I have a lovely dog with me for two weeks to try to retrain his recall, which seems to have disappeared completely. So any tips would be great from experienced folk on here. He's not interested in food. He's not interested in retrieving. He's not too bothered about toys when out and about. He adores other dogs. I intend to take him with Tatze every other day as she will be a good role model and he will stick with her. But I also need to take him on his own on the other days. We went on our first free run today and, as soon as I felt he was going too far from me, I ran as fast as I could in the opposite direction. He very soon turned tail and galloped after me. I clipped the lead on, gave him lots of fuss and praise, then let him off again. I did this about six times all told. Any other ideas? Pippa are you there? ...
You say he's not interested in treats, but would something like a "sausage tree" get him excited? Push bits of sausage (or anything else super tasty and smelly) into the bark of a tree and have him sniff them out, pointing them out and helping him reach them. It's more than just, "yay, you came back, here's a bit of sausage", because it's an interactive game. My two adore it. You'd need to set it up before you take him out, or have a helper come along to make it for you while you keep him away. Of course, the more excited and squeaky you can be, the better! I know it's another food one, but again, what about ping-pong recall, where you throw a chunk of something (sausage is good again) in one direction, then the other, using your recall cue as he turns to run towards (and past) you. You might need to practice this a few times at home before taking it outside, so he understands the game, but, again, it's so much more exciting than just a handful of food. If there are "safe" dogs he can play with, you can also use those as a reward, using Premack. On lead to start off with, call him to turn away from them and, as soon as he does, let him go play for a couple of minutes. Build up your criteria over time (I appreciate it's limited!) so that he has to take a pace towards you before being released, then two etc etc.
When you say he is not interested in food, does that include his dinner and his dinner bowl? If not, then I'd start with associating his recall with being fed, just like a puppy. Then take his bowl and dinner on a walk with you. I do sympathise, Charlie isn't all that motivated by food out and about but is motivated by chasing. So I can get him to chase food quite effectively. It is a pain though, so much harder work with a dog that isn't effectively reinforced by food. Toys aren't primary reinforcers, they are a secondary reinforcers. So it's what you do with the toy (play) that matters. Every game that I play with Charlie has been built up, and built up until his desire for games is now sky high so high that toys for Charlie pretty much act as a primary reinforcer and I can just hand him a toy and it will work as an effective reinforcer but this takes time. I wonder if you are restricted in using a chase drive? I thought guide dogs weren't suppose to be encouraged to chase balls or moving objects. If not, and he is motivated by chase, then you could start building his desire for games by putting toys on the end of a lunge whip (whipit).
You say he is not interested in retrieving but will he chase? I threw tennis balls, Oban's favourite type of ball. I did North/South to establish that coming promptly got another chance to chase. This would be like Snowbunny's ping pong but the reward is to run away again so you might not like to try it. Then I introduced the whistle first by throwing behind me so, really, the first time on the whistle he ran right by me but by then he had the idea from North/South. Oban was 18 months. He was not ignoring the verbal COME becasue I had been very careful not to poison it but I changed the cue anyway. I was able to go back to COME and the hand signal eventually.
I think it's the same thing - as the dog turns towards you, you turn away from him and throw the next treat, so he runs past you. The idea is to get him used to accelerating towards you.
Very good point bout the play JulieT. I will build that up. He doesn't usually like his food either, but while he's got Tatze standing by, very willing to 'help' he's actually wolfing his food down. I am also trying to free run him at hungry time before his evening meal. Two things he's not allowed are balls and eating (any) food off the ground. They are all taught to the whistle, but I'm waiting at least a week of practice indoors and in the garden to re-introduce it. Many thanks for your ideas, please keep them coming ...
I used to do a lot of about-turns on our off-leash walks. I think it got Snowie used to checking in on me. I also used to hide behind trees and call him -- he loved this hide n seek game, also good for checking in on me cos I would go hide without telling him and then he'd realise I had disappeared.
Yes, that's what he's doing when I charge off in the other direction, I think - checking he doesn't lose me. Which is a very good sign considering he's only been with me since Friday. He's not a chaser, now that Tatze's home he plays with her, but she chases him, not the other way round. They are amazingly calm together. ...
Well, I took him for a long free run in the woods today. He stayed within 30 yards, explored nicely and came back every time I called, which was about five times. We had a nice play on the lead with a toy each time then I let him off again (without the toy, that stays with me). He took off after a bloke and dog who ran by so I took off in the other direction without saying a word. It took him 10 seconds to turn tail and come back to me and lots of fuss. Other people and dogs he just said a quick "hello" and carried on. We met about seven all told. I am hopeful and confident The fox poo is another story!! Long hair + lots of fox poo, ooooooh yuk!! ....
