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Berger
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16-05-2008, 11:19 AM

When training a dog to recall how do you reward it if it is not interested in treats?

Hi lads and lassies. There has been so much talk lately about walking your dog on lead and off and having a good recall etc. I am currently trying to train Ivan to have 100% recall as most of you probably already know . We go to the park every morning where there is lots of space and if I see another dog, as Ivan is SO obsessessed with having to say hello and is very very willful and has no self control (I could go on and on ) I can give them a wide berth and let him have a smell a little run about, with me dancing around with him, and constantly keep calling him back to me.
My question is as Ivan has no interest in treats when he is out and about or especially when there is another dog in sight, is just high pitched praising when he comes back enough? I also praise him when he gets to the end of the lead and then stops and looks back to me. Do any of you have the same problem or have you devised any other ingenious ways of rewarding your dog?
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Ramble
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16-05-2008, 11:25 AM
How is his recall around the house? It needs to be 100% in the house before you even attempt the park. If you shout him once at the park and he ignores you it sets you back about 10 paces. He has to be able to do it away from distractions first.
YOU have to be more interesting than everything else. Games, stupid voices all that stuff. hard to say what you can do til we know how his recall is at home away from distractions.
If he has learnt to ignore his name you need to start recalling him to something else.Maybe a whistle or a different word ...
Don't totally rule out treats, you maybe just need to 'up' them. What do you use???
I believ pilchards can bring dogs running back..if you don't mind the smell!
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zoeybeau1
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16-05-2008, 11:25 AM
Have you tried putting in him on a long line, and when you want him to come back get down on you honker's and calling him and make you as intresting as possible, practise this at home hun with a ball or a kong with his favorite in it like marmite, ZB is a ****** for having no great recall I think she get's deaf as soon as she passes our gate but it works for her, but the long line was on for 6 months before she fathomed it out, who said Boxer's are intellegent.
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packleader
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16-05-2008, 11:31 AM
Take a special toy with you on walks, one he only gets to play with when he comes back to you.
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Berger
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16-05-2008, 11:35 AM
Thanks for the advice guys. Random his recall is about 80% at home. It was better but he has started to test us a bit of late. Would you just stop the recall when out until he is back to 100% at home then?
ZB he is on a long line at the moment. Wouldn't attempt to let him off and he would not come back until he felt like it the sod. But he is nosey and providing there are no other dogs around if I bend down he generally comes over.
Think I will try some pilchards and a peg for my nose!!
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Helena54
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16-05-2008, 11:56 AM
My fail safe method which has been a godsend to me sometimes if Georgie is more interested in going after another dog, I squat down on the ground, use my louder, higher voice, but the nice voice, not the "come here" annoyed version if he sees me but still just stands and stares deciding whether to go where he intended or not, then I clap my hands and use my "silly" loud voice which always brings him back with his tail wagging. Failing all else, I shout so that he can definitely hear me, and I say that I'm going home, and I start running in the opposite direction to where he is, that usually works too! I remember once whilst out, this poor woman could not get her dog back who was running around in great big circles around her, so I offered her a bit of help, squatted down on the ground, called out "here boy" in a loud, nice voice, with my arms stretched out and he just came running and sat down in front of me!! I was as shocked as she was, but I told her I had done that with Cassie as a puppy as it was the only way she would come back to me sometimes, if I got down to her level, so no matter how silly I looked it had to be done! Can't hurt to try it, at least it might help to instil the actual recall for when you stand up, if you use the same voice every single time, that's quite important too, consistency is the key I think!
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mishflynn
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16-05-2008, 12:31 PM
his reward should be whatever he prizes highest!!!! Might not be food, might be toys a smelly sock etc etctry really tasty treats liver/cheese /sausage & try cutting back his food for a few days so hes more hungrey whilst putting in the training, also consider hiding (when there is no other dog about) so he learns you are abit scatty & he NEEDS to stay with you!
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Anne-Marie
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16-05-2008, 12:43 PM
Marius sometimes goes selectively deaf on recall too - I've used both methods Helena mentioned to good effect. Marius is always more responsive when I squat down and shout in a nice happy, high-pitch tone too.

I do agree you can't beat going back on-lean/long-line and back to basics when they start to test you. I've done the same with him and he is more responsive.

Another method I've used is to let him go out of sight (in a nice quiet, distraction free area), then go and hide (without shouting) - he always comes bombing back to look for me and afterwards stays closer by my side where he can keep an eye on me and is waaay more responsive to recall then!!

I think they get to a certain age where they revert back to being a bit naughty puppyish!
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Ramble
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16-05-2008, 12:55 PM
I think if his recall is poor at home you need to go back to basics a bit, as if he was a young puppy.
ONLY use your tasty reward...ie pilchards...or special toy to play with (a kong on a rope) when he recalls to you, even in the house.Reward, reward reward...not just a quick treat, LOADS of praise...he's the best dog ever and tell him that repeatedly. Find out what his thing is...is it pilchards...chicken..livercake...a toy..a tickle??? Get to know what makes him tick, what he sees as really high value.
Do it in the house when you know he'll come back...only IN the house initially, in the same room to start off with. Don't call him if you don't mean it. If you use his name a lot anyway, then think of a recall word or use a whistle...could be 'come'could be sausages' entirely up to you, but ONLY use it when you are sure he'll come back and lay on the praise big style. Initially you could say the word and feed him...say the word...feed him...when he's with you, so you're not even using the word to recall...then use it to recall in the same room...different rooms...then risk the garden. Don't recall if you know there is any chance he won't come back. Focus on recalls around the house and garden over the next couple of weeks then you can build up distractions...perhaps onlead on the street run backwards and recall him etc...for now, you stand no hope of recalling him around dogs if he doesn't come to you in the house.
Hope this helps...


Just thought.Anne Marie mentioned hide and seek, another one we have used is to stand in a room, each with a bag of treats (the high value ones) and recall between each of us randomly...that then ensures he recalls to all the family, not just one voice. Remember though...not just one treat...lots of small peices repeatedly...
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Ramble
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16-05-2008, 12:56 PM
Have you done any clicker training?
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