Guys I can't begin to tell you how happy I am about Bob! I know I posted a woe is me post before Christmas because we'd had such a run of bad luck with Bob since he was neutered back in October. I am delighted to say he is now free of his kennel cough, with no limp at all... and no stomach upsets! SO WE ARE BACK OUT OFF LEAD AGAIN! WHOOP WHOOP! And he is a totally different dog to what he was before we had him 'done'. He is 100% focussed on me all the time when we are out. I am his No.1 literally. He greets and plays with other dogs. He even stops and waits for me to give him the GO ON THEN command to go and greet the dog (I never trained that before!) And I can safely say he comes back EVERY TIME I call him. He checks in all the time, doesn't stray far. I reward him every time he so much as glances in my direction. I'm hiding. Throwing his treats around. Making silly squeaky noises. I"m doing every thing I can to keep his focus. I don't want this to change at all! He even met a bitch on heat the other day and didn't seem to even notice her (why she was walking a BOH in a very popular walking area on a busy Bank Holiday I don't know...) but it was no issue to Bob anyway. (God before he'd been done, that would have been the walk well and truly over...) I'm actually excited when we see other dogs out and about now so Bob can have a play. Before I'd dread seeing other dogs because I know he'd just run off and be naughty and not come back. He is so much better on lead as well - maybe it's because he is now able to burn a few beans by having a decent run now?! Before I was rewarding him after he'd pulled; I'd stop then wait for him to look back, then say YES then give the treat. Well I've changed it slightly, I'm now saying YES even when he's walking nicely on a loose lead and piling the treats down him. It's really made a difference. Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you for being so lovely and supportive. I'm not saying we've cracked it, and I certainly won't be changing anything that I'm doing any time soon. But we seem to have made a great leap forwards. Bob has one VERY happy human! I'm buzzing. My boy is back! I feel like cracking the champagne open! Thanks for reading my post. Lou x
That is wonderful news! I'm so pleased to hear that you are having a good time with Bob. There is just one thing though, it could be the on lead work that gives you this result. I know that sounds mad, painful though it is to have an under exercised young dog on lead, but it was exactly the same with Charlie when he last came off rest - I could not believe how focussed he was on me off lead in lots (but not all) situations. As the time he spent free running off lead went up, his focus on me went down....so if you find Bob 'slipping' try reducing the free running.....
That is wonderful!!! I'd agree that 80% of this is probably the training you did on lead and also the fantastic things you are doing now on walks to maintain his attention. Great job!!!!
How very interesting. Yes it doesn't surprise me I guess, we've been everything to him for the last few months. He's known nothing other than being on lead with us. We shall certainly be carrying on with the on lead training. He's by no means sorted in the pulling department so it still needs extensive work. Hopefully if we can keep that up his focus on us off lead will remain. A lot of the time during the week, he's probably only likely to get lead walks anyway I think. But thank you for your replies. I"m feeling so happy about it all. xx
It is really lovely to hear that you are happy with Bob - long may it continue. I know it's been a long slog for you, and it's tough managing with a young dog on lead all the time, but it has some advantages. No off lead time isn't good. But a lot of free running off lead isn't good either. The trick is to keep the balance, and his focus on you when off lead - that's precious. Let him off lead to retrieve, walk at heel, play recall games, and a bit of free sniffing. And keep that wonderful focus on you....
Yup we are on it JulieT I've been trying to train the 'drop' when he retrieves something. Because before he used to just hang onto whatever he'd got after I'd thrown it. I'm literally just saying YES (which is how we mark a good behaviour) when (or if) he drops, and then treating him and picking up whatever it was and throwing it again. I've not attached the word DROP to this process yet. But I think he's getting there. We do a lot of sit/stays as well which he loves doing. I do love throwing things for him and then pegging it in the opposite direction as fast as I can as well so it turns into a game of chase. But yes thank you. Long may it continue eh?! x
I am SO happy for you. You and Bob have had such a run of bad luck, but you have hung in there and kept plugging away at it. And now you have the sucess you so richly deserve. Happy New Year
Such a happy post, thanks for making me smile ☺ So pleased that things are finally going well for you and you're getting to enjoy life with Bob
