Hello, I'm new to the site so apologies if this is a repeated post! I have a 5 1/2 month old choc lab. He is a lovely dog, we all adore him EXCEPT, he is a complete nightmare to take out His recall at home and in an empty field is brilliant but the second he sees another dog or person he's off like a shot. What can I do to stop this? I've tried treats but he couldn't care less when there's a potential playmate! Obviously it can be quite nerve wracking for some other people and dogs to see this beast come flying at them like a bat out of hell! The other problem is his lead walking, he pulls terribly and tries to run after everything. We have a halti but that doesn't help much to be honest. I took him to puppy classes and I continue to follow what we did there but there are no improvements Thank you
Re: Please could I have some advice/ideas? Hi there, And welcome to the forum Bombing off after other dogs is perfectly normal, and treats that appear out of the blue will have no effect on a puppy that has better things to do. ;D But don't panic. He is still very young and all you need to do is teach him a new recall in a structured way, making it easy for him to succeed at every stage. Learning to recall away from other dogs is very tough for a dog friendly puppy and you need to begin by teaching this under very controlled conditions such as in your house or a small garden. You will need a friend or neighbour with a dog, to help you and to begin with, the other dog will need to be on a lead. You will need to put your dog on a long line if necessary so that he cannot reward himself by playing with the other dog. You will find lots of information in the recall training centre on the main site, check out the article on proofing the recall first, and shout if you have any questions. Pippa
Re: Please could I have some advice/ideas? Welcome ;D I know that feeling very well ! I too have a very sociable lab. It's one of the main reasons we still go to classes (Riley's 2 1/2) so that we get to practice everything with other dogs around as distractions. With regards to pulling on the lead you'll find lots of people who sympathise with you here too. I took the approach that we wouldn't take a single step if Riley pulled. That meant we drove to some off lead walks and took a reeeeaaally long time to get anywhere for a while but eventually it worked for us. There are some good threads on the forum and also this article on the main website: http://www.thelabradorsite.com/?p=2722
Re: Please could I have some advice/ideas? Cant add anything to the good advice but wanted to say welcome from me, two year old Sam and rescue of unknown age Millie I did exactly the same as Barbara did with Riley when Sam pulled , I just stopped dead , sometimes even walked backwards too much to the neighbours amusement, but it did work , its all about repetition and bags of patience too . They are pulling against the resistance of the collar and lead , its all about wanting to get where they are going and fast , so slowing up the walk by stopping dead and not moving is a great way for them to see that pulling gets them nowhere fast , good luck
Re: Please could I have some advice/ideas? Hi and welcome from me and Lilly, who at just over 3 is still needing me to work on Total Recall : (properly!) jac
Re: Please could I have some advice/ideas? Hi and welcome from me Helen, Hattie 6 years and Charlie 2 3/4 years. Working on Pippa's Total Recall with Charlie our rescue Lab x Pointer for the last 11 months and it is working. There is a section in the book that covers calling your dog away from other dogs so well worth you buying it I would think. Good luck. Helen x
Re: Please could I have some advice/ideas? Hi there,welcome from me Angela and Dexter the yellow lab 11 months ........... You have the start of a basic recall at the moment and thats a great starting point to work from.i can't recommend Pippa's Total Recall program enough to you.Dexter is my first dog....,a working line bred dog but he is a pet and we are learning together.A reliable recall was one of my biggest priorities.I had a limiting view through lack of confidence that I could never train a dog to a whistle but I have worked through TR pretty much to the letter......it brings amazing results,I cannot believe where we are at now.I live abroad in a city where it is illegal for your dog to be off lead in ANY public place, a reliable recall was essential and whilst we still have work and practice to do I have a great trust that within the limits I've proofed ,Dexter is a pretty safe guarantee........ Now, pulling.....it's gone midnight so I won't even start !!!But ive had a hard time with it and while its not solved you can make big improvements ( especially with such a young dog,so don't lose heart) Pippas training articles really helped me ,it will take time and patience when bad habits have been formed , Good Luck and Best Wishes x
