[0400772]

I have a two year old jack russell who can sometimes have selective hearing.

My "goal" is to be able to have him off leash at the park (away from traffice of course) and not have him run after people/ dogs.

Just now if i let him off he would go have a wee sniff etc maybe a run around in a big circle which isnt bad UNTIL! another dog comes along or people. He just wants to go play and im scared that if i let him off one day he will do this to wrong dog/ person and get hurt.

My partner and i have bought a long line and are now trying everyday after to go to the park with a ball thrower and just drop the lead so we arent attached to it at all and just have fun. But it also gives me the security of knowing that if he decides to run i have 16ft of lead that i can catch up to him on it. lol.

Can someone please give me any advice etc. In the house etc when i shout his name he comes straight away. I dont use his name as a negatvie thing. if he is bad he gets oh oh instead of name.

When he comes he is rewarded with attention/ food/ toys etc whatever is available and he responds appropriately but outside is a totally different ball game. He is very little interested in us, just want to sniff bout. He is literally like a hoover all the way along the road. Last week we managed to get him to concentrate on the ball game for a good 15 mins which knackered him out as he was having to run between me and partner.

I dont want to "punish" him by having him on the lead at all times but i dont want to lose him either. When i pick him up from my parents house i let him out without lead into carpark (its a hidden carpark so no one comes in). And he runs out to one of the bushes, does toilet etc has a wee sniff then goes to car. I try to do the same thing getting him out of car but my car park is a bit bigger and he always runs after neighbours cats (he wants to play with anything that moves).

PLease help. im stuck now x

 

[mum2three]

Hi, having the same problem as you at the moment (as many many other people are, lol) . My pup is seven months and just wants to play with anything that moves. I've found lots of methods by googling. At the moment my dog is walking on the lead and I've been playing ball on a long line (sometimes he'll play sometimes he'll ignore me and look around and eat grass). Walking him more on the lead has given me a plus side as I've been concentrating on getting him to walk to heel and trying to get him to focus on me rather than passing people, dogs etc. So far I've seen a huge improvement and I'm getting pulled a lot less, although he still goes bonkers if someone talks to him.
Anyway I'm going to try starting from scratch by training him the come command in the back garden with the long line. Apparently you should only call once and if he doesn't come then you give a little pull on the lead to prompt him and reward when he comes. Also when he comes to you touch his collar (supposed to help stop him ducking away when he's off lead so he never knows when your going to put him back on). Apparently the plan is he learns that not coming to you when you call is not an option!!! Hope they are right because my dog seems too willful to accept that:confused1:. Then once he comes back 100% I will start adding distractions (my kids will come in handy for that). When he's 100% with kids running around singing I'm supposed to move to a quite park and build distraction by moving to more distracting places. Once he's 100% with dogs, kids, bikes etc all around he can finally be free of the long line:w00t:. Of course you have to keep working on the recall even after the training is 100% by calling him back occasionly not just when you want him back on the lead so coming back isn't always about going home.
Well at least I hope all that will happen, good luck with yours:thumbup:

 

[Mum2Heidi]

It's not an easy one - I have a terrorist too. She is one now and I am pleased with her recall altho it isnt always as instant as I would like, it is there. I started in a safe doggy park where she socialised with lots of other dogs (about 12 weeks). Initially I relied on other dog owners recalling their dogs to get mine. Gradually she cottoned on and always got a treat of dried liver. She loved it and I only used it for recall.

Then I watched which toys got the most attention. It was squeaky ones so I got a squeaker and took with me. That gets her attention if calling doesnt and then the treat when she comes back. At 8 months she started fetching a ball so I also use that to distract or keep her with me. I dont use the liver anymore but use her kibble. I have noticed that if I stop the treats, recall gets less so I keep them going. Another thing I do is hide. If we are out and she is off lead, she is always checking in on me. If she runs to play with mates, she stops regularly to see where I am. Usually I keep walking and she will come running back. If I feel she is going too far or not checking in enough I will find a safe place and hide. That seems to re-tune her and she wont let me out of her sight.

Hope some of this helps. :thumbup:

 

[mum2three]

I wish we had a secure dog park near me. My walk route has dog walkers, joggers, cyclists, horses etc. The surrounding fields are full of sheep:frown:. There is a small wooded area that is fenced all around (which I've used a few times) but even there you can sometimes have sheep that somehow manage to get in.

An area with only like minded dog owners would be great, although I'm sure there would still be some who wouldn't appreciate my over excited, large pup with poor doggy manners. He's not very good at taking no for an answer when dogs don't want to play and if he really likes a dog he tends to pester, but then I worry that he's never going to learn if he doesn't get to play???

 

[Mum2Heidi]

I know, I'm really lucky to have the nature reserve so close to hand. 66 acres of total bliss. I've only been going regularly since having Heidi but I'm sure the it's meant more for walkers and bird watchers than dogs but we seem to have the majority and it works well.

Being so large you can pick your routes and avoid too many dogs or get right into the thrust of it if you want. Heidi learned sooooo much in the first months from other dogs. It definately helped her recall.

One lady that we walked with quite frequently has 2 cockers and Heidi must have taken it all in. Wasnt long before whatever commands she gave to either of hers, Heidi did the same and still does. :lol: Was great to see this tiny pup "sit and be quiet" just a few feet from me when I hadnt even asked.

Sorry you havent got a safe area, feel a bit guilty now

 

[0400772]

I wouldnt say i have a doggy park but we do have large areas of grass meant for children to play football etc that are closed off to the main dual carraigeway. only way to go is towards the sea lol.

I still dont feel comfortable becuase i feel he will just go up to people instead of cars . if you get what i mean.

I wish councils would set up a dog training area in town then everyone who is in that area are obviosuyl training their dogs and would help each other so much .

plus it would be safer for all our dogs.