Help needed with my crazy dogs..

[Starbucks]

Since we’ve moved house my dogs have simply been a bit of a nightmare!! I think it’s a combination of new exciting places to go walks and the fact it’s in a very rural area and there are lots of bunny rabbits everywhere! Basically they keep running off chasing things. Sometimes both, sometimes just Star, sometimes just Alf but on most walks at least one disappears for 5-10 minutes before they decide to come back.

Anyway, normally just a bit of a nuisance but today they have given me a fright! I let them off the lead in the field and they doubled back into a hedge backing onto some ones garden, Alfie started doing his usual yapping (I assume they must have been chasing a cat but didn’t get a visual on the target) and they ran straight back across the road! I’d caught up by this time so shouted them and they set off tootling back across the road, by which time a car was coming and they really were not paying attention, I put my hand up and luckily the lady stopped or I think they’d have both been squished!

What is the best way of training them out of this? I suppose they have always been a bit unruly but it has not been so much of an issue in places we’ve walked before. When not chasing things their recall is good and they get plenty of exercise, are quite chilled and well behaved around the house.

Help!

 

[Cinnamontoast]

I'd stick them on longlines and start from scratch with recall. Have you an enclosed space you could take them to? Treats and retrain. Mine get like this if overexcited and it scares the crap outta me!

 

[quirky]

You have a GSP don't you?

One of our GSP's recall goes to pot when they have prey in their sight .... they are 10, so don't hold out much hope of curing her totally.

What we do is not let them go too far ahead and keep calling them back, sometimes they get a treat when they come back, other times they don't.

At certain times of year, namely when there are ducklings about, they go on a long line as they absolutely can't be trusted then .

 

[Starbucks]

Yes I do have a GSP, and a little sod of a terrier, they are like a little double act of craziness! I was just thinking to myself this morning that in not so long hopefully they’ll get a bit older and calm down a bit.. maybe not from what you’ve said!

I think we need to get some little treats and really just keep calling the back all the time and not let them get ahead, it’s hard though because they are so fast so you have to be calling them constantly! Other people on walks just have their dogs pootling steadily by their side, why can’t mine do that?

I’m glad I am not alone! Thanks folks.

 

[Spudlet]

Nah, pootling is boring

You just need to up their incentive to come back to you, and maybe use a longline for safety's sake until they are back in the recalling zone

 

[Starbucks]

They’ve both got a slapped ass this morning! But understandably that is not the way to go. Star is a foodie so I think food will work well on her and will just have to hope for the best with Alf.

Thanks people!

 

[gunnergundog]

Am assuming the GSP is a pet and not a working dog??? If that's not the case, ignore everything below...........

You've had burn out on your recall, so yes you need to re-establish that.

Also, I would teach a stop whistle to stop the little darlings in their tracks (Acme Thunderers are good at cutting through the red mist) and then teach them that their reward is a diverted chase onto a ball on a rope that you fling as far as possible in the opposite direction to that in which the prey ran and then very high value food rewards when they return with the balls. Chasing increases the adrenalin and feel-good factor in the dog, so you need to give him the chase but on something that is safe, rather than just asking for a direct recall to you.

You need to start this training before they get the success of a kill. Also, if walking in gamey areas until your stop whistle is 100% plus use a long line.

You will need to proof the stop whistle at many different levels before it will work amongst running bunnies - ie when someone else rolls a ball on the ground in front of the dogs. (Can tell you how to train the stop whistle if required - PM me.)

Although you may not want to work your dogs a session with a good (positive rewards) gundog trainer may be worthwhile in order to get access to things like a bolting rabbit (bit of skin on an elastic wire that runs on the ground) and also a rabbit pen.

It is VERY scary when cars are involved - I had the need for a failsafe stop drummed into me years ago when a GSP pup ran 100 yards down a track into the road to pick up a rabbit that had just been squished. He survived purely because there was a jogger passing that held up the traffic until I could retrieve him. Not one of our finer moments!

 

[galaxy]

they get plenty of exercise, are quite chilled and well behaved around the house.

Help!

Last week you said in your post about length of exercise that they only get 40 mins/ 2 miles a day. Maybe it may be contributing to the running off?

My GSP will do anything for food (esp if it's better than biscuits) or he is obsessed with his tennis ball. Could you keep them more focused on you with that?

 

[Spudlet]

Just to add - I agree with Gunner about using a whistle. Henry got bitten because I stupidly, stupidly tried to get him back with my voice - he is so much better with a whistle! Today he gave me heart failure by shooting off down a track that ends on a lane - he came back to the whistle thankfully. When we got to the end of the track, it turned out that the house at the end of the track had a car parked outside it with the tailgate up and a collie mate of Henry's asleep in her crate. The wind was blowing right from her to Henry, he must have been getting a noseful of it!

If you do want to introduce a whistle, you can use it in conjunction with an extra tasty reward, which you use only for whistle recall

 

[Starbucks]

Last week you said in your post about length of exercise that they only get 40 mins/ 2 miles a day. Maybe it may be contributing to the running off?

My GSP will do anything for food (esp if it's better than biscuits) or he is obsessed with his tennis ball. Could you keep them more focused on you with that?

Maybe, there exercise will increase in summer anyway so perhaps that will help.

TBH though even when they’ve had mega amounts of exercise they are still just as mental!

She does like food and tennis balls! I think it would be a good plan to get the chucker and 2 balls (Alf likes to just run around randomly with his) out and try the whistle and some treats.

I think if we concentrate on them with a ball, treats, whistle etc. they’d probably behave.. obviously not the kind of dogs where you can wander along chatting!

 

[Spudlet]

Taken from the breed stereotypes thread a while back...

The HPR owner.

Dressed appropriately at all times in tweed and country boots, whistle round neck and clutching a worn out slip lead in one hand. The slip lead never actually goes near the dog but it is in hand 'just in case' whatever the occasion, its part of the overall look and helps prove that the dog IS a gundog despite not being a lab or springer. Often an odd shaped lump under tweed jacket, this is not a horrific growth, generally a training dummy resides there.

Hair styles vary but bits of twigs and leaf are compulsory accessories. All HPR owners are slightly flushed and rosy looking from so much time spent outside.

Feel free to ask these owners what breed their dog is, they will chirpily respond, the answer is on the tip of their tongues, as is repeating three or four times and breaking the pronunciation down for you. They are aware the next response always required from them is country of origin, what the dog is used for and 'no its not one of those, but that is an HPR breed too'. They will swear under their breath after the conversation as they walk away, dont be alarmed.

As a side note, if during the conversation they seem a little preoccupied and there is a break in sentences while they blow the whistle, again dont be alarmed, this is normal, a momentary lapse in concentration for the HPR owner could end in disaster or your hat being retrieved to their hand. As such they must always be alert and have eyes in the back of their head.

Courtesy of Viszlak

 

[Starbucks]

Taken from the breed stereotypes thread a while back...


Courtesy of Viszlak

HPR – I had to google that! Don’t confuse me!!

Hmm well I’m not fitting the stereotype at the mo – this is obviously where I’m going wrong! I can accept that I have a crazy GSP (because that’s what they are like), but I think I’m quite unlucky to have a “crazy as a pointer” border terrier! Maybe she’s a bad influence!

 

[letrec_fan]

Am assuming the GSP is a pet and not a working dog??? If that's not the case, ignore everything below...........

You've had burn out on your recall, so yes you need to re-establish that.

Also, I would teach a stop whistle to stop the little darlings in their tracks (Acme Thunderers are good at cutting through the red mist) and then teach them that their reward is a diverted chase onto a ball on a rope that you fling as far as possible in the opposite direction to that in which the prey ran and then very high value food rewards when they return with the balls. Chasing increases the adrenalin and feel-good factor in the dog, so you need to give him the chase but on something that is safe, rather than just asking for a direct recall to you.

You need to start this training before they get the success of a kill. Also, if walking in gamey areas until your stop whistle is 100% plus use a long line.

You will need to proof the stop whistle at many different levels before it will work amongst running bunnies - ie when someone else rolls a ball on the ground in front of the dogs. (Can tell you how to train the stop whistle if required - PM me.)

Although you may not want to work your dogs a session with a good (positive rewards) gundog trainer may be worthwhile in order to get access to things like a bolting rabbit (bit of skin on an elastic wire that runs on the ground) and also a rabbit pen.

It is VERY scary when cars are involved - I had the need for a failsafe stop drummed into me years ago when a GSP pup ran 100 yards down a track into the road to pick up a rabbit that had just been squished. He survived purely because there was a jogger passing that held up the traffic until I could retrieve him. Not one of our finer moments!

Sorry to hijack thread but since the topic of whistles came up...

I had a look at the ACME Whistles website and I wondered which one you suggest as good for getting the dogs attention, gunnergundog? I have never heard of the company before but I am working on a more reliable recall for my dog at the moment using a whistle and at the moment use a 'Whizzclick' whistle because I use the clicker as well - she responds to it but since she runs so far away, something a bit stronger sounding and for as you put it, cutting through the red mist, when she spots something nice to chase would be better as not the best whistle.

Also, I did attempt to train different behaviours with the whistle depending on how long I blew the whistle for but at the moment just working on recall. Are the double whistles any good for teaching, say the stop and the recall? Would you mind if I pm'd you about training the stop whistle also?

Sorry for the long post and questions.

 

[gunnergundog]

letrec_fan....have PMd you just so's to keep this thread on topic.

 

[tiggs]

I have rehomed a golden retriever who is 2 and have exactly the same problem particularly with deer. She is so fast that I don't think I would have time to step on a trailing line and worry about it getting tangled in the undergrowth. She has good recall from other dogs and people but just wants to chase furry things. Would you mind pming me on using a stop whistle please Gunnergundog,or anyone else who has any tips. Thanks

 

[CorvusCorax]

SB, as well as all the good advice, for DEFINITE I'd keep em on a lead (jogging is FUN! ) or long line until you get it sorted, we had two dogs squished on a road (accidental escape) luckily they both survived, but it is not fun

 

[gunnergundog]

Tiggs....PM sent.

 

[Starbucks]

could you PM me too gunner?

 

[prosefullstop]

SB, as well as all the good advice, for DEFINITE I'd keep em on a lead (jogging is FUN! ) or long line until you get it sorted, we had two dogs squished on a road (accidental escape) luckily they both survived, but it is not fun

I think this sounds like a plan. My husband and I helped chase down a Lab X last month that got fixated on a squirrel and then proceeded to bolt across at least four New York avenues, before eventually getting hit by a car. I know the difference in traffic volume is probably vast, but it's still a big risk.

I do feel your pain. The Boston terrier is absolutely fixated on chipmunks, though thankfully they only rear their squeaky little heads on remote country roads, and not in Central Park, which is criss-crossed with roads.

 

[Starbucks]

I think this sounds like a plan. My husband and I helped chase down a Lab X last month that got fixated on a squirrel and then proceeded to bolt across at least four New York avenues, before eventually getting hit by a car. I know the difference in traffic volume is probably vast, but it's still a big risk.

I do feel your pain. The Boston terrier is absolutely fixated on chipmunks, though thankfully they only rear their squeaky little heads on remote country roads, and not in Central Park, which is criss-crossed with roads.

I think if we take the ball out they will be ok, otherwise stay on lead until we are far from road. It was my fault to foolishly let them off strait away. Bloody small furry animals!!