sam been to see a behaviourist......

morning all,

as some of you are aware i have had problems with sam and his running off! well i had a behaviourist see him a couple of days ago and basically he has said that his predatory behaviour is so engrained in him that it may be impossible to erradicate. so i have 3 options:

1. manage his behaviour by keeping him on a flexi-lead or long line where there are high distractions that are likely to set him chasing

2. use a spray collar (which may not actually work)

3. give him up (which really isnt an option).

i am now trying to find somewhere to walk him that hasnt got as many distractions as where i walk him now. i do feel really bad that i may have to have him on the lead most of the time, but as the behaviourist said, its either that or he gets himself killed on the road or a farmer shoots him .

i took him out this morning on a flexi-lead and he was really well behaved. i am now going to try and get sniffing etc on a cue, so he can only do it when i cue it. dont know if thats going to work, but at the mo i will try anything.

the last resort is a remote collar, which may or may not work. i have tried all sorts of things to distract him while he's hunting, but he justs goes into his own little world. i have even taken out raw chix wings (which he totally loves), and he doesn't show any interest whatsoever.

am i being cruel resigning him to a life on the lead, or am i being cruel allowing him run off and run the risk of being run over or shot???

sorry about the long thread, but i am really concerned about him and worried that i'm doing the right thing by him. he does have a happy and full life though, and i do alot of other activities with him off-lead like agility and heelwork to music. so maybe i should be happy with that.....

Have you considered doing working trials with him so he uses his brain?
Becky

no, not tried working trials. but i am taking him to gun-dog classes. dont know how to go about doing working trials. i do alot of stuff with him that uses his brain.

Working trials encompasses a bit of everything, obedience, retrieveing, jumping, tracking. It's something I want to do with the poodles.
I think Gundog training would be great idea too.
Becky

What Mahooli suggest sounds like a good idea.
Ollie is walked on a long line all the time because if he see's another dog he is gone which is ok if I know the walkers and their dogs not so if I don't especially if the other dog is on a lead.
No amount of different treats work when he has his mind fixed on something else.He is only 13 months old so I am hoping with age this goes away.What I am trying to say is though that they can have just as much fun and I let the lead go a good deal of the time but if he starts to take off I have plenty of lead to grab or stand on to sop him he wears a harness which is better than attaching to his collar and if we meet his doggie Friends he can have a good play so it doesn't really restrict their freedom too much and helps put your mind at rest at the same time.

Hi there,

i think i'll have a look at working trials and hopefully find somewhere near me where i can take him. when he's focussed on me he is just fantastic, its just getting that attention and focus!!!

thanks

I have the KC book so if you pm me details of where exactly you are I'll look up the nearest Working Trials Society for you.
Becky

What made you see a behaviourist, insted of a trainer? as his problem seems more recall training , than behavioural!

It seems to me, the behaviourist , was out of his /her depth, and did`nt really know how to deal with him.

I would seek out a "gundog trainer" one who is in tune with the breed, and like others have said, put his mind tot he job he is bred to do.


But if , it come to the only option you have is to keep him on a lead for the rest of his life, dont worry to much....I have a dog aggressive dog, she spends most of her time on a long flexi lead, it willl just mean you have to give them longer walks, and if he is anything like Miliie, she has as much exersice on the flexi as off, she is busy , busy , busy, she can run too and fro, sniff around go in the lake, (it is not perfect ), but she has a good qaulity of life...in fact when she does get off lead exersice, she sticks to you like glue.

But I am sure , with the right trainer, you will over come this..

Hi jackbox,

i have had various trainers out to sam too. all just said that same thing, keep him on the lead when the distractions are likely to cause him to run off. just keep practising the recall. as i have said he recalls brilliantly with low or no distractions, but there is no way he would come back in mid-chase. a couple of trainers have said that it could be a behavioural thing rather that a training issue.

when he's at training class he is an absolute angel. alot of people comment on how well behaved he is, and how do i keep his attention all the time! i just wish i could transfer that attention when we're out!

Sorry if this has been said before and i missed it.
Our trainer told us to have them on a very long line a thicker version of string (sorry not a very good descripton) so they cant feel it so much but you can pull them in if they start to go off, and you just take hime to the park (to start of will somewhere quite) and just keep doing the normally recall training until hopefully he gets it?
Hope hat makes sense