Remote training collar

smileypigface

Definitely support what Raksha said in her post - and the others who suggest caution with using aversives.

I think a good 'rule of thumb' is that any owner considering using any particular training method should try the method on themselves first before trying them on their pet.

I am sure most local suppliers will allow you to 'try before you buy' - pop a 'training' collar around your neck and press the button .........

Then, when you've realised what you were thinking of subjecting your 'best friend' to ... and you've been shocked into reality (literally!) - pop into your local bookshop (or more MSE - library) and have a read of Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson - which, in my opinion, gives an excellent insight of what drives dogs to do what they do ... basically, "what's in it for dogs!!" and read some practical advice on addressing the issues rather than just managing them. Which is all this type of device does - it doesn't solve the training issue, it just manages it.

Good luck finding a way to 'train' your dog, rather than 'manage' it x

zaksmum

smileypigface wrote: »

Definitely support what Raksha said in her post - and the others who suggest caution with using aversives.

I think a good 'rule of thumb' is that any owner considering using any particular training method should try the method on themselves first before trying them on their pet.

I am sure most local suppliers will allow you to 'try before you buy' - pop a 'training' collar around your neck and press the button .........

Then, when you've realised what you were thinking of subjecting your 'best friend' to ... and you've been shocked into reality (literally!) - pop into your local bookshop (or more MSE - library) and have a read of Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson - which, in my opinion, gives an excellent insight of what drives dogs to do what they do ... basically, "what's in it for dogs!!" and read some practical advice on addressing the issues rather than just managing them. Which is all this type of device does - it doesn't solve the training issue, it just manages it.

Good luck finding a way to 'train' your dog, rather than 'manage' it x

I'm not talking about a shock collar though. You can get one that sprays...either a liquid spray, a bit like squirting the dog with a water pistol, or just a loud hiss that stops the dog in his tracks wondering what THAT was. I'd never use a shock collar.

I saw Cesar Millan one time using a remote collar to stop a dog who was chasing farm machinery. The dog was definitely going to get killed, but after a couple of times with the collar the dog never chased machinery again.

I think if all conventional methods of training have failed - and I've successfully trained many dogs - the alternatives are keeping the dog on a lead for most of it's life or taking a chance and accepting the risk that he will run after another dog right under the wheels of a car.

I've had Jack since he was 12 weeks old. He's now 20 months and just does not get the message, despite my being home all day withhim and working constantly on this recall. He comes back instantly every time, unless he sees another dog. Then it's no chance!!

I don't know what else I can do apart from trying a spray collar.

foreign_correspondent

Well, it is up to you, but you may find that a dog who believes other dogs to be a threat (which would be quite logical as every time he goes near them something unpleasant happens) is harder to deal with. I would rather be working with an exciteable, friendly dog, than one who is scared of, or aggressive towards other dogs... it is far harder to overcome fears than create them.

foreign_correspondent

bigblackdog wrote: »

was thinking about this for my dog , he is a 3 year old un neutered male lab , goes for other dogs or if he gets on the scent of something pleases himself and wont come back , nightmare i now have to keep him on the lead all the time for fear he willl be off annoying other dogs or worse

Have you thought about getting him neutered? He may well be getting the scent of a b1tch that he is following... dogs can smell a b1tch in heat from about six miles away.

Also, neutering can steady some male dogs a bit - it would be the first thing I would do here to be honest., I would certainly rather neuter than use aversive training methods!

Raksha

what have you been doing so far to 'work on his recall'?

It could be that by doing this, and being unsuccessful, you've actually been teaching him he can ignore you.

zaksmum

Raksha wrote: »

what have you been doing so far to 'work on his recall'?

It could be that by doing this, and being unsuccessful, you've actually been teaching him he can ignore you.

First I kept him on a long (extending) lead, allowing him to go further and further away from me. I called him back doing the happy excited voice thing and rewarded him with a little titbit when he came back, and praised him for it.

When he always came back on command, I let him off lead somewhere quiet away from traffic. There's a field nearby enclosed on four sides by railings, but with pedestrian access at all four corners. I went there at times when there'd be less likely to be anyone else there.

He came back every time, using the reward/happy voice/praise.

I thought his recall was fine. Then after a couple of months, by which time he was about six months old, he spotted a dog I hadn't noticed when I let him off lead. He was away like a rocket and just totally ignored me calling him. He was leaping all over the other dog and I had no choice but to go after him and put him back on lead. I told him off, "Bad dog" etc., and he looked very contrite.

The next time I saw another dog I took him right over the other side of the field and told him "No!" pointing at the other dog. He started to race towards it but stopped and looked at me when I said NO again. Hesitated...then off he shot.

So he does know he shouldn't do it. I've tried a dog whistle with reward, telling him off, ignoring him when I have to go and retrieve him...all I'm doing is upsetting him because he HATES it when I'm annoyed with him.

I just don't know what else to do. He's a lovely dog, and is an angel 99% of the time. But he's a biggish dog and just cannot keep on doing this to other dogs. I can't bear the thought of keeping him on lead for the rest of his life.

So if you can see what I'm doing wrong here, please, please tell me!!!!

Raksha

I think what's happen is you've gone straight from very few distractions to a full on out of your control 'hey, there's a dog I gotta go and play, bye Mum!' situation

Extending leads can have their place - but because of the way they work, clever dogs know when they are attached and when they aren't - which is where a long line comes in handy - you don't always have to keep hold of the end - you can let it trail, and look at making it shorter and shorter.

I would never tell a dog off for coming back, no matter how long it takes, because you want the association with coming back to always be positive. I don't know about you, but when I was a teenager and I wanted to stay out late, I found out there was no point in telling my parents, because they'd rarely say yes, so I'd stay out anyway, and put off going home because I knew I was going to get it in the neck He really doesn't know *why* you're angry except that he had a great time, and when he got back to you, you weren't the happy person he left.

I'd change the recall signal, retrain him to that at home (maybe bring out the whistle and use it at every meal time - say nothing, just a pip on the whistle when you put his food down.) You will have to keep him on lead/long line for a while, maybe a few months while he 'forgets' that he can bog off. Take him out before his meals, maybe make his reward up to half of his normal meal - take it in a bag if you feed a complete mix. and reward generously. Slowly work on increasing the distance that he goes from you before you ask him to recall, reinforcing it with the long line if necessary. Avoid letting him run with other dogs - YOU are the most exciting thing out there. Maybe keep a special favourite toy which you only play with when you are recall training. After a few weeks, you should be able to drop the long line - keep practising the recall all through the walk, not just at the end or in certain places or when you see a dog.

Hope this helps.

charlysez

i can appreciate that you want your dog to have freedom, why not go to a class or two, before you go on hols. its not worth the stress for you or the dog.

i was surprised to find leads upto 100feet, thats a long way and ensures he is not likely to disappear or get into trouble without you being able to find him.

zaksmum

Thanks Raksha and charlysez. The trouble with a long line is that Jack's so boisterous (his nose is almost permanently glued to the ground following various scents and he zigzags allover the place following them) that he gets tangled up in anything longer than a cuople of feet. With the extending lead, at least I can retract it quickly, but with a long line he'd be trussed up like a turkey in seconds. He's got very long legs and even at walking pace, must take 50 steps for every one of mine!

I do try not to tell him off but I need to let him know - as he does - that it's naughty to run after other dogs. Not that it makes a blind bit of difference.

I can half control it by putting his lead on when I see another dog, but he's got xray vision and can spot another dog long before I can!

I'll try changing the recall signal...might try "come" instead of "here" and I'll see if I can find any local training classes.

I've NEVER failed in training a dog before and really am only considering a remote collar as a last resort to keep my much loved Jack safe! My other dog Lucy is with us on walks and she's so totally obedient it's amazing. Jack stuck close to her at first so when she came back he followed, but does a lot of his own thing now.

Raksha

If he really is so driven to play with other dogs, you may even find a remote spray collar isn't enough - and then what level do you go to? As you have another dog, do you find they play together? Do they amuse themselves with each other more than they do individually with you? This could also be part of the problem. You can use a second dog to train a speedy recall by calling both dogs, but only rewarding the one who gets to you first. BTW - dogs have no concept of 'naughty', so you aren't teaching him that it's naughty to run off, only that when he does and he comes back to you, you aren't happy - hence my comparison with a teenager. Teenagers are so self indulgent, they do not see the parent's displeasure as a punishment for staying out.