Please can anyone give me advise on how to stop Mason running off towards people and or their dogs when we go out? I feel very embarrassed and apologise and last 2 people haven't said much. I put him back on lead this morning and he walked ok but don't know from now on to keep him on lead? When it's just him and I for first few minutes we practice recall and is so good but when he spots someone he is gone! I call but he is the zone, I can't really run.
Do you have the book Total Recall? It covers all aspects of recall with proofing exercises from people amongst other things. One thing that I think has helped Cassie take other people on walks in her stride is walks with other dogs I've found. Until the first Forum walk we did when she was 10 months she had never been exercised in a public place, and I know she would have been just like Mason, but being with other dogs meant that other people were less interesting. Gradually she has got better at not wanting to throw herself at everyone we meet. We have also done some LAT training when she is on lead, and now go to a really good class where we work amongst distractions all the time, I think both these have helped aswell.
This could have been written by me when Sam was that age ! Don't despair , its one of the most common issues, mainly because Labs are such sociable dogs , loving everyone and every dog they come across ! Good advice above from @selina27 , it does get better, honestly !
Total recall is a really good book to work through. I just wrote in another thread about making yourself exciting so they focus on you and not at everything else around them. Be exciting, flap your arms around, jump around a bit, slowly run / walk fast away from him making lots of excitable noises so he comes to see what you are doing.
Hi sorry pressed post and d Hi I have downloaded the book but haven't had many opportunities to finish it. I will pick it up again and thank you. I do try LAT when on lead and he is pretty good. We also attend training and he does fairly well usually a bit tired after few minutes.
Really? That's reassuring to know and thank you. He definitely is sociable and just loves people and their dogs but I'm pretty sure they don't always want him running towards them. Thank you
I see, I start off like that but it's hard to keep it up as we do go on long walks. I know we shouldn't be but we both enjoy them.
Another thing you can do is play games like ''find it'' as you go, by hiding his rewards, 2 or 3, and getting him to search for them, Cass loves that, and teaching hand touch is also really a really positive thing to teach that helps with voluntary recalls. Anything that you can do that helps keep him with you makes it easier to recall him when you see other folk about.
Thank you. He doesn't go go far away but his senses are amazing he spots or smells people/dogs from quite a distance. I feel like a spy constantly looking around but then when I let my guard down boom he spots someone. Just wondering if to keep him on the lead?
