Recall Question?

[callee]

Thanks for that. Always nice to hear from someone who has the experience. After reading another thread on e-collars I'm going to find a local trainer before I invest. It seems a bit intense and obviously a bit contriversial on its use. And I don't have the experience to decide what is best for my dogs.

[laeral]

Good idea. Like any training tool, learning correct use is the key to success. Good luck

[callee]

Doe anyone else have any other Recall training techniques??

I have had a few suggests from Belgian breeders outside DOL - put on a long line, sit stay, walk away to end of lead, call, reward if completed.

I don't want my dogs relying on the idea they get a treat, I want them to obey because its what I have asked.

I'd like to be able to take my Belgian to a beach without fear of him running off and never coming to me and something happening. At the moment I have to put him on a 6m lunge line. which is fine, but I would honestly love to give him and my girl some freedom.

[Just Midol]

I train that way sort of. Here is how I did it (with the aid of K9Force).

with a long line, let the dog wander away (or move away from dog). Press stim button on e-collar, recall command, guide, release stim¹, reward the dog on completion with praise/food/whatever.

1: I release the stim as soon as the dog starts turning to start with and the longer we're at it the longer the stim is on. I tend to turn it off as he is in the process of recalling now. It's fairly hard to "explain" this and much easier to show it.

The great thing about the e-collar is it gives YOU a sense of control. Without it even if I managed to get a fairly decent recall into Gizmo I'd always be worried he is going to go off after a new distraction or something. The e-collar relaxes me as I know that no matter what, I have control.

[~*Shell*~]

Hey Midol,

Just a quick question - you use the e-collar with the idea that it's not a punishment right? You're giving the dog the power to turn it off by complying with the command rather than using the stim when the dog does not do what you want? Do you find the the dog recalls without a stim too or is that something you have to have to go very slowly with? I haven't seen one used before so i'm interested to see how they're used as a training tool.

How do you actually teach a command? Do you use reward based training and then make the dog reliable with the e-collar?

Too many questions!

[Just Midol]

Yeah I use the same method as Erny and Steve except with Gizmo I now use it as punishment.

Ya teach a command using the process I outlined very briefly and not very well above. You issue a command just after you put the stim on and then you guide the dog into the position and release the stim as soon as they are in position. I use the e-collar right from the start. You can combine it with positive reinforcement and your progress will be much much faster if you do. I always use food rewards with gizmo when teaching things.

Gizmo now recalls without the e-collar 99% of the time - in the past 2-3 months the only times I've pushed the button is when he saw the army of bush turkeys and a couple of Ibis. For some reason Ibis really get to him, a major distraction - ohhh, and I proofed him on kangaroos. I switch between negative reinforcement and positive punishment depending on the circumstances. When I was proofing him on Kangaroos I was using it as negative reinforcement and applying the stim before the command. I have no idea why I changed how I was using it, it was gradual and unintentional. I think what happened was I stopped needing it so stopped using it then on the rare occasion he didn't recall I had to correct him.

I've also discovered that the more eager he is to go for a walk the stronger his command response is. We do all training on walks now as I don't have time to do 30 minute walks and then another 15 minutes or so on training.

A lot of people assume the dogs are recalling out of fear/avoidance/whatever. They're not, I will consider recording Gizmo recall just to show his enthusiasm... But I dunno if I can find the camera.

Edited May 30, 2009 by Just Midol

[~*Shell*~]

Thanks Midol! Who says you can't teach a sibe a recall huh?