Thanks for your help, and yes, I think a workshop is now the way to go for us

Snap me too.

Have you tried a whistle?

Louie ignores verbal recall over distances, I forgot to take it with me this morning and was screwed, luckily we were walking somewhere where it isn't easy for him to get into trouble (run over, meet a nasty dog/person etc) so I wasn't too worried.

A whistle may be your answer as well as the workshops.

Or.. I have found if you have other dogs who recall really well walking with you, Dex will learn from them. Sadie and Louie work well because they are both attention seekers and if I call one of them - I usually get the other one - so if I shout both - I get both It might not work like that with you but it's worth a try to go out with a friend and their dog (that recalls 100%)

Good luck

Thanks SLB

I tried both of these things, though maybe not for long enough.

We spent some time with dogs that came when called but alas Dexter still went hurtling off to meet another dog in the distance.

I tried a whistle for a while; he ignored it

Then you didn't teach it properly or you were over using it. Let him go off an meet a dog (preferably one you know is friendly) then use the whistle. I don't bother whistling if he isn't going to listen.. waste of breath

Good luck with your workshop...

Honestly, I tried the whistle once he was with dogs he knew. He totally, utterly ignored it!

Never ever use the whistle when you know he won't respond -- you are setting him up for failure, and giving him the opportunity to realize that he doesn't have to respond to it.

Will he bolt after a dog or person that is ANY distance away -- even if they are a speck on the horizon? or is it only when they are a certain distance?

If he can determine that the speck on the horizon is a dog, he will go hurtling after it

Have you read the recall article SB posted? Its on my thread about bonding advice. I whistled every time I feed her, I didn't even try to use it as a recall for about 4 weeks (well it was a recall but as most of the time she was sat at my feet it just meant dinnertime), I then started to make her dinner while she was out the back then would whistle so she'd come running so I started the recall only at food times. It feels a bit daft whistling when she is sat there on your feet looking at you but it is definatley working.

SB had already advised me to start whistling everytime I fed her, she comes now in the house every single time I whistle, I keep some of her food allowance (a handful) to give her some each time I whistle and she comes to me. She will now come even when she is totally distracted with my neices and nephews in the garden, if I call her I may as well have not said a word but as soon as I whistle she comes bounding over, I would take a look at the article and try it, good luck with your work shop as well xx

Thanks

I tried associating the whistle with food. It worked around the house. I think the problem is, he stops caring about food the second he sees another dog!

So even though the whistle works at home, and as verbal recall works at home/garden, once we are in a park and there are other dogs, he doesn't care even if he knows the whistle = food.

Thanks though