Command

Bryando

My dog knows the recall come. Yet when out in the garden refuses to obey. Why? He is six months of age.

As a six month old pup what should be his behaviour be like?

Fosterdog

You basically have the dog equivalent of a teenager, that is why he will ignore something he knows.

What you need to do is make coming back to you the best most exciting and rewarding thing that can happen to him.

My young girl is going through a similar stage and we have a particular squeaky toy that she loves, she only gets to play with it when she has good recall when let off lead. It is her most favourite thing and is more exciting than anything else that could possibly be going on so she will come back every time and her reward is playing with it. It gets put away as soon as we are home, it is used just for recall.

With my boy when he was being trained it was a tube of primula cheese, I'd let him know I had with a pea sized amount when he was let off lead and he'd get small bits as a reward when he came back.

krlyr

Likely either two issues..

Dog either hasn't learnt the command to be exactly what you want it to be, i.e. recall every time. Failing to proof the command enough or progressing too quickly (e.g. expecting dog to go from recalling across an empty room to recalling across a park away from another dog, after a day's training) can mean the dog learns that recall means "Come back to me...in your own time, and only if there's not something more fun to do". Also, recalling only to end fun times, e.g. only calling your dog back when it's time to go home or to come in from the garden and go to bed, means the dog may learn that recall = end of fun, and it may opt to ignore the command.

Alternatively, as above, it could be that age where he's forgetting what he's been taught and/or testing the boundaries, you may find recall is not the only thing he forgets. Especially when hormones come into play and he can smell a !!!!! in heat (they know from quite a way away!).

The solution for both is to go back to basics with recall, as if he's not learnt it before (you may even want to use a new cue word for it, to properly start from scratch). Use dinnertime as a good opportunity - prepare his dinner early (or when he's out of sight) but leave it on the side and go about your usual things. When he's out of the room you feed in, e.g. snoozing or playing in the garden, recall and make sure he hears the bowl rattle. Instant reward to recall in the form of dinner - a big jackpot! You could also opt to feed his dinner throughout the day instead of in one go, so weigh out his dinner and put in a tub or a treat bag clipped to your waist, and practice recall throughout the day. Start simple, e.g. from his bed to you on the sofa. Just once or twice, and then leave him to be distracted and forget that you have a stash of treats on you. Recall in the garden, but don't bring him in, let him go off and carry on playing. Recall on walks, even when he's on-lead...let it go slack and step back a step or two and call him back to you.

You want to make it as difficult as possible for him to fail to recall. So use a long line out on walks, even if you leave it trailing on the ground - if he looks like he's too distracted to come back, don't even attempt to call him, just grab the end of the line.

If you call him in from the garden and he doesn't respond, don't say the commend again - or it'll just become a cue for ignorining you. Go out and attach a lead if you have to, just don't make a game of chasing them around the garden (curiousity normally gets the best of a pup - so if they're not coming over to you, take out a toy and play with it by yourself, they won't be able to resist coming over - and have some treats/food on you to reward them coming over.

You may also want to practice 'collar grabs' - this is where you teach the dog to allow you to grab the collar, and then release them again, so they don't learn that you grabbing the collar means the lead is going on and the fun is over.

Kikopup on YouTube has some fab videos, well worth checking out her whole channel, but here's a few to do with the above

Collar grabs - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62NNwZtbtIA
Recall - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PL9Rk-8KF9I
Puppy recall - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjd99MlmqqI
Recall with distractions - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tV5qsH5tjYA


Another trick that can help establish a solid recall is to teach a dog to 'check in' with you regularly - so when they're off-lead, they still know to regularly make eye contact with you and you then have their attention ready to give the recall command
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_BEXER4lGo

teddysmum

I have attended a number of obedience classes over the years and a couple of trainers have said that the problem with recall or lack of attention is that you are boring and what is occupying the dog is more fun, so make yourself interesting.


You may feel silly, but clowning about, making silly noises etc does work and 'Dog' wants to investigate mad owner.


Another encourager is to have someone hold your dog's collar, while you get them excited about coming to you (as above). When the person lets go, the dog usually flies to you.


Recall becomes fun, so something the dog wants to do, especially if accompanied by lots of praise or a small treat.

Bryando

Thanks.

SensibleSarah

I have extra special treats on walks which only get given for recalls (sausages) as I have a very food motivated dog. I also use a whistle which only ever means 'come here now' so she can't confuse it with another voice command. I never use these recalls more often than once or twice a walk at most so she can't get bored of it. With yours at 6 months though, I'd be expecting a pup to test the boundaries a bit. Start off only calling him when he's definitely going to come back (i.e. He's already on his way) so he doesn't get into a habit of ignoring you. Hopefully he's motivated by food, a toy or praise and so will soon work out that coming back to you straight away = a great reward.

sheramber

Be aware of not only calling him to spoil the fun.

I play a game with my pups. I start with a handful of treats and the pup beside me and throw a treat away in front of me while sending the dog to get it. When he has it I immediately call him back using my recall cue and guide round behind me with my right hand- holding a treat to begin with of necessary.

When he comes round to my side I throw another treat telling him to go get it and call him back when he has eaten it. Use small treats than be eaten quickly. Bits of sausage are good.

Repeat and repeat and repeat and repeat. until all treats used up.

Soon the pup will fly back and run round you ready to go again. The more encouragement you give him to come to you the better. Jump up and down, cheer whatever gets him excited. The more he enjoys the game the better.

He is learning to associate coming with fun and also he gets sent away again for more fun.