Recall tips?

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Toast

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Right so, Ella is my first puppy, shes a 5 month old Rottweiler and a typical happy puppy. Everything in the world is THE BEST EVER :p

She is walked off lead most of the time, i wanted to start early with that because i think its important that they learn from an early age. Her recall is pretty good... most of the time. If we walk on our own its damn near perfect, she wont go too far and will come back when asked. If we walk with our friends Staffy boy its far more exciting so its a little trickier to get her to come back but not impossible. She always gets a little treat when she comes, so it isnt like she has nothing exciting to come back to me for.
Though, yesterday we were walking our usual route and after letting her off lead i realised there were some walkers out, without dogs. A couple of adults and a child. I shouted her a couple of times to stay close to me as i knew she was desperate to go and say hello, with her breed i realise they can make some people anxious and i wouldnt want to appear the obnoxious dog owner who lets their dog leap all over anyone. She kept running backwards and forwards creeping further and further to the people until eventually no amount of calling her and was going to get her to come back and she inevitably went and said the enthusiastic hello that she was bursting to do, cue child running about screaming making Ella think it was THE BEST EVER. Luckily the parents were really good about it and i apologised when i managed to get hold of the beast.
One to one, shes fab, but when theres something else in the picture she just completely ignores you. Same goes for when shes doing something she knows perfectly well she shouldnt be doing. She just turns a deaf ear.
How can i improve on this and stop her just completely ignoring me?
 
You have to be more exciting than anything else in the world ever ever ever ever...... its figuring out how to make yourself that that is the problem!
 
lexiedhb said:
You have to be more exciting than anything else in the world ever ever ever ever...... its figuring out how to make yourself that that is the problem!
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^^^this

And unfortunately for me... it means jumping up and down, squealing and making odd noises with my lurcher... did the trick though and her recall has improved no end in recent months!
 
I'm interested in replies to this too, as 95% of the time mine comes back absolutely no problems, but as a full grown (albeit very friendly!) rottie x GSD recall is important. Trouble is when mine is on the chase, calling just does not bring him back, he forgets his name and all he wants to do is run. My OH bought me a gundog whistle for xmas, and I have started using this, being very clear and ALWAYS with a food reward when he comes back, I'm thinking the whistle might be enough to drag him from the chase when the selective deafness creeps in?

I'm sure they'll be many more informed replies though :)
 
hohohedwards said:
^^^this

And unfortunately for me... it means jumping up and down, squealing and making odd noises with my lurcher... did the trick though and her recall has improved no end in recent months!
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^^This!

I had to do this with my boy when he was roughly the same age, as well as waving a tennis ball in the air going "Oooohh!! Whhaaatsss thissss???" In a squeaky deranged manner, he would come sprinting back like OMG THROW THE BALL!!! :cool: :p
 
I would, for the time being, stick her on a long line if you kniw youre going somewhere with high distractions. If she is off-lead she always has the choice to ignore you and do her own thing...... Which she has proven she will do! She will learn that the recall is negotiable. If she's attached to a line you can reel,her in if she ignores you, sort of proving your point! Although I would only reel in a little way and then recall as norm, and reward.

At the same time you do want her socialised, so maybe sometimes as people to say hello to her nicely, on the basis she remains in a sit or just on all fours!
 
I'm finding it really hard to be more exciting than the rustling bit of the hedge of the scent on a blade of grass! I try jumping up and down, running away, squeaking and squealing and even playing dead by lying on the floor! She isn't motivated by food really - when she does a good recall I will click and go to treat, but half the time she doesn't want to stick around for the tasty treat but would rather run on!

I think Toast and I might have to give lamb chop costumes a try! :p
 
stargirl88 said:
I would, for the time being, stick her on a long line if you kniw youre going somewhere with high distractions. If she is off-lead she always has the choice to ignore you and do her own thing...... Which she has proven she will do! She will learn that the recall is negotiable. If she's attached to a line you can reel,her in if she ignores you, sort of proving your point! Although I would only reel in a little way and then recall as norm, and reward.

At the same time you do want her socialised, so maybe sometimes as people to say hello to her nicely, on the basis she remains in a sit or just on all fours!
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Would you let go of the long line and let it trail on the ground - then pick it up to reel in if, after giving recall command, it is ignored?
 
Yep, and I just stamp on it in an emergency - but have a couple of knots tied into the line so it doesnt just slide away from under it (if that makes snese!)
 
Also, if she isnt motivated by food, you can take some of her daily food ration out with you instead of sticking it in a bowl. If she thinks kibble is boring I normally stick loose chicken/sausage bits in a treat bag with the kibble and mix them around a bit, so the kibble is a little less boring and smells more like the good stuff! I then save the chicken bits for something that has been done particularly well :)
 
lexiedhb said:
I think Spudlet used to carry a tripey sock around- yack- but think it worked!
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Shhh, I try not to admit that:D

An old walking sock, stuffed with a couple of tripe sticks (and stored in a sealed bag because DEAR GOD:eek:) is the best toy ever though. Get into the habit of calling her back when there are no distractions, having a game, then putting the toy away and letting her go again:)

A long line is your dear friend, as every time the dogs get away, the behaviour is reinforced and the problem becomes that bit harder to solve. I also used a super special recall food treat - Primula cheese, a tub of cheap pate, chicken, sausage, etc, changed every so often, so it was always worth coming back. I still break these out now every so often, just so he never quite knows what he'll get - but his recall is vastly better now so I don't always have to carry something.

Also, occasionally turn and run off in the other direction as this is a fun game, and it also teaches her to keep an eye on you. Hide and seek is also good for this. Just don't accidentally jump out on a total stranger, they tend not to like it;)

ETA one more thing - a whistle. Your voice will vary depending on how frustrated you're getting (because it IS frustrating when the little sods won't come back) but a whistle will always sound the same. Get one, start introducing it at home but holding the collar, blowing three pips, then rewarding. Then try it at feeding times, then around the house, then in the garden, then finally out and about on the long line. Buy several spares for when you inevitably lose them too.
 
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lexiedhb said:
I think Spudlet used to carry a tripey sock around- yack- but think it worked!
Click to expand...

One of these with a slice of roast beef in it has a similar effect. :D

Ditto advice to use a long line, every time she can choose to ignore you is reinforcing that recall is optional. Only walk/train a hungry dog. Carry smelly, delicious and fun things. Don't recall only to end the walk or clip on a lead, make it random. Repeat this ad nauseum for several years and it may eventually sink in. :o
 
Problem I have found with a long line is that it is just like a lead and once you let go of the dog off the line they revert to not coming back. My young lab is brilliant most of the time and will even come back if people and dogs are about unless they get a bit too close when she just cant resist going to say hello she then lies down upside down and rolls about submitting to anyone or anything. I find it really annoying to be honest but she is so good most of the time. A line didnt work as she soon realised when it was off. Best thing has been a whistle and liver cake
 
Have to say I didn't have that problem. Part of using the long line is that it should always be slack so that it isn't like a lead, and you should also have the intermediate stage of leaving it to trail loose on the ground before taking it off completely. If you have a solid recall with the line, you shouldn't have too many problems. Only my experience though :)
 
Lots of good advice so far, would reiterate that food rewards only work when the dog is hungry (the dog won't die if it misses a bit or even all of it's breakfast or dinner) and if you're using a toy, make it a high value one that only ever comes from you, not one that the dog has constant access to.
 
I did read and cant find the link of an emergency recall, this was a special word you used just for emergencies. For the training of this I used the word Pickle, when the dog recalls you give them a massive payout like cooked chicken breast and make a massive fuss of the dog. The thinking was on hearing this special word the dog knew it was going to get a massive reward and would return immediately. Both my dogs trained perfectly to this but it did mean carrying around cooked chicken,. I did get out the habit of practising this so no idea if they would remember the word. It was only to be used in an emergency ie heading for a road and it didnt matter that you didnt have the reward at the time but you would then carry on with the training instilling it into your dog.
 
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