Recall problems. Help.

[Dranny GLC 112]

Iv told you all before how my dog won't come back. So I avent had in out for 3 weeks lamping with me and been doing recall trainning. I started by him self and he was coming straight away then I was calling him with my other dogs and he comes straight away. Then to the park with lots of dogs and he came straight back everytime. Evan other people in the park was saying how well his recall was. Then out lamping to night and he still wouldn't come back. After his first run if they got away he would try hunt up him self. What to do next please any help or advise. Thanks.

[littlefish 587]

Its' so frustrating...............but try very, very hard not to get cross.......When he does eventually come back, he must get lots of fuss or play with a ball or a bit of tasty treat, no matter how mad you are, otherwise he will have no incentive to come back.....especially if he knows that you are cross....I do believe they are very sensitive to sensing bad temper vibes. Also, when you practice, only ask him to do it a couple of times per day and keep it upbeat.....don't let it become boring for him. As you use him for lamping, it might help if you continue the training by taking him out at night to practice a few times without turning the lamp,forget about the bunnies for a while and play about in the dark then run off - see if he follows you and reward him. Hope he comes good for you - how long have you had him?

[Dranny GLC 112]

Iv had him a year and he's 3. His recall is bang on all the time apart from when I have slipped him on a rabbit he just try's hunting him self. I use chopped up tin hot dogs and every time he comes back he gets one and loads of praise. After he runs the rabbit down the beam I turn the lamp off if he catches it I av to run to him to get it. If he doesn't the lamp still goes off but he runs round the field. Until he dicides to come back and when he does I still praise him and give him his hotdog Evan if he was 10 minutes.

[Westy76 546]

It's a full moon mate and I can see one side of the field to the other so a dog will have no problem doing his own thing.

Keep going with the work but I expect they'll be a difference on a black night from him.

[yeti 84]

Nice dog by the way looks in great shape ! Get a vibration coller of eBay mate 15 quid ! It dosnt shock them just vibrate s work a treat it did for mine pal ,

[tsteve9999 456]

Imo Littlefish has got it spot on mate, praise will get you much farther with him than being angry. I would try taking him somewhere at night where you know there will be no distractions and practise his recall to the lamp. Once he's coming back every time you can give it a go on rabbits, but if he's anything like mine was he will still hunt up a bit until it clicks that coming back to you will mean he sees more rabbits than going it alone.

[BIGLURKS 874]

Get out on a night with no moon and when ur running a rabbit as soon as he gets some thing aim the light at ur feet and just keep doing it take ur time worst thing u can do is run after the dog cos it will start too think that its a game and just too ask are u using any type of singnal when ur wanting too retrieve hand signals or whistle or talking are u praising the dog as its coming closer or are u waiting till the exact time when he gives something into ur hand cos out of all training with dogs I've found timing of praising works better then any thing and I would not concentrate on too many treats or ull find him only wanting too come back when he is wanting treats so u need too figure out if the dog is even food motavated or from u

[Dranny GLC 112]

Been out with dog again working on his recall. It was dark so I took the lamp and I went to a area where there isn't that many rabbits. Had him off the lead he was staying nearby but every time I called him I made sure the light was pointing at my feet and he came back everytime and I made a big fuse and gave him a little bit off hotdog. He comes back everytime it's just when we go out and I slip him or get him out of the motor and there's loads of rabbits about he just doesn't come back he just hunts up. Suppose ill just av to keep practicing. I'm sure he will pick it up. I hope.

[bird 9,970]

Been out with dog again working on his recall. It was dark so I took the lamp and I went to a area where there isn't that many rabbits. Had him off the lead he was staying nearby but every time I called him I made sure the light was pointing at my feet and he came back everytime and I made a big fuse and gave him a little bit off hotdog. He comes back everytime it's just when we go out and I slip him or get him out of the motor and there's loads of rabbits about he just doesn't come back he just hunts up. Suppose ill just av to keep practicing. I'm sure he will pick it up. I hope.

 

as i said before you got pick his rabbit, try and get a squatter, and walk him right up to it and (dont) slip him till he sees it proper. If he getts it the way dog sounds he will prob piss off with it, if he does just forget it its only a rabbit. Ive had dogs in the past hunt up+ piss off with there catch, (but) the more they get they will calm down (if they catch they carnt hunt up ). It will work out if you can chill with the dog, just give it plenty of time, and dont forget you didnt have it as young pup, so its that bit harder to get that bond to start with regards working together

[robwelsh 354]

instead of chasing him for it, just try walking the opposite direction from him when you whistle or whatever for a retrieve. see if he follows u, if he does, praise him a hes coming in and tooty down. iv noticed with mine its alot easier if i tooty down lol she comes straight to hand rather than walk around me then give it over.

[Dranny GLC 112]

He caught 5 out of 8 runs the other night and he had some really good runs I was over the moon with him it's just getting him to come back. He comes everytime it's just after he's ad a run and misses it he will hunt up. He got one him self in the dark as well. When he does catch one he starts to come back to me but he kills them before he gets to me and drops them. You wouldn't believe how good his recall is if you saw us out in the park or on a walk during the day. It's just that hunting up after his run.

[Dranny GLC 112]

I think I might be to blame for all this. After I have lamped a rabbit down the beam slipped the dog. If it gets away I will put the beam straight on to another so in stead of him coming back he goes for the next one. But also I think he's going to hunt up him self I might as well lamp it for him. is this where I'm going wrong. ? Should I turn the lamp straight off until he comes back to me. Then start again from me or is it normal practise to lamp a few rabbits consecutive out in the field.

[haymin 2,465]

Can you not double him up with another dog so they come back together ?

[hutch6 550]

Essentially all you are trying to do is control the chase - "Don't chase that, come here" or "Wait there until I get to you" - which one works for you.

 

If you do fetch training with the dog then you can incorporate this with the training and you can train it on the lead.

 

 

If you go to throw something and the dog blasts off before you've even started your forward throwing motion then there are a few things you can do.

 

You can let the dog run away and wonder where the chuff the object has gone, then call the dog and once it looks at you then throw the object. This allows you to slowly train getting the dog's attention whilst it is in the motion of chasing. It's a handy little thing if say the dog goes for one rabbit, misses and stands about whilst you have spotted one for it to run on to next - "Look at me I have another thing for you to blast after".

 

You can hold the dog's collar with one hand, say "Wait!", throw the object and wait for the object to get some distance or even just settle on the deck and then release the dog. Keep hold of the dog's collar until you can hold it without the dog pulling against you to get to the object and then you can work on just having your hand across it and then with just the command to wait and the release command to go get the object. This teaches the dog to control their movement until you get to them to either put them on the lead again or just catch up to them. Once you control the chase you can play games with the dog without them realising to reinforce the command such as you pick a bush or a tree out on your walk, you tell the dog to "Wait!" and the dog cannot get passed that marker until you get to the dog. Walking on the lead around the streets it can be reinforced by asking the dog to "Wait!" at every road crossing until you give the "Ok" release command for it to continue walking.

 

The stop and recall command is the king command though as you are calling the chase off completely and returning the dog to you despite if the dog has missed or is potentially going onto ground where it stands a better chance after a deviation in the course of the original rabbit.

 

It comes in a few stages if you want it rock solid. The first thing to teach the dog is "Stop!". To do this I run about like an idiot in figures of eight or just change direction sharply here and there. The dog will be chasing you to see what the game is all about. Once you have the dog chasing you shout "Stop!" and stop dead. DO not move. do not look at the dog just be aware of its movements as best you can. Once the dog stops moving, wondering what the heck that was all about you praise the dog verbally and then give a release command and start running about again. Once the dog is chasing you, "Stop!", stop dead, wait for the dog to stop, praise verbally and then set off again. After a while the dog gets the idea that the fun part, the chasing, only starts once it isn't moving and it knows to stop moving once you make a noise that sounds like "Stop!". You can practice this when lead walking just saying "Stop!" randomly and not walking any further until the dog stops - the game is to get the dog to stop before the lead goes tight or get it to stop in line with a lamppost or a parked car or a tree or a bin.

 

Once you have this down you have a basic implanted idea in the dog's head of what you want.

 

It starts with the wait or stay so the dog does not move from your side. Turn and walk backwards from the dog until you are about ten or fifteen yards away. If the dog begins to move then start by taking one step away and throw the object, then two steps and then three steps but the dog must not break position until you say so - do not worry about the stop bit here just focus on getting the dog to stay rooted until you release for it to go fetch the object.

When you are up to about fifteen paces give the same command, throw the object over your shoulder behind you and therefore away from the dog (you are still facing the dog) - you should be between the dog and the object. Give the release command and when the dog starts the chase or fetch you step in front of it and give the "Stop!" command - don't be afraid to put yourself in it's path to give a clear indication of what needs to happen, just don't have the dog run into you. If the dog doesn't stop then just say "No" and don't give any praise, just get the object back and reset the activity. When the dog does stop before it passes you then you can call the dog to you, walk to get the object and reset the activity to practice it again - do not release the dog to get the object for you as that creates problems and undermines what you are trying to achieve. Instead, once you have picked the toy up throw it for the dog to go fetch without any commands but a free running reward.

When you can get the dog to stop before passing you every time without having to block its path then try and leave the dog to run that little bit further before giving the "Stop!" command and returning to you on recall, and then a bit further. Then comes the big test.

Stand at the side of the dog and ask it to stay. Throw the object. Release the dog and immediately give the "Stop!" command. The dog is used to running towards you and stopping and not away from you and stopping but the "Stop!" instruction should have sunk in a little bit more. If the dog doesn't stop then just get the object back, go back to being in front of the dog a few more times and try again. If the dog does stop then call it to you. Again, the recall is coming away from the object whereas before it was towards the object and stop and then towards the object to you for recall. As soon as the dog comes back to you then praise it and clip it on the lead or have it walk to heel as you go pick the object up and give it a free running fetch as a reward. You can do this over and over and over and over, mixing it up with sometimes you ask the dog to stop sometimes you don't and it is free to run and get the object.

Now comes the king of kings. Throw the toy and ask the dog to go get it. You then call the dog to you mid fetch. The object of the game is to not allow the dog to get that object no matter what so if you recall the dog and it carries on then call "Stop!" and recall. You only praise a recall, not a stop and recall.

 

This might not work the first time when out in the field because fetching objects is a bit different to rabbits that are giving the dog the best game in the world but you can try throwing the object and whilst it is moving away release the dog and use the same steps to get the dog to recall away from a moving object.

 

Sorry for the long post, I just wanted to cover it in a bit of detail so you had some idea about what I was rambling on about.

Edited November 6, 2012 by hutch6