Recall for rescue dog.

janb5

Hi,

I got Max about two months ago. He is a Westie/mix and is about a year old now. He was in a poor state when I got him and looked underweight and his coat was matted. The rescue said he had been dumped on the streets of Enfield without a collar or chipped. Before leaving the rescue he was chipped and neutered.

Two months on and he has settled in well and has put on weight. Friendly affectionate dog but my main concern is recall. He has started obedience classes ( the trainer knows of his past) but is very inconsistent about coming back to me when called. If he is distracted with a fly then I have no chance! This means I cant let him off the lead on walks as I have no certainty of getting him back when I call him. He is a very energetic dog and I`d love to let him off the lead so he could run his paws off but only can do this when there are no other dogs around. He seems to want to take bigger dogs on(!) and is like the kid on the block who wants to make friends but doesnt know how to do it!

He has learnt certain skills such as sitting on the step to have his lead put on , sitting on request ( most of the time) and loves being groomed. I just feel very discouraged that he doesnt do recall which is very major.

Any advice please?

TomsMom

I taught recall with a whistle - two blasts on the whistle but choice is up to the individual.

I started by showing my dog the whistle. Two blasts to get her attention then treat. Two blasts, treat. I repeated this several times during the day on the first day.

Once she realised the whistle meant treats, I moved away, two blasts and called "Poppy come", she came running, I treated. I did this randomly throughout the day, going to different rooms in the house to whistle her, and treated every time. You could do this on the second day.

Progress to garden, whistle, treat. Once you feel she responds well to the whistle take her to a secure area such as local tennis courts then you can progress on to wherever you intend to let her off - park, woods, beach, etc.

I can't tell you how nervous I was the first time I let her off but she did me proud. Several times during our first few runs off lead I would whistle/treat just so she got used to coming back when I wanted her to and not just to put the lead back on and end her fun. I still do random recalls now just to treat.

When she comes back for the treat, handle her collar so she gets used to it rather than just on the last recall as she will work out that playtime has ended and may not want to go on the lead.

If you are worried she wont come back, don't run after her, it will turn into a chase game. Run the other way calling her name, she will then see it as a nice game to chase you, let her catch you up and clip on her lead.

Make sure you use a high reward treat, whatever her favourite is - bits of liver, cheese, sausage, chicken, etc. If he's not food orientated then her favourite toy.

hethmar

Its really down to the dogs personality - some dogs never learn recall sadly. The way I got mine to come to me was to carry some really tasty treats (as above) and shake them in a box at the same time as whistling or calling the dog ( I whistle myself, dont use a proper dog one - LOL). One of mine, who was on the streets of Manchester when found - is absolutely brilliant, 100% recall - so its not like the experience of the past effected him - he wants to please me and he comes instantly. My other boy, also rescue but from a pup, sometimes decides he is deaf when I call but actually after 6 years now returns 99% of the time Just keep trucking and get those sweeties and a very long training lead.

Oh and bless, he has only been with you 2 months, so he will be trying it on and seeing what boundaries you will set.

Nod_Off

Is he motivated by food or a favourite toy? My current dogs are complete foodies so I use high reward treats such as liver bread/tuna bread/hotdogs that are only given for recalls....the trick is to find something he loves and make you more interesting than the fly Practice recalls at home using whatever reward method you choose and keep the sessions very short. For outside, use a training line (I use a lunge line) to help reinforce the recall. It can be a very slow process - you could also maybe think about training him to the whistle? I know a lot of people who have had great success with that.

The training classes are a great idea too - meeting dogs in a controlled environment should help with his doggy manners

TomsMom

hethmar wrote: »

at the same time as whistling or calling the dog ( I whistle myself, dont use a proper dog one - LOL).

Just keep trucking and get those sweeties and a very long training lead.

:rotfl: Try as I might, I can't whistle myself, neither can DH, you'd think at our age (seniors) we'd have mastered it by now! I'd love to be able to stick my fingers in my mouth and do one of those fabby loud whistles, can't even do the puckered lip one :rotfl: . My dog actually reacted to my son whistling when he came to visit so we took that as a cue to get a dog whistle .

I forgot about the long lead. We bought one for when she goes to the woods, it's private land and they request dogs be on a lead so we got a 50' one. Something like that would be a great idea to start with Janb5.

hethmar

lol, both my mum and dad would whistle round the house (and sing too, bless them) so its a habit both my sis and I picked up. My aunt always used to tell us off "A whistling woman, a crowing hen, is neither good for God nor men" pmsl.

But my dogs do react when I whistle just a tune to myself at home and react nicely, so they must like the tone Two short puckered lipped ones do the job for my boys, followed by one long one if they are tarrying a bit - I dont even have to turn round usually to get them to come. May be I was a shepherd in a previous life. (My OH can whistle but is too "embarrassed" to do it with the dogs??)

janb5

Thanks some lovely tips on there. I have lovingly cooked liver the doggie way via the internet, boiled and then roasted in oven. The only trouble is that he smells it and wants to empty my pockets prior to the walk! Today he has been into my cooking cupboards and demolished the silver cupcake containers! Maybe two year olds were easier............!

I`ll definitely try the long lead idea which is probably better than the retractor lead isnt it? Are they called lunge leads? Off for walkies now so will let you know how I get on.

Thanks again

Jan

hethmar

I got my lead on ebay - I think it was only about a tenner or less - 50 feet long. Ive given it to a rescue now as they use them a lot.

Nod_Off

I forgot to mention with regard to the training line - always attach it to a harness and not a flat collar so as not to risk injuring the neck.

TomsMom

This is the one I got, an Ancol Tracking Line, nice quality. You'll probably find something similar on ebay but cheaper.

ClootiesMum

Great ideas on here for you to try but you might have to remember - as a Westie mix he has terrier in him.....

Recall with a terrier on a mission is a challenge, to put it mildly. Clootie is Weste/JRT cross & is aleways walked on a long lead as his he suddenly goes deaf if there's something to chase....(the worst one was when he was chasing a heron that was trying to take off - we had visions of seeing him hanging on to its legs as it flew above us )