not sure what to do....advice needed.... recall problems Updated 14 Aug

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Meg

Supervisor

Location: Dogsey and Worcestershire

Joined: May 2004

Posts: 49,483

15-08-2006, 02:40 PM

#41

Originally Posted by springergirl

hi mini,
thanks for your advice again. just a bit concerned that he wont be getting enough exercise esp if he's just on a short lead all the time. i've also got my other dog to consider and if sam sees bronte running around having fun and freedom isnt that going to make sam worse? i dont have the time to take them out separately as they get about 2-3 hours exercise per day anyway. i just feel that he wont be getting the freedom and exercise that a springer needs. does that make sense?? not really sure where to go from here with him! what if maybe i short-lead walk him, and if he does that well.....let him have a bit of freedom on the long lead? then bring him back in again? what do you think? he's no good with treats either while he's on the lead...he's just too interested in all the smells around!

Hi Springergirl

Hi Springergirl may I make a couple of observations..

I do realise your dilemma....
It is really important that Sam gets some individual attention and he needs to be taken out on his own at least some of the time if you are ever going to get some control and teach him to stop pulling. It may mean you have to reduce the time spent out with both of them, but it is not going to be for ever, only until Sam gets more manageable. Perhaps you can divide the time up into 'Sam training time' and walking together time.

If Sam were mine I would have a real go at getting some control by training him separately while the evenings are still light and I would not take the two of them out together at all the moment. Trying this every spare moment for a couple of weeks may give you a breakthrough. Having got some control I would then slowly progress to taking the two dogs together and the recall

I know what gundogs can be like having had working cockers, nose to the ground and oblivious to the human handler, it isn't going to be easy and given Sams past you may have to settle for less than perfect, but you should get some improvement

springergirl

Dogsey Senior

Location: lymm

Joined: Feb 2006

Posts: 990

16-08-2006, 07:03 AM

#42

hi mini,

thanks again for your advice!

. think what i'm going to do is still take them out together in a morning before i go to work....but in the evenings i'll split my time between them both. bronte doesn't need as much exercise as sam, so i can reduce that down (she's 9 and a bit arthritic), so will prob be glad of the rest!

. then i can concentrate on sam.....maybe do more road work with him when we're out on our own. three times a week i'm at obedience and agility with sam anyway so he's getting extra training there. i'm going to try and just use his normal collar (either the flat one or the half choke) and see how we get on. have given up on the harnesses....cant seem to find one that doesn't rub him raw!! thanks again.....