Sounds like he might be confused to me, start again from square one and reinforce everything.

rune

I really don't feel you need to go back to the PUPPY class with Zane do you??? Afterall, he seems to actually know almost every command and his recall is good except when being called away from other dogs from what you're saying, and they don't even do much of that particular thing at the puppy training, it's more for dogs who know absolutely nothing! I was bored stiff myself quite honestly, coz all those basics we were doing at home anyway, and to have to keep making them sit, give a treat, and wait for the trainer to get to you to see that you're doing it ok, can be very tedious, especially with a dog who actually KNOWs and does these things, but when he feels like it by the sounds of it! I think you need to go to the next class up from the puppy class quite honestly!

Another thing, when you said about he won't come when called away from other dogs. The way I taught this to Zena, is by walking straight past other dogs giving the "with me" command and perhaps holding her ball, or sometimes she had it in her mouth already, but OFFlead everytime, and that way, they get to know that some dogs they can be sent off to play with and others they can't, but it's all down to what YOU decide, and it would seem to me maybe you haven't done this? If you have, then you would certainly have no problems calling him away whilst playing with other dogs, or at the very LEAST he wouldn't go running up to them, because you haven't told him he can by giving the "ok" command? That's what it sounds like to me anyway!

when you started send away trainging, how did you start it? what way did the trainers introduce it?

Hi,

Helena - I agree that he doesn't need to go back as far as the early puppy class and he's nowhere near ready for the advacned class anymore. i won;'t put him into Neil's class. I know Neil won't throw Zane ont he floor and pin him down because I wouldn't allow it but I can't guarantee that I wouldn't open my big mouth and say something. After all, I thought he'd been made to leave. So I'll find another club (there has to be a decent one reasonably nearby) and work harder at it at home with Zane.

I used to do most of Zane's training off lead unless we were in the training class itself. I didn't do it quite the same as you trained Zena but if Zane saw a dog, whether close by or in the distance, I used to use the command "watch" and he'd focus on me rather than the other dog; knowing full well there was liver cake in my hand.

This is what I'm doing now with him more intensely and on a lead/long line when out and about or in the park. Obviously on the street he's on a reasonably short lead anyway but in the park or on the field he's on a 10m lead.

It's not that he won't ever come when he's called back or sees another dog. Most of the time he will, which is why I'm wondering if it's just a lapse in training. Clearly if he comes back most of the time then he hasn't forgotten what to do, which is why I was questioning whether I was doing anything wrong or different.

Actually you post has made me realise that I haven't always given the OK command and he's gone off to play with dogs he's known and I haven't stopped him. Maybe because he knows them or maybe out of habit because he always plays with the same dogs. But I think you've just hit the nail on the head. So hopefully it shouldn't take me too long to resolve his recall then. Thank you - I appreciate your help.


Shona - When Zane first started send-aways it was with my cousin, not me. She took him to training when he stopped with her when I went on holiday. When I returened from holiday, I had to do very little other than give the right commands and the right times.

The cones were placed in a square and owners were told to put something the dog liked (treats, toys, blanket etc) int he middle of the square of cones. Then whilst on lead, the command was given (box, away, etc or whatever they wanted to use) for the dog to go nto the box. the owners walked their dog into the box and turned them around to face the direction they'd come from. Then they told them to go down. Then the exercise finished and the owner could walk away with their dogs.
Then the second time it was done, the trainer would hold the dog's lead and the owner would go into the box to call the dog. The dogwould go to the owner, turn around and todl to go down. Then the trainer would call the dog back to them.
The third and fourth time it was done, the trainer and owner swapped places - I suppose so that the owner stays where they would be if they did the exercise for real.
The fifth time it was done, the trainer stepped away from the dosg and owners and it was just a case of the owner sending the dog away. the dog turning around and going down on command. Then the dog returned to the owner and finished when called to do so.

Personally I think this is a long winded and very confusing way to teach something so simple. Having said that , my Cousin did enough work with Zane over the course of that month for him to know what to do before I came back. So I never had to do much at all. I didn't train him from scratch for this exercise. One thing I would do differently to this though, is that I would stick to one way of doing it. I wouldn't involve other people. It would just be Zane and myself, initially in the back garden where it's quiet and we would't get disturbed by anyone.

Laura xx

I knew you went on holiday regularly without the dogs but I never realised that you were away for such long periods. I think this could well be a contributing factor to the trouble you are having.

Hi,

I do go away regularly but have started taking the dogs if for example we go to Wales, Scotland ro the south coast. if we go abroad then the dogs stay here, usually with family but sometimes in kennels.

That one holiday was the longest we've been away without the dogs and was a one off as it was paid for by my Dad.

if I went away every opportunity I got and left the dogs for weeks at a time then I'd agree with you. But I don't think a few days every couple of months with a week here and there on a couple of occasions would have caused a problem.
Although as you say it could have contributed somewhat.

Laura xx

did you train a good "A recall" before he started his send away training

Its easier to teach a Send away, for Obedience(as opposed to a WT SA) as a send to , So through two markers to a third, I do this using Food on the Back Marker, but you can also use a toy.

I break down the exercise

Teach the look & Focas on the Back Marker (though this gets stonger as the exercise progresses) From a sit.
I start this by throwing a toy or treat & saying "look" then letting the dog Get it on "Go", i then put the markers up & show the dog the treat on the back marker

I then teach the Run, So its the run out to the backmarker, i dont down at this point.


I teach the instant down Separte, Either running after a toy & Downing Before getting it , or getting it & then downing.


Then i do my A recall from the Back Marker

Then i Down at the back marker & go to the dog & Feed in the down at the Back Marker.

Then i do it all together.

Well, I think you're just showing off!!!! Then again, I suppose coz you CAN!!!

Heres a Vid of Mav when he was in B (200 doing his SA (So only a baby & a little unconfident)

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v6...t=IMGP0113.flv

You can clearly see the separate bits of the exercise.

Found these when he was learning,just over a year old, Shows feeeding on the back marker

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v6...t=P7090001.flv

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v6...P7090003-1.flv


Not very clear! Sorry