10 months - Are my expectations too high?(Poor recall)

My Mini Schnauzer, Pepper, is nearly 10 months and we haven't made any progress with her recall when other dogs (or squirrels, or birds) are around. If anything she is getting worse as she will go right across the park if she sees another dog and take her own sweet time about coming back, although when she does come back it's usually at full pelt (looking very pleased with herself)!

I think we're getting a bit of a reputation in our local park and I'm starting to feel like whatever I do it's wrong. If I keep her on the lead I get other dog owners telling me I should let her off and if she's off I get filthy looks from people when she charges up to their dogs at 100 mph.

Incidentally she was 13 weeks when I got her and I subsequently read that if dogs are left too long with their Mums they can be very dog fixated.

I have read the info on here about training recall and we do practice with a long line but we are making no progress and I am getting disheartened. Will she grow out of it? Should I keep her on a lead all the time ? Is there anything I can do?

J

Do you attend a dog club? Would help you teach her to focus on you with lots of other dogs about.

I have to admit when I am walking all mine and a dog races over I find it quite unpleasant as you never know what the other dog is like and one of mine is nervous of small dogs.

I wouldn't take any notice of what other people say - if your dog doesn't have good recall then it should be on a lead.

Practice makes perfect - my dobie is 12 months old and we've been practising her recall onlead and off (only in a secure area). It's fine until something else catches her attention and then it's all gone to pot! Squirrels are top of the menu at the moment!

My Gem is getting on for 9 mths and I would not let her off yet, i have just started attending a clicker training course, and with their help I should be letting my Gem of the lead in the next few weeks.
I am very worried about this, as my last dog got run over

Hi Mothership most Minis have a high prey drive and love to chase things, I'm afraid from Peppers point of view chasing a bird or squirrel is far more exciting than ending the chase to return to you.

A couple of suggestions, never be cross at her when she does return to you even if she takes her time doing so , returning to you must always be rewarding and should be rewarded with lots of praise and a tip bit if she comes really quickly. If you don't think she will come to you don't call her and never call her more than once,she should not be given the chance to disobey or it will become a habit.If she doesn't come the first time go and fetch her saying nothing. Occasionally call her to you /praise and put the lead on, then take it off again so that she learns going on the lead doesn't always mean an end to fun.
You may find a whistle is useful because the sound carries well and doesn't vary.

Personally I would be reluctant to let her off the lead in public places if her recall is poor, she could chase something and get run over.

I would keep on reinforcing the basics commands as described here by Shadowboxer, this should help to build her trust and willingness to obey

I would be practising 'Look at me' and going in the garden with a length of rope and practising 'Come' until Pepper is perfect over a short distance in a confined space. Then progress to a large confined space off the lead, somewhere like an enclosed field.
For the moment you could walk to the park with a normal lead then when you reach the park attach a line for Pepper to have a run and to practice returning to you .

We do go to a dog training class and Pepper is very distracted by the other dogs there. They all settle down after a couple of minutes but Pepper always wants to play. On the advice of the trainer I have been practicing the "watch me' command in the park but she really doesn't seem to like having to do it and almost does it out of the corner of her eye. I will persevere.

If she has to be on a long line all the time will she get enough exercise? Does she really have to be banned from playing with her friends and chasing crows? Will she grow out of it? Do most dogs crack this eventually or might we be looking at a life sentence? Sorry to get so melodramatic but I do feel for her.

Hi Motheship it is better to practise these things in the garden as described above where distractions are less and consequently less chance of failure. Pepper should get better with practise.

Sorry I didn't explain, we do practice at home and she's really quite good, she's even getting good at it in our training class with other dogs around! It's just the park, I think she's worried she'll miss something really interesting if she has to be looking at me.

We meet about 3 other Mini Schnauzers in our park and they all have good recall, is it partly her age? or should the fascination with other dogs have settled down by now?

J

Yes this can be cracked but you are in the midst of dog adolescence at 10 months when they think anything is more interesting than boring old Mum! Chant gently " this too shall pass" while using the techiniques to keep her attention and enforce recall. I have used a long line on all of my dogs to maintain recall and yes you can exercise them adequately - we play find the treat in the grass, you can chuck a toy about on line, tracking is pretty good exercise. Making sure you are fun helps to get em back. Dont despair. It is annoying though - I have threatened to turn Bunter into a handbag with matching gloves!

If its any consolation to you my JRT is 2 years old next week and he can never go off lead as he is off like the wind following the first scent he gets hold of. So he is walked in areas he can be on an extending lead to get some freedom.
I would love to be able to let him off for a good run, but it is kinder to keep him on lead otherwise he could end up lost and scared, dead or seriously injured or even stolen by running off somewhere and I would never forgive myself for that.
He is walked 2-3times per day, whatever the weather so I don't feel he misses out in fact he is luckier than some dogs who never get walked or who are badly treated as he is loved loads fed well and exercised albeit on the lead.
Also I see it from the otherside as my Rottie x GSD who has good recall is fear aggresive with other dogs after being attacked, and if someone let thier dog off and it came charging up to her because the owners couldn't call it back she would attack it. I do put her on the lead if I see another dog coming but that won't stop it being attacked if the owners of the other dog off lead can't control it.
Yesterday I took my girl out of the field so someone could let thier lab have a run. They couldn't catch it to get it back on lead to go home afterwards and then it suddennly shot accross the field through the hedge and accross the road causing a car to swerve and just miss it as it headed after another dog walking down the otherside of the road, Luckily after 10 mins of chaos with cars in the road, I managed to grab it for them. I did point out they need to train the dog before they let it off, but they said "oh he always does this and he needs to have a free run". I couldn't believe that, at what expense does that dog need to be off the lead, one day it will be his life or someone elses who pays for it.
So don't feel bad, untill good recall is established it is better for all that a dog is exercised on lead, extending lead, or long line.