Older dog starting to ignore recall?

Sam my retriever x has always been a very naturally obedient boy, he picks up things really easily and has always been more interested in getting attention as a prise instead of food or a toy.

The past few times we have been on a walk he has been ignoring my recall around other dogs, on Friday I had to walk up to him and get him by the collar to come away from 2 other dogs, he has never been like this before and is usually 99% with his recall in any situation.

The only thing that has changed is the addition of my puppy?

I have been training my pup to recall to a whistle with food, I've just been doing some practice in the garden with the whistle recall but Sam just isn't interested (where as Dalli and Collie are sat on my feet waiting for the whistle to be blown).

Two possibilities - the first is that your old boy is losing his hearing.

The second is that he has heard you giving so many instructions to your pup that he doesn't have to obey, that he's sort of tuned out from you.

If he's always been good, I'd definitely investigate his hearing.

How old is Sam?

My old shepherd bitch, Flame, is nearly 9 years old and for the past (probably) year or so she has decided to just do her own thing She was always a very obedient girl until she started getting more mature, and now it is as though she believes she has earned the right to do as she pleases She will still come back when I call her, but just in her own sweet time

Sam is 11 (12 in October).

His hearing seems ok, and he comes back most of the time, just seems to be when the other dog is on a lead?

are yoiu saying you are trying to train a whistle recall to a new pup and refresh voice (or whistle) recall to an old dog in the same place at the same time?

if so,thats your problem...too much confusion....the dogs may not known whom is getting training for what?

i figured impaired hearing as well

have you checked with a vet?

are his ears blocked?

I may be doing the grandmother / egg thing, but do you use their names when you recall? He might not think it applies to him?

I say names/whistle when recalling them, so they know it's them I want.
For my pup I am using name/mouth/plastic whistle for recall, he will be accompanying me whilst I am out on my horse and the plastic whistle carries further than my whistle so he can hear me better on windy days (well that's the theory!)

Sams ears look clean, he can hear faint noises so I am not sure he is that hearing impaired (not compared to my 15 year old collie anyway, she is a bit deaf now).

My Jess has started this! Always a great recall but recenty she's just ignored us! Perhaps it's an old dog thing, she's 14...