How can I calm MYSELF down?

My pup, Alfie, has just got to that stubborn, selective hearing phase. I know it's just a phase, but when you're in the park shouting his name and he's just ignoring oyu completely, it's hard not to get worked up I get cross but I don't want to take it out on him, at all. Is there any method people use to stay calm when things are going pear shaped?

I tend to think of what the dog is doing as a "behaviour" and I find that once you start to think like that, any feelings of annoyance tend to vanish. I also found that genning up on canine development stages (one stage is nicknamed "cutting the apron strings" for obvious reasons) it helps .

I also tend to follow the view that dogs are just being dogs, we need to train them, so go down the training route and look at what i'm doing and if I can improve what I'm doing

Wys
x

We're working on it, much to his annoyance I wasn't sure if it was a phase or if I'd done something wrong, but did some reasearch and assuming he's just growing up. Can I ask though, will the phase be 'over' in a few months, and he'll remember that coming when called is what to do? Or do I need to re-teach recall?

edit - you replied to my heel and stand thread didn't you? just incase you're interested, we slowed down and he's getting stand a lot better now, and we're taking a back step with heel and using really tasty treats and his favourite toy, and things are slowly improving. Thanks!

My first Bull Terrier was the most stubborn dog I`ve ever come across (even though Bullies are known for this). If I wanted him to do something other than sit or down it was damned hard work(even though I knew he was able to do everything). His recall was terrible, he would go deaf whilst sniffing everything. You`ve just got to roll with it, only give time off the leash when it looks suitable to do so i.e. no distractions, kids, other dogs until you`ve sorted him out.
Make his training as fun as possible, my latest Bullie will do anything for the squeaky toy of pleasure(he`s allowed to mouth it but not have it, a squeak usually gets his attention)! The only time he isn`t allowed off the leash is if there is footballs around or young kids.
Find something that he enjoys immensely, my Staff bitch will do anything for a frisby, sit, come, heal with out a leash, all for the moment that the frisby is thrown.
Make sure your dog knows you`re the pack leader at all times.

Walk away preferably to where you can see him but he can't see you..... He'll soon panic when he thinks "you've run off" Let him be the one to worry... you'll be surprised at the results, still be the odd time when he's so busy playing etc but for the most part you'll find he's always having a wee look to make sure you haven't legged it again

Good advice Ian, thats what I do with Inka and Kain, just to keep them on their toes.

I tend not to call the dogs name if I know he will not come back, it only teaches him he can throw a deaffy and not come back, I normaly if under pressure to get the dog back, whistle or make a funny noise, I sometimes take the squeeker out of a squeeky and use it as a whistle, that normaly gets there attention, when they look round I run away from them, most dogs will follow, if he does though dont be tempted to grab him, if poss give him a treat and let him go again, other things that can bring a dog back is, bend down and make like your picking at something on the ground, sitting down, that sort of thing, these things are a means to an end, if you only use them to grab the dog when he returns he will soon get wise to them and they fail to work after 2 go's by the third he will be like
"ye right now way,"
you should make coming back good fun, eg toys, treats, fuss and not slapped straight back on the lead, I often call pups treat them make no attempt to catch them,
then call them put the lead on treat them take a few steps and let them off, this way they dont think oh, thats it im on lead going home end of walk, they dont know what to expect,
Have you ever wanted to do something and dont want your dog hannging around and being nosey, they just will not sod off, try to adopt that attitude, sod off attitude, they always do the opposite of what you want, reverse doggyology, ha

Well we found out that he adored this old skipping rope we have, and he drags it round (the handles fell off years ago) and thinks it's a massive tug toy, so we took it on a walk and whenever he came back he was allowed to play with it, and it's helped no end. He's a lot more focused on me and it's made walks a lot more fun.

Thanks for the help!

Brilliant Keep up the good work

Fab, had been wondering how things are going with you, keep us posted as to what worked and what did not, the only other thing I can say is, if you get anything new for him, dont give him it at home, eg toys new treats he has not had before, save them and let him have them on walks if he returns to you, he will soon find your alot more intresting than he first thought, good luck