Help! Recall Training

[bedazzledx2]

Nooooo! :) He always gets the cheese :D The method helps to build enthusiasm and drive and also serves to allow some distance for a proper recall.

[Weasels]

So you are talking about eventually calling him off the piece of cheese for a recall?

I had him on the long line on the footy fields and he was doing some lovely recalls, went down the hill to the dog park and it all went out the window with the smells. So we have a huge amount of work to do.

Do you have a "go sniff"- type cue? That can be an awesome reward too! Especially if he gets the cheese AND the sniffs :D

[RubyBlue]

Build him up slowly. If its too challenging for him to focus you need to slow down and make it easier for him to succeed. Every successful recall is a step in the right direction and every failure is a step backwards. Don't set him up to fail.

[Simply Grand]

I know I already said it, but seriously, get Lesley Nelson's Really Reliable Recall dvd. Or even google, she seems to have Youtube vids.

The DVD includes sections on "hard to train recall" breeds (lesley has sighthounds) and I actually think young Aussies are difficult to train in recalls because they can be sooooo enthusiastic about everything. So yes, they keen to please and keen to get treats, but they're also keen to explore and run and sniff and jump, everything is so exciting!

[Jigsaw]

IF you think you can't trust him when you unclip the lead and think he'll take off, try putting two leads on his collar, one his normal lead, the other a light long line. It will give you a some security if he decides to take off when the normal lead comes off and you've still got a line attached.

[megan_]

So you are talking about eventually calling him off the piece of cheese for a recall?

I had him on the long line on the footy fields and he was doing some lovely recalls, went down the hill to the dog park and it all went out the window with the smells. So we have a huge amount of work to do.

He has a reward history of not listening to you and that has been reinforced every time he has ignored you, so it is going to take some work and some awesome rewards to turn things around. Rest assured though it can be fixed.

Here's what I would do:

Phase 1: Build up reward history with the word "come" (or choose a new word if he has gotten used to ignoring this. It can be anything because dogs don't talk English).

* Get his favourite treat ever and when you're around the house and close to him, say "come" and shove the treat in his mouth. He doesn't have to do anything at all to get the treat. Your objective is to have him associate the word with the best treat ever. Over the course of a week or two, repeat this hundreds of times. Sometimes give him one treat, sometimes give him 3, 10, 2, 5 etc. This will also teach him to hang around after recalling. It is really important to do this often and not stop when you think he's got it - you are using classical conditioning so repetition is really important. If you're afraid of him getting too many treats then feed all of his food this way.

* Then go to another room call "come" - he should come running to you with great gusto. Praise him greatly ("you are such a good boy, such a good boy") in a very happy, light voice while feeding him lots and lots of treats. I mean lots - feed him his whole meal this way. If he doesn't come running very fast then go back to step 1.

Phase 2: Slowly increasing the distractions:

* With the long line continue to build on "come". First just in the yard, then in the driveway etc. Remember to treat each and every time and vary the number of treats you give him (so that he learns to hang around after a recall rather than bolt off). Start off by giving the treats in really quick succession then leaving more time between treats to teach him to wait around for a while.

Phase 3: Teach sit on a recall

* If he knows sit with a hand signal, after you say "come" and he runs to him, give him the hand signal or say "sit", he sits, and then you treat like there is no tomorrow. Then say his release word (assuming he has one. If he doesn't, I'd teach this separately. It means he has to sit until you say the release word which come in handy to stop bolting). I'd train the sit after recall at home first with few distractions then build it up to outdoors.

Phase 4: "Leash time" game

* at home, say "leash time", clip on the leash and then give him a reward. Repeat hundreds of times over a few weeks. Sounds silly but I see many owners whip out the leash and the dog knows that this means the end of fun so they do a runner. My dogs love "leash time" because they are rewarded for letting me put it on.

Phase 5: Fade out the long time.

*I always play a game with my dog when he's let off leash. This means that when I go to an off leash parka and remove the leash, he doesn't bolt off. Rather, he spins around and looks at me: "What are we going to do??". If you stop your dog from bolting off immediately the chances of a good recall are increased. It also helps increase your value and build on your relationship. I then use my release word to say "go off and play/stiff".

* Make "come" into a game that you play, rather than a formal command. I say "come", he runs, sits, treat, treat, release, treat, he then goes off, I turn and bolt and call him etc. We then play a game (eg tug, ball). The important thing is that he doesn't associate "come" with the end of fun. Don't only call him when you want to leave. Call him and release him far more times that you call him, put the leash on and leave. Keep your voice light and happy. Remember to praise him like he's just won Olympic gold and play with him often. If you aren't making a fool out of yourself in the park then you're doing it wrong.

* I have also taught a "check in" command for when I want him to come closer, but he doesn't need to come at lightening speed and sit. I taught it by accident really but it comes in handy when they're getting a bit too far away and you want them to get closer. I just held treats in my left hand and slowly fed them to him. I then added a cue ("check in") and we went from there.

The above sounds really complicated, but it is really simple and if you follow the steps he will recall.

Edited September 17, 2012 by megan_

[Kavik]

Susan Garrett is going to open Recallers 4 soon - well worth it IMO! There are a lot of fun games for developing recalls but also relationship building, drive building and self control games. I've done two of the games already this morning!

[Aidan3]

but the main problem is once he realises I have food he is on a line and we are training, he doesn't go wandering off!

Not such a bad problem to have. Just keep walking, he'll wander off. Choose your opportunities wisely, he can't go too far.

[megan_]

Susan Garrett is going to open Recallers 4 soon - well worth it IMO! There are a lot of fun games for developing recalls but also relationship building, drive building and self control games. I've done two of the games already this morning!

I've always missed the boat with these - how do you enrol?

[MishB]

Im feeling your pain with the recalls!!

I have heard good things about the Susan Garrett recallers but how expensive is it?

[Kavik]

If you sign up to her newsletter I'm sure she will send out the information on when the next one starts. My guess is November as that is when the last one started, and is also when the contact course finishes (for those of us with the more basic membership). She has said in the contact course that the next one will be in the fall (so this season - Canadian fall).

http://susangarrettdogagility.com/

http://www.clickerdogs.com/

Edited September 18, 2012 by Kavik