Help with recall

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Gemmasfa

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I'm after some advice please. I am having problems with recall with my 10 month old labrador cross. When out she has taken to launching herself and runnng off towards other dogs that are close by. Also when out even when other dogs arent around she doesnt have good recall she is too interested in everything else. She is also not very food orientated so this doesnt really help. Any suggestions?

She is a rescue dog and we got her at just over 6 months.

Thanks
 
You have to make yourself more exciting than the 'distraction'. Find her love - favourite toy - and only use it for recall on walks. That way her best time is when she comes back to you.

Easier said than done though...
 
As I&S and also keep her on a long line - so that she still has the freedom, but if she is ignoring you, she will have no option but to come back. She'll get a tug from the end of the line if you are holding or standing on it, and you may then even have to reel her in, but do so while making a fuss, acting positive.

You need to work on focus at home, in the garden, and then take it outside. She is still of a good age to learn this - if she wants something, she has to be looking at and listening to you - IE her dinner, treat, a toy, if she wants in, or out - she must be looking at you and the longer you hold her gaze, the bigger the reward.

You can also try hand-feeding her - put most of or a lot of her daily food allocation in your pocket, or a high value treat like cooked chicken and make that her food allocation for the day. Exercise or train on an empty stomach and if she wants food, she has to be with you and it comes out of your pocket, not a bowl - she has to 'work' for it, so to speak.

Or running away, hiding, making stupid noises etc, although that doesn't work with all dogs!

Keep all your recall commands very positive and upbeat - think - would YOU want to come back to you, over a distraction? Not if you are angry or frustrated or stressed. Never admonish her, even if it takes her an hour to come back, make a huge fuss (even though it is the last thing you feel like doing :p)
Whatever command you are using now, change it, start from scratch (IE if it is 'come' make it 'here!' or if it is her name, use 'pup-pup' or something - make it all fresh and new and not boring.

Plus you've only had her four months, it will take her a while to figure out you are her 'person'. Good luck :)
 
Running in the opposite direction works with my lot. Echo everyone else though.

Never had a real need to train all of mine as such, Millie's always clingy and Mouse and Jim picked it up off of her. I think it's to do with them wanting to stay as a pack. Jim has a tendancy to disappear for half an hour at a time though lol.

Sorry that wasn't much help was it lol
 
CC gives good advice, but I'd just add this:

Once she's recalling well in the garden/on the long line, take it outside, but play a little game where she has to recall from one person to the other. Gradually increase the distance so she gets the hang of it. This worked really well with our pup, and gave me the confidence to let her off the lead (she's our first dog). She recalls really well, away from most distractions. I'm just waiting for the teenage phase now :rolleyes:

I'm not an expert by any means, but this did work for us. Even now, she sees it as a great game and if we're out together but not near each other, she'll play it all on her own :D
 
We rehomed a springer bitch about 18 months ago, she had NO recall not sure how/what the previous owners taught her, my past dogs we had from puppies which I think is an issue.

We used hot dog sausages a retractable lead, say dogs name and COME, not shouted and if the dog doesn't come, give a little tug on the lead, when it does come give lots of fusses, walking backwards doing it works as well if you need to. You have to sound happy when you're calling, don't sound annoyed when calling otherwise they think, what have I done, I'm not going.

When I was out for walks, I'd let her out a bit on the lead and do it, gradually letting her out further.

I was very pleased she recalled away from 2 dogs the other side of the park the other day, although its VERY hard for her when your fav spange friends are there
 
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