My lab is just over 6 months old his recall training went well to start with and he comes to the whistle every time in the garden but when I take him out he is so interested in every smell out there he ignores it until I make a fuss jumping running away and making silly noises ( I have the total recall book) and have been using a clicker for a couple of weeks. This is not to mention people and other dogs who he goes straight for! I am getting a bit frustrated now as his training seems to have stalled and in fact he seems to be getting worse, I am persevering with his recall but he seems to be getting nowhere. Anyone any advice , had similar problems? Thanks
Sam is a bit like that at the minute , maybe their age and general puppyness ( I hope ) . I've a session booked with trainer this week so I'll have a list ready for him . I'm not feeling frustrated though, just going with the flow x
When our young chocolate labrador hit a similar age, maybe a little older, his recall went to pot, well became non-existent and hugely embarrassing at times! Everything else was just too exciting! We went back a couple of stages in the recall training, upped the value stakes on the treats, so chunks of roasted chicken, venison sausages etc...We also added a long line to help set up successful recalls. We found enrolling in adolescent classes invaluable. They were held outside in small groups, and really helped with training impulse control. We revisiting loose lead walking (which often disintegrates at this age!) and also tips on how to engage our dogs on walks, looking at "checking in" i.e. rewarding your dog for paying attention to you, and this encourages your dog to stay close to you on walks. I think the important thing to remember is this is normal, as young dogs hit adolescence, they become more interested in the world around them, hormones play a huge part in this also, and can make them less risk adverse. Patience is needed, and lots and lots of training! Good luck!
Yep, six months and training seems to fall apart! As Kate says, try going back a couple of stages or even right back to basics. Make yourself super exciting to your pup so that they want to stay with you on walks. It's hard, you need to be consistent.
What really helped me was playing with Molly while on walks. For months I always carried a tuggy toy stuffed in a pocket and we had frequent short games while out and about. The idea is to make yourself more exciting than anything else around. I also gave a food reward whenever Molly came within a yard of me without being called and the 'about-turn walk' described in Total Recall was useful too. I think most dogs go through this stage so don't be disheartened.
Great advice already given. Don't get disheartened the recall problem is vey common as our puppies grow out of puppyhood and start gaining confidence and independence from us. There is nothing wrong with going back to basics and r-training the recall and gradually adding distractions. As with most things with our dogs its training, training, and consistency. Good luck
