Hey - I got a dog from a rescue shelter a few months back.
I've been taking him to dog training classes the past few weeks and in the house we've been making good progress on the control mechanisms.

I can get him to sit, lie down and stay.

Outside of the house, he is a different animal. I cannot even get him to acknowledge his name. He won't look at me - he just constantly sniffs the ground, and anything else around him. It's like I'm not there.

Do I need to train him all over again for different environments?

Seems excessive! Anyone else had these problems?
Thanks.

DS

Same here i have two sheps they are perfect indoors take them out and cant handle them at all, cant even hold them they dont take any notice of us just carry on as though we are not holding them , have tried everything nothing seems to work outdoors , only off lead will they come to us when we call on lead they are pulling like crazy and noses on ground all the time, so your not on your own mate.

Hi there,
We also have a rescue dog. Willis is the perfect dog indoors, but outdoors he is very excitable. We started off practising recall and we used a toy like ball or frisby to get his attention. It takes time and he is a lot better now. Good Luck.

hi

its hard trainin a resuce dog as you dnt know what there past is like, it looks like hes not used to being told what to do, my terrier is the same dead well behaved but as soon as hes off that lead i have to really shout his name for him to even look at me, it just takes time and alot of training. Im still training my border terrier now and i have had him for 1 1/2 years

hope everything works out -x-

__________________

Keep Dreaming Smudge! HAHAHA

Think about your post. You say he will do basic commands in the house but not outside, why is this?

Inside your house, he's comfortable, knows the routines etc, he will do what you ask him because he has nothing else to do. Outside its a whole new world! Scents, dogs, people, kids, noises, traffic, animals to hunt, lampposts to pee up. You see where im coming from?

You need to get your behaviours on fluent cues inside the house. Meaning, he will do what you ask, 10 times out of 10. Once you have it at this level, move into the garden, work with him until you also get fluent cues in the garden. Then you move to the street, same process again, before the biggie, the park at the busiest time of day.

You need to set aside a training day, so that its not a fun walk, its a fun training session which happens to be outside. If you cant keep his attention in the garden, you move back into the house and start again. You with me?

__________________

Hey Paws -

Thanks for that. That's helpful advice.
I'm definitely going to try these things.

I'll post again and let you know how I get on.

DS

Thanks from me also im going to try doing it that way too