Why doesnt my puppy doe what he used too?(running off in the park)

Can anyone help?
I have a 9mth old american bulldog x staffy pup who is an amazing dog.He is coming along well with training and is due to start obedience classes next month.Out for walks in the park I have always let him off lead since he was vaccinated, so he can have a run and play with other dogs and untill today hes has been very good always looking around to see were I am and come back when called.
But today he saw another dog in the distance and was off he didnt look back or listen when i called him or anything.
And I just found out he done the same thing when my brother took him out yesterday too.
He has also stared to get abit more mishevious and brave in doing things he knows he shouldnt, eg not siting and waiting for his food and jumping on the sofa!
I just want to know if it is because he is getting older and more confident or if he is testing us, and pushing his luck??
and does anyone have any advice on recall training?

I'm sure someone with alot more experience than me will come along soon
It sounds to me as if he has become a typical teenager and is maybe just trying to see what he can get away with.
I would keep him on his lead at all times and use a long line.Try starting with the basics again and reinforce all the commands he was previously doing and try training in different locations
I am sure this is just a blip and it will all click back into place. Good luck

I'd say he's testing you - I'm having that with Icon, sometimes he comes, sometimes he will wait until he's ready, thats why I take him to isolated places, away from any roads!

Don't give up on him, he'll come through the other side and be back to your little angel before long!!!!

Hi Hades I would agree your puppy has reached the teenage stage and I think it is it is important to keep up the training.

I have a puppy who is nearly eight months old with a very high prey drive. I know when she is chasing something the adrenaline takes over and it is more difficult to get her to obey my call. My secret weapon is a squeaky toy hidden in my pocket which only occasionally makes an appearance .

The very first time I let her off the lead away from home I did so in an enclosed corn field and choosing my moment I hid so that my puppy had a scare and realised I could disappear at any time so she had better keep an eye on me which she always does now.

I play games of hide and seek at home which she loves, this encourages her to come when called because it is fun to do so with praise and the occasional treat as a reward.
I wait until she is actually running toward me before adding the word 'come' so I know she can't fail and so coming when called is constantly being reinforced.

When we are out walking off the lead I keep things interesting by being unpredictable, changing direction all the time and 'pretending' to run off by turning my back and running on the spot. Your puppy will do whatever brings the greatest reward, if you make walks fun your puppy may find you just as interesting as other distractions

Here is an article on recall which may be of help to you.
http://www.dogsey.com/dog-articles.php?t=8049

With regard to your puppy jumping on the sofa be consistent, encourage or put him on the floor then ask him to sit and praise him when he does, so sitting on the sofa = no attention siting on the floor gets attention . The same with sitting for his meal, if he won't sit he doesn't get it. Wait a few moments ignoring him then try again and lots of praise when he does sit.

Don't forget to praise him when he is 'just being good' eg sitting quietly in his bed, this all makes for a well behaved and happy puppy .

thanks for your replys...they are very helpful.
I think you are right about the teenage thing....now I know what my mum when throught! lol

It definately sounds like the stroppy teens, I wouldn't just keep the training up, I would actually step it up a gear. We also always play hide and seek with our lot, one minute were all walking along and then one of us just disappears behind a tree on in the bushes, and it doesn't take long for them to come and find you. If you haven't done it before the first few times you can call him and hide and they soon learn to keep an eye out for you. That way they focus on you rather than you focusing on them all the time. Also if your out in the open keep chopping and changing the direction your walking in, don't speak just turn around and walk the other way, when he catches up change direction again. You'll look insane but don't worry it works really well . Try to make the walks more interesting and varied, we build jumping over logs and streams into the walk and change the pace quite a lot just by breaking into a run with no warning, although don't be surprised if he tries to bite ya bum as you run off , Syd used to when he was young

I have to agree with the others. You've hit the bratty teenage stage with your puppy. All dogs will push their luck every so often just to see if you've changed your mind about things.

Teenager strops and testing you....I'm afraid. I've had that with dogs around that age, and re-started re-call all over again from step one.....usually works

He has found his confidence and is ready to explore further away from his safety zone [you]

Both my dogs as younger puppies were glued to me out on walks until they hit approx 5 months - It is best if people don't get drawn into a false sense of security thinking that their dog has great recall when it is very young because most people are shocked when they change, so even when they seem great at that young age, recall training must start real early on to prepare for when they don't want to stay so close.