Recall - Teenagers - and the need for Valium !

Discodog

Ok so we have chapter two of my little 18 month old fella's recall problems. Since the previous thread he has been an angel - instant fast recall. Now I have the classic relapse thanks to the abundance of little birds that hop from rock to rock.

The tail suddenly goes like a windscreen wiper & he's off. No command, request or pleading will stop him. He always comes back but you could be waiting for a while.

So how would you deal with this ? He used to rush back, sit & get a treat. Now when he finally comes back, of his own accord, how would you deal with it ? A treat would reward him for finally returning but it also might be seen as rewarding the bird chasing. No treat & he could think that he made all that effort to finally leave birds, for nothing.

Whispered

Oh it's a tricky one! Have you tried running in the opposite direction waving your arms in the air and shouting excitedly like a fool?

(seriously though have you?)

doctor evil

I'd stick him back on the lead for now. In colder weather birds waste a lot of important energy being chased by dogs.

Discodog

Well right now there are lots of young birds - this years hatch. They just hop from rock to rock - if they flew off then he would soon lose interest. But he is not disturbing nesting as all this is going on below the high tide line.

Whispered wrote: »

Oh it's a tricky one! Have you tried running in the opposite direction waving your arms in the air and shouting excitedly like a fool?

(seriously though have you?)

I have no problem in looking like an idiot - in fact I can be pretty good at it.

The next plan is to try & keep him so occupied with his ball that he doesn't notice the birds.

But it still raises the issue as to how one should react when he finally comes back - after ignoring me for ages ?

Whispered

Discodog wrote: »

I have no problem in looking like an idiot - in fact I can be pretty good at it.

The next plan is to try & keep him so occupied with his ball that he doesn't notice the birds.

But it still raises the issue as to how one should react when he finally comes back - after ignoring me for ages ?

Well all I can suggest is you make yourself much more interesting than the birds, so running away and whooping might work. It's all we could do with Harley for a while.

What if you were to only reward every second time or so, or the first time a lovely bit of chicken, then for a few recalls just some kibble, a few with nothing but a rub, then some more chicken. When he realises that there are different treats he might be more interested. I don't know if it would work if you were to give chicken for a good recall and for a not so good one a bit of kibble? Would he make the connection do you think?

Discodog

I think that it would be very hard to distract him. Because the birds just hop to the next rock they are still tantalisingly close. I suspect that he is just in too much of a state of excitement to worry about treats & I also have the other two looking for theirs.

I thought that he had grown out of this stage as he stopped chasing them a while ago. He's not harming the birds & he isn't like to come to any harm but it is just rather frustrating :mad:

The really funny part is that he used to rush to run away so that he would be called back for a treat - he worked out that if he didn't run away he couldn't come back

Whispered

Discodog wrote: »

I think that it would be very hard to distract him. ....... I suspect that he is just in too much of a state of excitement to worry about treats

I know how you feel, 2 years on and Harley has only started to learn to control himself.

Maybe you should play impulse control games at home. It's what we do, lots of stay, leave it, drop, look, touch etc. I know it's not directly related but it will teach him to reign it in a bit when asked.

I think look might be particularly good actually. If you can get him to make eye contact he can't pretend to not hear you

Is there anywhere you can physically tire him a bit before bringing him near the birds?