whats went wrong?

[border Scott]

My lab bitch is just coming 5 months now and ive taken everything slow with her. Ive just done wee fun retrieves with a ball and got her sitting at meal times. She is great on the lead and i can even get her to sit and stay for a wee bit before she is allowed to get the ball. Ive got a big field that i walk her round and give her a wee run at night in. Up till now she just plays about close and comes when i call her but now she has started coming in just to the point that i cant quite get her lead on and then takes off in big circles and wont come back for anything ie treats as she knows ill catch her. Ive tried running the opposite way and just ignoring her as this helped when she started to not come back with the ball. I resisted the temptation to chase her but im a bit stuck. Is it just her age and im being tested?

[fortune82]

My cocker used to do this when he was younger. I sorted it (rightly or wrongly) with a water squirter. When he came in to recall and started to pull away I would give a quick squirt followed by a treat and praise when on the lead. Sorted it within a few days.

[Markio]

Mine lab is just over 5 months and started doing the same thing yesterday. Just totally ignored me when i recalled her. I waited 5 minutes, gave it another try and she was fine. Tonight however, she just would not come back and at best would tear past me 5/6 feet away. Took an age to get her back in the end. Still gave her a treat and praise when she did. Wonder if i've upset her or as you say she's just testing.

 

Right or wrong tomorrow i'll stick with lead on for the duration of the walk.

[Dirty Harry]

Mark in my opinion you are praising the dog for messing you about by giving it a treat. I would get the dog back on the lead walk a bit more then let it off the lead again and repeat a few times. At the moment the dog is associating comming back to you as lead on and end of fun. You need to break this link in it's mind so it may think you are walking somewhere else for a bit more fun and keep the dog on it's toes.

I don't ever give treats to my dog. Will your dog be comming to you because it's doing what it's told or just because it wants a treat.

 

As I said that's my opinion and I am no expert but it works for my dog.

 

Harry

[Markio]

Yep, i was mindful not to give her a rollocking but instead gave her the treat, on hindsight i shouldn't have done either and given up as a bad day.

 

Your advise does have dog logic to it, although i often called her called her back 2-3 times during a walk as practice anyway (she get's the praise and treat each time), then sent her on her way to roam again (no lead).

 

Anyway, i'll give it a whirl.

[jimmyb79]

Have you tried just turning your back and walking as though you're ignoring her? When my cocker started doing this, rather than give her the attention she wanted, I turned my back and just walked (not run) as though I was going back to the car etc. She soon got the message!

[silpig5]

had it with mine , she is nearly a year old now and still full of play . she isnt interested in anything untill she has a couple of mins running about like a spaz . so its play time as soon as week get in field then after that she doesnt miss a beat on her training .

 

i too tryed every thing untill nice vet said dogs are like kids , they need play and work . work is boring . play is good . a bit of both and the dog is happy.