So, young Oscar (14 months) struggled in training classes as the boredom of doing as he was asked was totally overshadowed by the many distractions. He could do all the exercises if he chose, but simply couldn't be bothered to, preferring to lead me a merry dance so that the trainer thought we hadn't practised! He would start off fine and then suddenly decide that he was bored and was simply not going to play silly obedience games and so instead would look for something more fun to do, like collapse in a heap and drool over someone else's pee, suddenly lurch off when he spied a willing accomplice and roll around having fun with them, come straight at me in a recall, then do a hard corner and go to find a playmate, decide that we had waited long enough for our turn to do something, so a good yap would be fun or chewing the lead should be enough to get my attention away from the exercise! Grr!! Anyway, after our holidays were over, the time came for the vet appointment and he was castrated a week ago, which has meant quite a few weeks out of training class (not a bad thing as I was getting stressed). We bought the Total Recall book and I thought this would be a really good way to go - ensuring a strong recall had to be beneficial - and the aim was to use his enforced rest period to gently work through it. Well, he just galloped through the early stages as he didn't put a singe hint of a paw wrong, enthusiastically bounding up to me at the whistle every time, whatever the reward be it premium or just a bit of kibble (totally food orientated chap) or a fuss. So, today, a week post-op, I thought we'd move on to the 'come away from a person' drill and arranged for a friend to call. You could've made a training video of his performance, so text-book was it. Even when it came to the friend having a handful of his fave cheese, he still bounded straight to me, without fail. It was as if he'd read the book himself. That only leaves us with the come away from another dog section, which we are looking at next week after the vet gives the ok for normal exercise again. I wonder if this will be the sticky one? The trouble is, as it has all been too easy, I am not sure whether the process will have made much difference to his behaviour in class - he is just too darned smart and seems to be enjoying the joke that he can do it all ... if he chooses!! His other area of concern is loose lead walking. He's pretty good offlead though it tending to go a bit further from me than before. I've been doing the "walk the other way to be unpredictable" thing and that is helping slowly. On lead it makes little difference unless he's tired. He just pulls this way and that towards whatever smell takes his current fancy and it is tiring to say the least and makes lead work no joy at all. If I use treats he behaves impeccably to get one, then the second it is in is mouth, off he goes again, making me feel like a mug! Any suggestions for more strategies before we return to classes in the autumn?
It sounds as if you're getting on really well with the Total Recall exercises. It might be worth bearing in mind that you'll need to repeat the 'recall from a person' in other places - just because it has worked at home doesn't make it completely secure. Re loose lead walking, my approach was to drive Molly to off lead areas, let her have a run and then put her on the lead for a short practice before letting her off lead again. When practising , I talked to her in a high pitched up-beat voice ('good walking, good girl, good walking') and streamed treats (gave one treat after another). Gradually you can widen the gap between treats and eventually you don't need them - Molly walks on a loose lead with no treats now. I'd also suggest playing with Oscar when you're out so you become the person he looks to for excitement. This was the best thing I did with Molly and on our walks I still carry a bag with dummies, a tug toy, a squeaky ball and a plastic bottle - each has its own 'rules' and Molly quivers with excitement as she waits(off lead) to see what's going to be taken from the bag first. You want your dog to see no point in running off because the fun place to be is next to you.
Hello, and a very warm welcome to the forum. It's so good to hear that your Total Recall exercises are going so well - it's so incredible valuable to work through these types of exercises, it will really pay off for you. In terms of the other things you say about Oscar...he sounds like a typical young, boisterous Labrador. As he gets a bit older, so long as you are consistent with his training, things should get easier. He is not really seeing a joke (in the way humans might see a joke), or choosing not to do things because he is smart but bored....if he is not doing what you ask it's because he is not trained well enough - it's not because he is trained but can't be bothered. Training is all about your dog "being bothered" - in a way, anyway. No, he is not enjoying a joke (dogs do not think like that ) - he just isn't trained enough to do what you ask with the level of distractions that he is presented with. So, you have to work up slowly through the distractions until he can do what you ask - just like you describe yourself doing with the Total Recall exercises. If you apply the methods presented in Total Recall to other exercises, you will find Oscar will be successful in doing what you ask of him at training. Very best of luck with your training.
Thanks both. Oscar is a gorgeous boy who is loved by all and really, I guess we are not doing badly given that he's my first Labrador and I've only had him since he was 7 months old. Other than a ball or frisbee, (which is ok, but not THAT exciting as he will fetch a couple of times, carry for a few yards then abandon in favour of a smell) I must confess I hadn't thought of taking toys on a walk. I will give that a go. I really do need to sort out the lead issue as it is a nightmare sometimes, especially having to pass other dogs who he simply wants to go and play with as that is one of his biggest loves. I have tried the non stop treat approach, but it doesn't seem to work as he will take one and try to rush off to something whilst eating it. Passing another dog, also on lead, is the worst thing. I try to set it up for success in advance, get treats ready and walk briskly, effectively luring him past, telling him how good he is, then treat as soon as we're past. Occasionally it works but often he will try to duck round behind my legs and has even managed once or twice to spin me round if it catches me off balance. If I give him the treat before we've passed by, he will try to lurch off while chewing. I'm planning, when the vet says he's ok to rough and tumble again (hopefully next week), to visit my friend and her Gt Dane (18 months). He really needs recall training, as for too long she only called him to catch him and take away fun/freedom, so we thought some joint "Total Recall" training in her garden might help both dogs. She's starting this weekend with whistle/treat, but it's not easy as Danes are so laid back about food, totally unlike labs. He will however stand and walk quietly on lead, so that could be useful in teaching Oscar to resist lurching off to seek playtime with him. Any tips/thoughts on our working together? Any pitfalls to beware? Regarding what looks like Oscar experiencing boredom, even if it's not exactly that, do you have suggestions as to approaches I can try when we go back to classes? I'm talking about times when, inevitably, the trainer needs us to attend while she explains or demonstrates something and each dog/handler then does it in turn. I get a bit embarrassed when Oscar, after a few minutes, will start to either chew his lead or bark, I'm assuming in frustration. He knows two commands and does well with them.... Stay! (meaning don't move until I come back to you and give you the release command) and Wait! (meaning don't move until I tell you to do something else, like come to me, eat your food, go play etc). Is it these that I need to 'proof' more in preparation for such situations and perhaps extend the time with the wait?
There are quite a few things there...but the approach is more or less the same for all of them. It is quite difficult to train some dogs to walk quietly by other dogs (my dog was a nightmare for lunging towards other dogs when he was younger and he still has his moments ) and it's particularly difficult to do this out and about on walks, I think. What I did was find a trainer who had a lot of dogs and a field. I started off walking around a perfectly trained gundog who didn't move no matter how silly my dog acted, and I was as far away as I could get and still be in the same field. Then we got closer, then the dog moved, then we tried with a younger dog (who wasn't as well trained), then a puppy, then a rescue dog (who would growl and bark a bit at Charlie). And so on. Whatever you want to do, but your dog is finding difficult, try to find a way to break it down into smaller steps and move onto the next step only when your dog is successful. It seems time consuming, but it really does work. In your class situation, I think it is difficult to use "stay" and "wait". Yes, you can try to build those cues up in duration and use them to tell him to be still while the instructor talks. I never do this though. The reason I don't is because I don't know how long the instructor is going to talk for, it might be longer than my dog will "stay". In which case, I'm setting him up to fail and also damaging my cue. And it's a lot to ask my dog anyway, to do many minutes in a stay in a class of other dogs. So I use a "settle" cue. And I allow him to move when I know if I ask more of him he will whine or become restless - even if the instructor is still talking. Very best of luck with it.
Fab. Thanks so much for the advice. Took him out today and stopped by a corner shop on the way to buy a new squeaky toy. He was really taken with it & playing with it was as good a reward as food ... Wow!! I can see having a few exciting toys in a bag could be really good.
In class situations I used to take a frozen Kong for when the instructor was speaking. It kept Harley busy and so occupied with the kong that she didn't notice any of the other dogs.
Further to the toys / playing, Molly doesn't have access to any of the toys from my bag at home to chew or play with by herself. I keep them as special things we play with together.
I have been trying for ages to ask a question and can't post it.... How do I do it and what am I doing wrong????
Hello there Ann, and a warm welcome. You can post anywhere, we can move your post if we think we need to - but generally, go to the main forum boards, pick a subject that seems relevant (eg training, or health, whatever) and then click "new topic". Write your post and click "post reply". Best of luck with it.
