So I thought my 13 month old Gwenni’s recall was pretty good. But she has gone into supersniffer mode at times on our walks in the last few days and goes a little too far for my liking and doesn’t listen to my recall whistle. I’m surprised by it , but I think the foxes and badgers must be out scent marking and mating and this is what she is sniffing for the first time in her life. So we are going back to more high frequency recalls and rewards and focussing on me more again on walks. That working Labrador nose of hers is amazing! I know at 13 months whilst many of her behaviours are pretty good, she’s not finished with her training yet and is not fully predictable, you can’t get complacent !!
Aah, selective deafness, possibly mixed with a stubborn streak that may become more apparent as she gets older. Black Dog Faye was an expert at filtering out what she didn't want to hear, I'd know she'd hear me because I'd see her lugs twitch at the sound of my voice but there'd be no response at all. It took a while but eventually she understood that the deep loud voice saying "RIGHT NOW" really meant it ! (most of the time anyway). Blind Dog Bruno is a bit similar but his understanding of human is excellent, he knows the basics plus left and right, step up / step down, stop etc. "MIND" stops him in his tracks and he stands with his eyes closed until I steer him round what ever it is that he's about to bash his face on. He also knows what 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 means and is usually on his way back to me by the time I get to 3 It all took time and patience and Bruno learnt the "MIND" command by erm, 'cough' bashing his face on things when he ignored it. The real surprise is Billy, he's very nervous when out and about having been kept shut in a room for most of his life by his previous owner. Yet even when we're somewhere unfamiliar and his anxiety is through the roof, his recall is excellent. You'll find something that works, try keeping Gwenni's treats in a small tupperware box so they'll make a clatter when you shake it, if she associates that sound with getting something tasty it may do the trick.
Ohhhhh , she’s been cracking over the last few months, hope it’s not the start of something! Been doing lots of training on the beach and retrieving fun and I’m being quite unpredictable on walks ! All keeping her focus on me and she’s been good girl. I think I may have overestimated her and treated her like an adult dog who likes to just trot along or perhaps I’ve been underestimating her need to be ‘worked’. she is such a clever girl and needs to do more things I think not just walk with the occasional swim.
Ah, your post rings great bells with me. Dilly (a Lab/Collie/Lurcher-X) is just two now and as bright as a button. There have been a few occasions recently where she’s spotted ‘something’ (rabbit, hare or deer, so far) and the lurcher bit kicks in. I don’t do more than one initial attempt at recalling because I realise she is ‘Locked-On’ and it’ll be futile. Luckily she doesn’t have a collie’s stamina so doesn’t go off for ages but does have the lab/collie niceness to return to me once she’s had her fun-run so I just quietly put her on the lead for the rest of the walk. I am at a bit of a loss what else to do since this can happen in the midst of playing a game and being (apparently!) fully engaged in fun with me!
I guess things may not ‘proofed’ for a long while and new things pop up? I believe the recall should generate an automatic response, so needs to be so solid to compete with their breed instincts and skills. These smells were new ones to my dog and I had to up my game on walks again for a while, she can smell dead things with such ease. Perhaps the dog experts on here would suggest long lining again for you ?
