worry that he'll follow a scent down to the motorway, so I no longer let him off over land where he can move from one field to the next......over the horizon and far away.

I know it's failing, but he's 13 now and is more selectively deaf than he's ever been! He goes out on a long line of 26ft and "works" in his natural sweeping fashion in front of me enjoying the smells on the farm. I don't think he misses out too much and he's a little too old to let it bother me now.

However, when it's dark, it's a different matter. He never runs off in the dark....strange dog.