Rescued working cocker bitch - help

[UrbanIslander 0]

Hello all and having browsed through the forums on this site, I reckon you could be the very people to help.

 

I have just (yesterday) taken ownership of a 12 month (ish) old working cocker bitch. She was abandoned and I rescued her from council kennels. I had a lab / springer cross which i worked previously and he was a brillant dog but died last year. I wasnt going to get another but somehow the challenge of this (and i know its a challenge) had an appeal. I know nothing about her other than what she looks like and that that she already appears biddable. Out of curiosity i've tried to see if she recognises a whistle and no response. My guess is she was taken in the hope of becoming a domestic pet but abandoned as too much of a handful.

 

I am obviously starting from before scratch and would be grateful for any and all advice!!!

 

Many thanks

 

[prubs_123 4]

Hi Urbanislander, what I tend to do is associate something nice with the whistle, ie when you feed her, whistle and when she looks at you give her food. If you do this everytime you feed her she will soon realise that the whistle means food(or something nice, if you use treats). This will also help on "recall" as well. hope this helps Prubs_123

[UrbanIslander 0]

Thanks for that - would you introduce the whistle straight away - I was thinking I should get her use to my voice first?

 

Calum

[prubs_123 4]

Hi , I would everytime that you feed her. is she not taking any notice of you? If not, try cooking up a sausage and cut it up into small pieces,( because it is warm she will smell it from miles away) as you go past her drop a small piece near her, as soon as she realise there is food there she will start to wonder were it is coming from, so with a small piece in your hand let her use her nose to find it, as soon as she dose tell her to sit and if she sits give her the treat (let her figure out what you want her to do). She will soon realise that if she takes notice of you she gets food. Do this for a couple of days and believe me you will become her best friend. hope this helps Prubs

Edited July 14, 2012 by prubs_123

[UrbanIslander 0]

Well I have to say that this appears to be a master stroke. Never counting chickens but this has already had incredible results.

 

After having had Mollie now for two days she is already responding to her name, sits on command and comes to the recall whistle. Early days I know but very optomistic.

 

Many thanks

 

Claum

[ryno 11]

the best advice i can give is for the first month try and form a really good bond,lead work only,and once she loves you it makes training a thousand times easier,once shes sitting to the whistle and recalling to the whistle in the garden,then move on .but i find bonding with them first massively important.even if i bought a fully trained dog i would still follow the above,we all blow the whistle differently and if they dont know what you want its not their faught and obviously you cant correct them,to a dog things are black or white with nothing in between.i hope this helps all the best ryan

[prubs_123 4]

Claum, I am glad to hear it . :boogy: