Sigh. So, we lost Simba for about 10 minutes on the trails yesterday. I have been noticing a distinct lack of enthusiasm on the recall over the last week - I blow whistle, he stands and looks at me, only coming after some encouragement. So I upped the treat value and it was improving, but obviously he has decided that an off-lead run-about is much more fun. Back to basics, then. And no off-lead for awhile, which really sucks as we have so been enjoying being able to take him out for "proper" walks. My fault, should have been doing more on the recall training, I know. I'm just not used to a dog that loses their learning so easily....it gets a bit disheartening at times. At least there is the dog park, and we have actually been finding dogs there the last little while So, hopefully he can burn off energy there. I'm going away Thursday to Tuesday, but once I get back, will be buckling down on the training again.
Re: Stepping backwards Hi Lisa, try not to get disheartened and focus on the great work you have already done with great results. Wow it's tough and I'm with you after 3 years of toug but you WILL get there. Maybe a long training line and lots of juicy treats to work on recall will do the trick for a few weeks? These rescue dogs sure test us to the limit don't they? From one rescue owner to another I am willing you on xxx
Re: Stepping backwards I'm not sure they lose their leaning Lisa more that they lose focus by finding something more interesting. Have you thought about having a go with Julie's sardine idea ? It's not unique to rescue labs either I can vouch for that. :
Re: Stepping backwards Oh no, naughty Simba I think the long line might be a good idea to try. I'm sure you will get there with him x
Re: Stepping backwards Sorry to read this Lisa and yes , our rescue dogs are so much harder work than the puppy variety : I would also go with the long training line and very high value treats , dont despair , these things come to try us ( in a big way at times ) keep the faith , tomorrow is another day x
Re: Stepping backwards Yes, I will take the long line next time....it's a bit tricky as lots of woods around the trails, so hard to not get tangled up in things. But will give it a go. I have been watching the trials of the sardine dispenser, will have a look at trying it. Thanks for the encouragement, appreciate it. Just so would love to take this dog on a walk and not have to fiddle around so much with dog management!
Re: Stepping backwards Ah Lisa....I'm sorry,i bet your heart was in your mouth as when you say 'lost' I guess he was out of sight....nerve wracking.I think Jen's got a point....he hasn't forgotten,he's just not proofed and he's found something far more fun to do than come back for a tasty treat!Take a few steps back when you've got time and you'll see improvement for sure...in the meantime lead walks are still walks and are getting out and about..... I know what you mean about the aspirations of how your walk should be......I had a picture of our dog walking , you know a ambling along,being sociable with other dog walkers and enjoying the outdoors together ..... Ha ha ha ha ha I've got a total admin/ management project on my hands everytime I walk with my fella!i wouldn't change him for all the world and I now accept that unless I keep him busy...he will get himself into all kinds of mischief : I haven't got any comparisons though,I know you've got a lot of experience with Border Collies.... a gorgeous breed but one that frightens the pants off me ;D so that must throw up surprises for you learning Simba's ways.....you're a cheeky chap Simba,you looked so nonchalant and well behaved on the photos on My Walk and then you go and give your mum a fright! Have a lovely break and you can do some work together when you get back X
Re: Stepping backwards Boo, rubbish! Naughty Simba Don't let it get you down though we all ebb and flow with our training. It'll come right again for you
Re: Stepping backwards I am really resistant to a long line I am afraid - not really compatible with my woodland walks, which is about 30% of my walks. After several walks of going AWOL after deer/deer scents last week, I thought yesterday I would try jackpot Tuna cat food. Let her know I had it by a wee taster for a couple of short whistle recalls before going too far down the track. I was completely blanked, I was virtually waving the tuna catfood pouch under her nose : : Do you think sardines will be better?? I feel your pain Lisa.
Re: Stepping backwards We have learned something this week called "a bumble". It's where you and your dog are, well, bumbling along together. Not legging it, and not just doing your own separate things. It involves me looking interested in what Charlie is sniffing. Tonight, on our last "bumble" for a pee before bed, I even suggested which tree looked like it needed to be peed on. : God, I hope no-one saw me...I ran up to a bush, all enthusiastically...Charlie came along with me with a "whatcha got, mum?" kind of way. Lordy. :. It worked though. We had a very pleasant "team" bumble.....
Re: Stepping backwards Oh please start a 'Bumble' thread when you get back home and catch your breath ;D
Re: Stepping backwards Lisa, sorry to hear that you are having recall issues with Simba. He certainly keeps you on your toes!! I think Julie might have something there, about keeping your dog interested in what you are doing - and being interested in what he is doing. Just communicating with each other, really. I know we would all love those ambles where you are thinking about your own stuff, knowing you can rely on your dog to behave perfectly - but sometimes and with certain dogs that is just not a possibility. Poppy is angelic, but with my old dogs I was always on high alert in case other male dogs turned up on the scene, that we didnt get along with...
Re: Stepping backwards One of articles I read, (it may have been one of Pippas articles.) must try and find it again. Well anyhow it was along the lines of..what is the purpose of a walk in a dogs mind? How can we be part of that mindset? So, basically (from my hazy memory..) So what is a dog thinking on a walk, and what does he think about us? What is the relationship at this point and how can we use this to our advantage ie: enrich the walk from the dogs perspective, making it as stimulating, and therefore keeping us more connected if that makes sense? It did also talk a little about the hunting/scavenging nature of a dog, but lost me a bit at that point. Anyhow, I took the bits I thought I could use from it. Then I came across a really interesting video clip from the BobandLush resource area,I hope no one minds me posting? The reason I like it, is the bit where she is making the walks interesting by hiding bits of food, so she is really keeping the dog stimulated and focussed on her. It was also a useful video when Benson was a bit younger, lots of ideas to keep him occupied, and before we took him on longer walks. To summarise my thoughts, if we keep our dogs closer mentally on walks, by being more interesting/engaging during the course of the walk, maybe recall would be easier as the dog already has us on his radar so to speak? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqnb5pP0A6A#t=14
Re: Stepping backwards I feel what most people don't understand is the difficulty in taking on a rescue dog that has already got bad habits, such as recall or absconding, a dog that does it's own thing is a difficult dog to train. Making yourself more interesting to these dogs is more difficult than you can imagine and I know exactly how Lisa feels as it's like banging your head off a brick wall . I have hidden food, thrown food, bought more squeaky balls, dummies, snakes etc. etc. etc. and done everything advised to get Charlie's attention and to retrieve including clicker training retrieve it's a no go for Charlie he's not interested. Everyday out in all weathers trying to get that enthusiasm has just not happened and I frankly don't understand it but there you have it, however I could open my own Pet Store : Kate said something to me as she understands rescues, that sometimes with these dogs you reach a point where you have to manage what you have as maybe there is just nothing else that can be done. We are now after nearly 3 years of working extremely hard every single day with Charlie at that stage, as at some point having a life is also important. Obviously we keep on training and hope that one day we will be ambling along and Charlie will be at our side with Hattie, yeah right : xxx
Re: Stepping backwards There are people at our dog club who have rescue dogs whose great achievements have been to be able to watch a class of other dogs without trembling in fear, or to allow an unknown person to touch them, or even just to go through a gate (Labrador rescued from puppy farm whose foot had been crushed in a gate). Those things ARE great achievements and they all have to be measured from where the dog started out when rehomed.
Re: Stepping backwards Absolutely Rachael I couldn't agree more. It's so much easier when you pick your puppy up at 8 weeks and you have a clean slate to work from but with a rescue that's mostly not going to happen as there is usually lots of baggage It's lovely to hear about the dogs at your dog club and the achievements they have with their new owners after such a terrible start in life :'( Thanks xxx
Re: Stepping backwards Yes, I really admire the people who have persevered and persevered and built their dog's trust and made slow but steady progress Quite a number on this forum too!
Re: Stepping backwards [quote author=charlie link=topic=7229.msg100074#msg100074 date=1407407138] I feel what most people don't understand is the difficulty in taking on a rescue dog that has already got bad habits, such as recall or absconding, a dog that does it's own thing is a difficult dog to train. Making yourself more interesting to these dogs is more difficult than you can imagine and I know exactly how Lisa feels as it's like banging your head off a brick wall . I have hidden food, thrown food, bought more squeaky balls, dummies, snakes etc. etc. etc. and done everything advised to get Charlie's attention and to retrieve including clicker training retrieve it's a no go for Charlie he's not interested. Everyday out in all weathers trying to get that enthusiasm has just not happened and I frankly don't understand it but there you have it, however I could open my own Pet Store : Kate said something to me as she understands rescues, that sometimes with these dogs you reach a point where you have to manage what you have as maybe there is just nothing else that can be done. We are now after nearly 3 years of working extremely hard every single day with Charlie at that stage, as at some point having a life is also important. Obviously we keep on training and hope that one day we will be ambling along and Charlie will be at our side with Hattie, yeah right : xxx [/quote] Oh Helen I feel for you ,I really do. My first rescue was Jake, but I have had four more rescues . Every single one of them had issues. You are right , it is hard for someone that's never taken in a dog that was given up for whatever reason. There is the "lucky " people that pick one that don't need to do much work with, but my opinion is, they are the exception. Don't any of you with rescues give up hope. You will manage the behaviours. It's not ideal or what you would have hoped for, but Charlie and his ilk can be the most challenging, frustrating dogs. They can also be the most loving, gentle and forgiving of dogs. Don't give up hope, you never know one day he might actually listen to you. I
Re: Stepping backwards [quote author=Dexter link=topic=7229.msg100003#msg100003 date=1407383760] Oh please start a 'Bumble' thread when you get back home and catch your breath ;D [/quote] The first bumble walk we did I found super challenging. I was without any "tools". No balls, no retrieve, no getting my dog's attention, no find it, games, hide and seek - nothing. We were banned from speaking to our dogs. Engaging with the dog (looking at what the dog was doing) came a bit later. We were doing this walk with Vizslas and GSPs - hunting dogs - they responded better than Charlie did as they were more in tune with the environment and less distracted by other dogs. Charlie was pretty much impossible at first. He was a bit better by the end of the week, but not a lot. He was very good when it was just me and him though. It was first about connecting with your dog - it's about a relationship and connection. We used a clicker and treats to reward attention. It was like constantly shaping on a walk.
