Hi everyone I’m new to the forums, but I started with the Labrador site before I got my gorgeous boy 18 months ago, her book helped me soooo much! And I now have total recal-this is where my barrier is..... So Loki is amazing, so good, but as a typical lab he LOVES other dogs far more than me so I have stopped and started certain parts of his training (bad on my part) but I’m determined to get it right this time! This is where (hopefully) you guys can help, my life is so routine, I only work 2 shifts a week same days same time, my children are in a set routine, I am in a set routine, but I just can’t seem to incorporate his training in it, I start and do it for several days and then it doesn’t stick and before I know it I realise I haven’t done it for a week so I’m hoping that if I keep it updated on here that it will make me continue, and if not that someone on here will shout at me So my main aims are: 1) To get Loki walking better on a lead (I do continue this every walk at least) he pulls a little, but not half as much as he did 2) to get his recal sorted so running off full pelt at another dog is no longer a problem! 3) to be able to walk past other dogs without him dislocating my shoulder!!!! 4) for him to wait until I tell him he can go play with a dog, or no keep away Any help is much appreciated!! I’m going to start the about turn as of tomorrow which I think will be good as he doesn’t like it if he can’t see me! Danielle xx
Hi Danielle and welcome! It sounds like you have a perfectly normal Labrador, and Loki is a perfect name Sometimes it's difficult when we have a fixed routine to find space in it for anything else, so what I like to do when I'm trying to incorporate a new habit into myself is set an alarm to do it. I treat it as if it's an important appointment I can't miss, so even if I'm in the middle of something else, I think "if this was a meeting with the Queen, I'd drop what I'm doing to go". I also use the coach.me app which allows me to tick off tasks each day, which is a little bit of positive reinforcement for me! They say if you do something for thirty days, it becomes habit, so using little tricks to get you doing that will help. As for the pulling towards other dogs, I use the "Look At That" protocol a LOT with things that either scare or excite my dogs. You can read more about it here: https://thelabradorforum.com/threads/look-at-that.22184/ Good luck and let us know how you get on
Thank you for the reply! I had a look at your post in the link and sounds exactly what I need! He already knows his clicker means treats! So I can start this straight away! I like your alarm idea, so I may have to set that up! I decided as it was still light after work (roll on summer) to take him over the field nearby for a bit, and it was fab as no one else was around! So after his initial THROW THE BALL THROW THE BALL PLEASE THROW THE BALL jumping around like a lunatic had left his system-normally after a scent takes him off exploring....I turned and walked away, and he did exactly as intended! And for the whole walk we repeated, it was great as I normally walk straight down the trodden path as the rest of it is marshy! So the fact I was going all over was concerning him enough that he didn’t stray to far after the first couple times he lost me! The only nerve racking but was him running at me full pelt! He hasn’t got very good brakes-or coordination for that matter! So I’ve been floored a few times, but overall loved doing this with him, first fun walk we’ve had in a long time!
As you can see from my avatar, I have three Labs. Two have reasonable brakes, the choccy, Luna (Squidge) has none. In a happy coincidence ( ) she's also the heaviest. In the winters, we live in a ski resort, so often find ourselves with three Labradors hurtling down a steep snowy slope towards us. I have coined this a "Labalanche" That's great - walks should be fun for both of you! I shared a blog post the other day which said something along the lines of "you want to look like someone who loves their dog". So true! Walks for me are spent goofing about with my lot. We have so much fun, train a few behaviours along the way but laugh while we're doing it. I've really tried to move away from serious training to play-based training in the last year or so and I've got far better "serious" behaviours (loose lead walking, recall etc) out of approaching it in a goofy way. Rather than just acting (as the article put it) as a "pez dispenser", I started to really engage. Yes, I still use plenty of treats, but they're bundled up with real interaction and that's where the magic is made
Our trainer always drums it into everyone to "stand with your legs apart" when recalling - avoid the dog bowling into your shins - ouch-ouchie!. How about going to a training class once a week? That might help bring some routine to your training too.
Aww snow bunny they are all adorable! I managed to get a photo up now of my mucky monkey! I love the term labalanche lol Well day 2 (yesterday) went really well, we did the about turn in the field for an hour, and I kept him engaged with tricks when he came back, even taught him “through” my legs as I’m walking! Then the kids wanted to give it a go so we took him out after school to do it again, and today we tried it somewhere knew, in the woods with lots of hiding places! My Dad took him out this afternoon to catch up with me and my daughter going for a run, and he said he couldn’t believe the difference, wasn’t going very far ahead of him, and kept stopping and making sure grandad wasn’t being a naughty human too lol Edzbird....I did try a training course, but unfortunately the only one local changed nights and I can not make it, but I only went twice and didn’t feel comfortable as the trainer made us swap dogs for the entire session, so I wasn’t working with Loki at all which I thought very odd, but thank you for the tip of standing with legs apart! I try to keep a spare ball in my pocket and throw it last minute which completely changes his direction ha ha
Swapping dogs? How bizarre- did they give any rationale? I could understand it perhaps at an advanced level, but it seems odd when you're there to train your own puppy. I wouldn't like that either.
We do that often at puppy class - it’s a real eye opener! We give subtle signals that we don’t realise, our pups attune to them and we think our cue is one thing yet the dog is picking up on something else entirely. We don’t do it for the entire session ‘tho, just one exercise.
I had one ‘swap’ - the young Lab was brilliant for her puppy walker, she was the opposite for me, I couldn’t get her to do a thing! A testiment to all the hard work she’d put in. But it also made me realise how much we take for granted, I really had to concentrate with her, far more than I do with Keir.
We also did a swop for an exercise and it was fun but we cheated a bit and swopped with Harley's pittie friend. Her owners were so pleased to try a dog that will work for food and we were pleased to such a calm dog. But we only did it once. I can't see why you would swop at that level for an entire session?
Yes I can understand for just certain parts of a lesson, but I literally handed my 12 week old pup over to someone I didn’t know for an hour, both lessons, and was told this was normal and happens every week... On a side note I have noticed (even in the space of four days since I started this new training) that he has been a lot calmer in doors which is great! On Monday mornings he’s normally following me around tripping me up as he knows I’m going to work and the kids to school, but he’s laid in his open pen fast asleep lol
It really is a strange idea? I mean, at that age your training is part of your bonding with them. Anyway, I am glad you are both enjoying the new training stuff.
He he thank you, he certainly is a little monkey, he came over and just sat in front of me covered in mud and just looked as if to say “what mum” so I sent him in the stream to clean up before we came home lol
Ok so I’m 3 weeks ish into my new training....and massive breakthrough, Loki now walks like an angel on his lead I have been walking him on lead all the time and treating when he’s by my side, stopping dead if he pulls, and I also got a front clip harness, and this weekend we went on lots of walks as it was pure bliss!! Can’t tell you how happy I am after a year of aching arms because of his pulling! So happy Mummy has seen such a good improvement I am ready to keep going! I havnt Started recall yet as the kids are on holiday and are far to distracting to the pupster! So instead I’ve been getting him used to his training lead over the fields ready for next week when I can focus on it properly
