Well, hello everyone! I feel like the only time I post is about a problem :-\ I assure you, Hamilton is usually a very good puppy, although the past week has been sketchy! His training for the most part has been going great, but his recall is just terrible lately! I had posted about him running after some ladies on the trail and not responding to my recall, but he was placed into a new situation and I don't expect him to know he is not allowed to run after people when part of his recall training was to run after me I do, however, expect him to come running to me like a mad dog when i call him like he always has been doing when we are going for a walk in our normal field. Lately, he has been completely ignoring me. He won't even look up at me or move an ear when I call his name. I clap, whistle, lay down like an idiot, and nothing seems to be working! Eventually he will decide to run towards me when he feels like it, but he never stops he just runs around me and back in the other direction. The only time he will stop is if I have the treat bag visible. The question I have is do any of you think it's time to completely scratch the "Hamilton, come!" command and start with a new one? I feel like somewhere along the line, his command has turned into "Come whenever you feel like!" Or do you guys think he is doing ok and he's just being a 4 1/2 month old puppy? What am I doing wrong? Am I being too lenient, or maybe I have done something to piss him off. Another thought I had was that we have a couple that watches him alot when we are out, and these people don't understand that he should not be praised until he has made it all the way and stopped. Is this the problem? Sorry this is such a long post, but I know Hamilton knows I'm frustrated and I'm trying so hard not to show it!
Re: Is it time to start over? I think probably you need to go back a step or two in his recall training...instead of challenging him repeatedly, practice simple recalls and reward generously for those successes, and then build up in either distance from you, or distractions...not at the same time. As long as you are only giving your cue ONCE, it's probably still valid...but charge it up! Same thing is happening with Bella - as she gains confidence, she tests more...so it's back to simple recalls that I know she can do, reward and charge it back up...and NOT using the recall in situations where she might not respond because we haven't trained for it...or she is simply WAY too distracted! Good luck!!! ;D
Re: Is it time to start over? Thanks, Sunsetpines! I think you are very right as far as too many distractions as well as too much distance. I think I will start running closer to him before calling or not letting him run so far out before I call him back. He was doing so well before and I think I took it for granted and expected him to do it every time. I really really don't want to take away his off leash running, but I am about to pretty soon if he continues to do this, and just stick with leash walks until he learns to come back to us.
Re: Is it time to start over? [quote author=Libamajig123 link=topic=9764.msg141237#msg141237 date=1422909823] Lately, he has been completely ignoring me. He won't even look up at me or move an ear when I call his name. [/quote] I think there is so much more to recall than just training the cue. Training the recall cue is, of course, critical. But if your dog is completely "tuned out" doing his own thing, he probably doesn't even hear his recall cue. I believe the key to a successful recall (once you have the hygiene factor of a properly trained cue) is to have your dog's attention on you out and about. You need your dog to be "checking in", thinking you are interesting, half waiting - even when he is doing his own thing - for what you might do next. I'd think about starting focus on you exercises, and rewarding for attention, in addition to training your recall. [quote author=Libamajig123 link=topic=9764.msg141237#msg141237 date=1422909823] I know Hamilton knows I'm frustrated and I'm trying so hard not to show it! [/quote] Nope, Hamilton knows no such thing...let alone cares. Dogs really don't think like that.
Re: Is it time to start over? Thanks, JulieT! He does look back at us when he's running to make sure we are still there. I think I need to take that opportunity to call him back while there is still a chance of him listening. Otherwise he does completely tune us out.
Re: Is it time to start over? And tonight I actually started over with the basics. laying on the floor and as soon as he comes running say "Hamilton come!" and giving him a ridiculous amount of praise : I hope starting over with the basics helps!!
Re: Is it time to start over? [quote author=Libamajig123 link=topic=9764.msg141277#msg141277 date=1422929014] Thanks, JulieT! He does look back at us when he's running to make sure we are still there. I think I need to take that opportunity to call him back while there is still a chance of him listening. Otherwise he does completely tune us out. [/quote] Recall can end up being a negative thing if you are not careful. The fastest way for me to ruin my recall is to keep using it to call my dog away from things he wants to do. I look at it like a bank balance...I need loads of recalls where what I'm doing is better than what he was going to do, to balance out the few where what he wanted to do was better. You need to just work on him thinking you are the most exciting thing ever...so when he hears his recall he thinks "yippee". I honestly think this is broader than training the recall cue. It's about what your dog gets to do when he is with you, how much fun he has. Ideally, you don't want him to leave you to run in the first place,stopping a dog that has already made a commitment to run towards another dog etc. is the thing to try to avoid really.
Re: Is it time to start over? I "poisoned" a recall with my dog some time back by having repeat failures just as you are describing so I changed the recall and retrained it. I think an important point is to set things up so you don't get any failures. So only use the new command at first when Hamilton is actually on his way back to you anyway. I must say I've never completely cracked the recall. There are a few circumstances when I know it will fail so I avoid using it then. My dog is very timid with other dogs for example, and will go flat even at a distance if another dog is approaching. The recall will fail 100% then so I don't use it.
Re: Is it time to start over? It helps if you have something that your dog loves... be that pieces of roast chicken in a treat bag, or a ball that you throw for him when he comes back to you. Not all dogs are the same - some are very food motivated, some love a tennis ball... You have to find out what makes him tick, and work with that.
Re: Is it time to start over? [quote author=JulieT link=topic=9764.msg141293#msg141293 date=1422952019] I look at it like a bank balance...I need loads of recalls where what I'm doing is better than what he was going to do, to balance out the few where what he wanted to do was better. [/quote] This is so true and it's something I am guilty of having forgotten recently. I was blaming Inca for hitting adolescence but when I think about it I had become quite complacent and I wasn't doing enough random recalls. Lo and behold I had my first failed recall yesterday. So back to basics for me again, I need to play more games with her and keep the rewards strong. Not easy this dog training lark - just as you think you have cracked something new something else falls apart. Doh!
Re: Is it time to start over? This is some very good advice! He comes every time I call him in the house and back yard, so I think that we have challenged him too much by calling him when he's sniffing something in the field or rolling around in the snow which is a lot more interesting than us with a bag of his usual treats. His favorite game in the world is tug. If I brought a tug rope with every time we go out, do you think that would confuse him? I know he will come running for a game of tug! Thanks a lot for all the posts! They have been extremely helpful!!
Re: Is it time to start over? Maisie recalls equally for a game of tug or a good treat! Something else you can do if you don't have a tug toy is just do something kind of fun with him if it works for you. For example, in the park I'm working on Maisie sticking with me, and she loves it when I run around with her. So sometimes if we recall, I'll do a bit of run with her or I'll throw a ball.. mix it up more than just treats. For some people running around with the dog isn't good (encouraging chasing you rather than following you for example?) so like you said, use what he thinks is fun.. like tug or anything else that is really fun for him!
Re: Is it time to start over? Hello again! I just wanted to pop in and update on Hamilton's recall. Rather than starting over with a new call, we started back from the beginning and wow has that helped a ton! He did fantastic with Kelly and me on Sunday in the field. We started by calling him when he was closer and he would run to us every time so we let him venture out further...but the great thing was he wouldn't go that far! He kept turning to look at us and stop until we got closer ;D. Today I took him out on my own. It started out sketchy! He took off on the trail to chase something but before we went out I let him smell his "Jackpot" treat (a can of wet catfood ;D) and as soon as he looked at me after he took off he saw that I had his treat ready and I called him and he ran right towards me even though he would have rather chased something on the trail! I didn't let him have all of it but after that he responded every time. Although I was a little frustrated that he took off on me again, I am extremely pleased with him running back to me when I called him! I also brought a tennis ball with that he loves to steal out of hands any chance he gets so that helped out a bit too All in all a very good few days for Hammie! And now we have a happy, sleepy and obedient puppy ;D ;D We've also been working on speak, and speak quietly! He almost has speak quietly down! If he starts barking up a storm at the evil birds outside I can tell him quietly and they turn into adorable tiny barklets. And thanks again for the advice! I realized that I was just not being exciting enough. I now have super delicious "Jackpot" treats, fun toys, and let him chase me and it's working well! And sorry my post always end up so long
