Perfect Recall

[Guest Connie]

My GSD has selective perfect recall At home he thinks about whether he wants to come when called, or not But when we go out, he clings to my side like a bad smell! At the beach, he will run off and play with other dogs and go for a swim but will come when called every time despite noise and distractions. What is going on?! How do I get him to come in from outside when I'm standing at the front door waiting for him to stop sniffing the garden and urinating on trees and poles?! Sometimes he will take minutes!

[Guest Tess32]

How did you teach him a recall at the beach/outside?

Sounds like he hasn't really generalised it to the backyard and/or he is confident in his own home and doesn't cling. Are you calling him using your recall word?

Go back to basics in the backyard - obviously the outside smells are more of a reinforcer than whatever you're calling him inside for and the fact that your command is ineffectual means his refusal to come is being reinforced as well (and on a variable schedule, making it even stronger if he *does* sometimes come).

I think I'd prefer your problem than the opposite way around though!

Nat

[pgm]

As Tess32 said, it all depends on how you taught the recall in the first place. If you explain how you taught the recall then maybe someone can help.

[angelsun]

The recall is not something that is taught quickly and expected to be retained under distracting situations.

Go back to the beginnings and use a LONG line. Dogs know when you are not connected to them and they will take advantage of this.

ALWAYS use plenty of treats and praise along with a very happy voice when training the recall. NEVER grumble of punish a dog that comes in too slow or not at all....they will not come to you again if you punish...don't blame them.

Begin retraining in a familiar spot ON LEAD with the above rewards....eventually go off lead in this place but only after you are 100% successful each time you do the recall.

Move to an unfamilar place, BACK ON LEAD....begin again.

Give yourself twice as long to succeed in this new enviroment. Try to get distractions in there but remember...ON LEAD.

If you can not be 100% successful with a recall anywhere, the dog does not deserve the privalege of being off lead. If you feel the dog needs a good run on a beach etc...leave a long 10m lead attached so you can grab it if need be.

How old is the dog? Often age is a factor when it comes to a solid recall. Remember to make YOU the most important thing to the dog and therefore he will want to come to you no matter what else is going on becaue you are the source of the treats/praise every single time.

[Jintanut]

Thanks angelsun those tips are great. Jintas recall is selective also, but its the other way around.... shes fine at home....

she will come inside when called, BUT if we are out, at the park, and she spots another dog, shes off like a bullet to try for a play....

She sometimes goes 'pretend deaf' when im calling her while we are out. I trained her mainly at home, is this why the outside world is so exciting and distracting????

Im going to take a LONG peice of rope to the park, and some treats, we are going to practice recall. :rolleyes:

id love any more tips.....

[pgm]

Jintanut, before taking your dog to the park where the distractions are strong, either take the dog to a quiet area, or use your backyard to set up distractions. By controlling the distractions you will have much better control and your dog will learn quicker. The park should be the last place where you proof your dog under distraction, not the first.

The trick is to gradually increase distraction over time. And to make sure that you are always in control.

[Jintanut]

Thanks PGM i am ready to take it ALL in !!!

the park im thinking of is usually completley deserted, we can be there for hours completely alone. But now I think about it, I will start her at home. All over again.

She will walk off lead really well, she never goes further than 2- 5 metres from me, usually she is by my side, this is when I have taken her on long walks, and through parks.

I have let her walk by my side home(we live in a quiet dead end)and she can restrain herself from chasing the 5 cats cheekily laying on the sidewalk across the road. so, shes got SOME control happening, just not always.

Birds and other dogs are of interest. She just wants to play, but its just not cool to go running over for a play to strangers willy nilly. :D Ive spent enough time chasing her that I avoid other dogs, and restrain her as soon as I see one, pray to god, she hasnt seen it first, people JUST LOVE being charged at by a hypo nutter over friendly staffy.

Training her, or retraining her is going to be a task. I wouldnt set her up for immediate failure by taking her to a dog park right away...

I will be taking very small baby steps. Id like to teach her a drop comand as well, we are seeing K9 soon as possible for recall, and control.

Her graduation day would be recall sucess at a 'real dog park' :rolleyes: dare I dream????

Edited February 7, 2005 by Jintanut

[pgm]

actually Jintanut, the trick to building a reliable recall is never, repeat, never allow your dog to fail at recall. This simply means keep the long line attached at all times (and preferably in your hand) until the recall is reliable under even the most distracting of circumstances.

[Jintanut]

Thanks pgm, I will make that a rule as I did with 'sit' and 'lie down' and 'stay'.....

I have perfect sucess with those commands.

I suppose me chasing her, is making it a really fun power game... :rolleyes:

I am going to invest some real time and energy into this total recall, its for HER sake.

[KitKat]

Another little hint...always have treats with you, don't always give them to the dog once the recall is completed, but do so enough that they think there will be a tidbit waiting for them when they get to you. Give the dog lots of attention when they come in whether they get the treat or not.

It's worked for me...lol, but my mob are a bit food orientated.

[MamaKat]

Bruce, our older dog is hopeless, but Mack, the 5 month old will come to me *almost* everytime I clap my hands.

I'm not sure if this is a good thing, but it's what I taught him and it works for us.

[Guest Connie]

How long is a long lead? I don't have one. I taught my dog to recall in our hallway using treats. I'm not sure why he clings to my side when we're out - maybe because he's a GSD. Aren't they known for being loyal? He's just naughty at home

[pgm]

Connie

a long lead is as long as you need it to be. Anyone can make one. Simply go to the local hardware store and get some rope and a bolt snap.

My dog is a vizsla, and when walking offlead (and off command) he ranges between 30 to 40 feet in front of me. I used a 50' piece of rope (very light) to teach him a reliable recall.

How long the rope needs to be depends on how close your dog normally stays when walking off-lead.

[Guest Tess32]

How long is a long lead? I don't have one. I taught my dog to recall in our hallway using treats. I'm not sure why he clings to my side when we're out - maybe because he's a GSD. Aren't they known for being loyal? He's just naughty at home

So he's just been taught to recall in the hall when you're standing there with food ;)

Dogs don't always generalise well, just because he recalls in one place, doesn't mean he'll do it elsewhere unless you have a good, solid history of recalls in lots of places under lots of circumstances.

It's not really about being loyal.

K9 says he can teach a 100% reliable recall, ask him! hhee

Nat

[Guest Connie]

So he's just been taught to recall in the hall when you're standing there with food ;)

Dogs don't always generalise well, just because he recalls in one place, doesn't mean he'll do it elsewhere unless you have a good, solid history of recalls in lots of places under lots of circumstances.

It's not really about being loyal.

K9 says he can teach a 100% reliable recall, ask him! hhee

Nat

So, do you think I might have accidentally taught him to recall at the beach without even knowing I have? Thinking about it now, I was really nervous about taking him to the beach and so was probably more strict about him being at my side from the beginning. I will have to get a long lead and try training him in the front yard. As for asking, K-9?! I'd appreciate the advice but I think it comes with an exclusive price tag!

[Guest Connie]

p.s. Is it easy enough for him to unlearn that he can ignore my calls from the front door?

[Guest Tess32]

So, do you think I might have accidentally taught him to recall at the beach without even knowing I have? Thinking about it now, I was really nervous about taking him to the beach and so was probably more strict about him being at my side from the beginning. I will have to get a long lead and try training him in the front yard. As for asking, K-9?! I'd appreciate the advice but I think it comes with an exclusive price tag!

Hmmm, does he recall perfectly at the beach, even with other dogs around or other distractions?

Have you ever call him and he hasn't come?

Do you use the same recall word?

(sorry about all the questions!).

I am slowly training my boy a reliable recall - I have printed out many articles and have been religously playing come games and so on. It's a long process, but I will feel more confident having done it solidly.

Some dogs just naturally check in all the time, though I've had two shepherds and don't think it's really a shepherd thing, just an individual dog thing.

Nat

[Guest Tess32]

p.s. Is it easy enough for him to unlearn that he can ignore my calls from the front door?

It can be hard, but plenty of people have retrained a recall using "come" despite a history of ignores.

For ease, you could consider using a different word and start from scratch.

Nat

[Steve K9Pro]

Connie:

As for asking, K-9?!  I'd appreciate the advice but I think it comes with an exclusive price tag!

K9: I guess you get what you pay for...

Maybe this can help

As to a recall - being put in the same situation where my dog had selective hearing and not being friendly to any other dogs I had to find s solution to the problem. One was to walk the dog on lead all the time (not preffered) or to train for perfect recall.

So I have researched, spend time etc and than gone to K9 Force.

You want a perfect recall - go to him than put the time and efort and you will have it.

2-3 weeks of every day practice of what Steve has told me to do and the change is amazing.

And this is after I have read the several books, gone for 5 years to an obiedniece clubs and I'm almost ready to trail for a CD. All of this was the happy and friendly advice. It hasnt worked for me so I found a professional.

I only wish I had found Steve earlier when my dog was young and before I ended up paying hundreds of dollars in vet bills when my dog got in a fight at some stage, becouse I couldnt recall him and neither could the other person their dog.

It came from here

[Guest Connie]

Thanks K-9, but what was the point of that? You obviously think you're wicked. Hooray for you I'm not about to fly across the country with my dog to attend your classes, am I? Especially since my first impressions of you from this forum is that you're rude, arrogant and confrontational. The sad thing is that I was initially really pleased to see your reply... until I read it, that is.