Hello, I'm new to this forum. I have a Lab cross (mother was Chesapeake Bay Retriever) called Molly, who is nearly 7 months old. Last week I bought and read 'Total Recall' as I am suddenly having problems, but have one or two queries. I was already using a whistle, so should I start again with a new, different sounding, whistle - and will this work? Can I make it work without a training line? I could go to the recreation ground or Downs with a line, but most places I normally walk (and where I have problems) the line would quickly get tangled on things. Molly's recall has been generally very good - except when she gets the scent of a dead creature. I live right on the coast and we have had an enormous number of dead seagulls and crows lying around this winter. Molly won't come if she finds a dead bird (she eats it) and I've tried everything including coaxing with food (sausages, ham, cheese etc) and running away (she doesn't follow). Just recently she's also started to run off after other dogs - she is very sociable, desperate to play. This morning was dreadful - she was gone for 10 minutes and eventually I found her with someone who had put her on his dog's lead & was trying my mobile (no signal!) Molly was completely unconcerned. She is not my first dog, which is why I feel so upset and helpless - I've had a chocolate Lab, a cocker spaniel and even a springer years ago and all just wanted to be with me. I have done 12 weeks of dog training classes - but in the hall Molly behaves perfectly. Please help!
Re: Advice about recall & 'Total Recall' please Hi and welcome from me and my dogs Seven months os around the age that many pups begin to feel their feet and act accordingly , if it were me , I would take Molly right back to basics , use a different whistle and maybe even different commands, so if you were using Here, use Come instead , just a fresh start completely . As you say that its in more difficult terrain that Molly tends to heed her own instincts and that this is the area where it isnt practical to use a training line , maybe concentrate on the more open areas for now, using the line and reinforcing the recall all the time . I know its frustrating , my rescue girl would be an agel one day and a shocker the next but it was just a case of repetition and reinforcement until I was able to relax , stick at it, you will get there , she is still a puppy and will learn quickly, good luck x
Re: Advice about recall & 'Total Recall' please Thanks for welcome & suggestions. Will a new whistle be different enough from my old whistle? (Don't know quite what else I'm imagining I could use - a horn? a bell? Perhaps not...)
Re: Advice about recall & 'Total Recall' please Hi Joy! Welcome to the forum, Good luck with Total Recall Jac and Lilly (wildlife fan - almost 4 year old black girl)
Re: Advice about recall & 'Total Recall' please You could buy another whistle with a different tone, you can get Acme dog training whistles in different tones eg 210.5, 211.5, you could also whistle a different number of 'blasts' ie toot toot toot, or 'several toots' or 'two toots' or a 'little tune'! Anything which is different from what you used before.
Re: Advice about recall & 'Total Recall' please [quote author=Stacia link=topic=5077.msg63837#msg63837 date=1395869111] you could also whistle ... ... ... ' or a 'little tune'! [/quote] Was wondering, as I plan to reinforce Charlie's recall whether to change my whistle pips. Yes! I'm going to change to a 7 note "Shave-and-a-haircut"! dah-di-di-dah-dit, di-dit. Bahahahahah! (By the way, that's /i in morse! And means I'm going now. For those who believe in dogs' pattern recognition abilities : Sorry)
Re: Advice about recall & 'Total Recall' please Thanks - I'll get a new whistle and change pattern of 'pips'. My adult son walks Molly on 2 days each week and talking to him last night he said he just whistles with his mouth. He demonstrated a two tone whistle and Molly came scurrying up. Incidentally he doesn't carry treats yet doesn't seem to have problems. However he does play exciting games with her, and says if she starts to look bored / distracted he runs with her for a few minutes. So perhaps I need to make myself more interesting - I suppose I'd got into a bit of a plodding rut with my lovely old choccie boy in the last year of his life.
