Too clever for his own good!

Wellyboots6

Yes it's another rant about LS. Never thought I'd be owned by such a infuriatingly clever little pup!

Over the weekend I decided to go out for the afternoon. The BF decided he was staying in doing gardening and volunteered to babysit (or be babysat by) LS while I went out.

I get in the car and head out. Almost immediately the BF rings me, LS has opened the front door and is chasing my car up the road!! :eek:

I turn round and race back. Luckily some kids were coming down the road on bikes and managed to herd him back to BF's house and eventually get him inside by tempting him with food.

Turns out that when he heard my car start he raced in from the garden, jumped up and opened the front door before BF could catch him.

So, from one incident that left me a gibbering wreck due to LS being so determined to get to me, to the next...

Took him to his training class Monday evening. He did well at the start, not reacting too badly to the other dogs.

We started doing some more work off-lead and he realised he could break free. He kept doing half an exercise, taking a run round the arena and then coming back to sit next to me as though nothing happened.

After a couple of times doing this, his confidence must have increased. He took off during the middle of an excerise, chasing round the arena and thoroughly enjoying himself!

Two classes were running at the same time. Both had to be put on hold for 10 minutes whilst I tried to catch him as he did his usual trick of running close enough to me to give me false hope, and then swerving at the last minute so I can't grab him.

I ended up having to go and hide out near the toilets until he got bored and came to look for me.

How can a dog that is so intent on being near me he will open doors and chase up the road to get to me, be so damn difficult to catch!!

I have been doing recall with him on the park today and he has been perfect :mad:

Also, BFs house is now on lock-down when LS is there.

Any advice on how to dumb-down a dog would be most appreciated!

krlyr

How about doing your off-lead work with a lightweight longline trailing? That way you don't have to chase LS himself, but just get near enough to grab the line. Worked well for Casper who was a bit of a "catch me if you can!" artist initially.

I'd perhaps work on getting him a little more independant from you if possible, so he's not distressed if separated from you for any reason. And perhaps a babygate type system in BF's hallway? Kiki has learnt to open my nan's back door so we have to be very vigilant about locking it with the key when she dogsits, or they try to take themselves walkies!

meritaten

I used to find that if my springer was difficult to catch (obedient mostly but she did have her 'moments') then the trick was to run in the opposite direction shouting 'chase me'! this was a game we played and the idea was for her to 'catch me' and get a treat! came in very handy on occasions (though you do feel a right twit doing this in the street!)

Wellyboots6

Already got the longline packed in my training bag ready for next week
I think it got to the point where he realised he was able to mess about and so he started doing it for the sake of it. My previous dog realised he could mess about when off-lead, and so we had to go back to basics for a bit until he forgot that was what he did!

Babygates are no good as he just steps over them.

BFs front door opens on to his driveway, and then the main road. Am in the process of convincing him that he wants a front gate, but until then it will be a locked door and safety chain while we are in.

Wellyboots6

meritaten, that usually works for LS. That is until he twigs that you actually do want him to catch you, and then he does his trick of getting close but not close enough to touch.

Too blummin clever!

meritaten

Yes, he is!!! luckily my springer was as dumb as dirt and it 'always' worked with her!

krlyr

Tall babygates? Or failing that, stack one of top of the other? Doesn't look very pleasing, but I can vouch for it working!

One thing Casper has started doing is asking to go out, only to come back in again. I'm pretty sure it's because I'd recently done a lot of work on getting him to recall in from the end of the garden - so now he's asking to go out so he can get rewarded for coming back in again, sneaky so-and-so!

Wellyboots6

Thinking about the layout of his house, I would need a wide as well as tall babygate to go across the hallway. Will have to give it some thought.

Recall from the garden does not exist in our house! He sits there looking at me like I am daft. Why on earth would he want to come inside?! Cheese works as long as I actually have cheese. The minute I try phasing it out or recalling with no cheese he just sits down again refusing to move.

Dimey

I just love hearing about Little Sod's escapades :T