I can't put it off any longer, I need to start proofing Cassie's recall so we can get out and about off lead in public more. So I now have a copy of Total Recall. She's now 13 months. Where we exercise, play, train is privately owned and we can be out for an hour and not meet anyone. So this is where we currently are ; She constantly checks my whereabouts She will return to me voluntarily frequently In areas where I tend to do training (because the terrain suits but different places) she will wait/come to walk alongside me of her own accord. Similarly lately when I do about turn after a couple minutes she will be walking behind me. If she pops off after squirrel etc or more often on it's scent she turns back after a couple of bounds, this is when I have had whiplash recall on a couple of occasions (sheep) BUT she is often very slow to come back from just a few yards away if just doing "routine" sniffing. I've been improving my "squeaky" voice approach with some success and teaching hand touch. So far she has not run away, but we've had one failed recall to the whistle when another dog about the day before she came on heat. So I feel we are doing ok but recall needs is improving, I already use whistle - 3 pips - at mealtimes, when running towards me outside. Sometimes she will start to come when she sees/hears me touch the whistle, sometimes she will pelt towards me and then get side tracked by a smell etc a few yards out and then saunter to me in her own time. This is what I'd like to change. This probably seems a bit of a silly question but would I be best to change the signal to 5 pips or do something different like --- pip-peep-pip (by peep I mean a longer note).? Advice needed! In order to follow exercises in Total Recall.
Sounds to me Cassie is doing very well and you are working on lots of things with her, great she doesn't run away. I'm not all together sure why you need to change your recall signal? Is it because you had one failed recall from a dog? You don't get to meet other dogs which is our issue too, can you arrange to meet other dog walkers in different areas to train? Can you you throw a ball for her and recall her when she is running towards you, I find this makes Charlie run faster? This might speed things up a little. Someone with lots more knowledge will be along Selina x
Thanks for reply. I'm not sure either! I think the nub of my problem is that the whistle clearly does mean come back to me --- but it isn't quite as sharp as I'd like it to be in actually coming directly to me. So do I follow T.R exercises using current signal or change it? I can't decide Before I start proofing.
I retrained my recall using my old verbal cue, working through total recall, and he's been successful with everything we've proofed so far. He turns and runs back to me as fast as he can. I found it was fine to use the same cue, but avoided recalling him in situations I haven't proofed yet. If I think he won't respond I either wait for him to come back or go and get him.
@charlie , I will be able to find dogs to proof with quite easily, at the moment though I try to take the easy option and avoid, but that can't go on any longer
