New recall?

[Shalista]

So in the whole scrum about Zuri i forgot to ask for advice on this.

While Zuri was over i took her and Bax out to have a good game of chase in the coral. they both played pretty well but i could tell Bax was getting sick of it (this was the turning point for him playing enthusiastically with her, and just wanting to be left alone) while i was saddeling them up to take them out of the coral Bax slipped under the door and got loose. Normally this wouldn't be a big deal. He and i worked extensively on his recall and he used to be let freely off leash until he started going after chickens.... but that was 3 years ago. I haven't TOUCHED recall with him since since i stupidly thought i wouldnt need it with him being always on leash.

I called, i clapped, i ran away from him. nothing. he completely ignored me and wandered off to sniff, he wasnt even running away, just following his nose to something interesting(CLEARLY more interesting than the madly dancing clapping human). I was finally able to grab him down by the burn pile (i surreptitiously clipped the lead on when he was busy sniffing something and then i let them stay and sniff for awhile longer before i said "lets go!" in an upbeat tone and went back home with a fast beating heart)

I know i got lucky,. its still early spring so there was nothing for him to chase, but im determined to do better. it's time to work on recall again.

All this to ask, do i need a new recall? he was super aroused and anxious about zuri being there so i think even if his recall had been perfect he still might have ignored me, still, is my recall tainted by the ignoring?

i DO have a recall i use in the house that is exclusively for fun stuff. it wasnt intended for a recall its just my way to call him to eat stuff thats fallen on the floor or when it's time to go on a walk and he's SUPER run-across-the-floor-and-slide-ten-feet enthusiastic about following that recall. Should i switch to using the new one since he's so happy to follow it? or should i stick with his old one?

[Erica]

I don't think he was ignoring you to follow something interesting -- in this circumstance, I think it was more likely displacement sniffing, ie "I'm too stressed to deal with this right now so I'm going to self-soothe with some sniffing, even if there's nothing there." It's *possible* there was some critter trail he was following too, but since it was a stressful situation, I would put money on displacement sniffing.

I'll try to come and write a little more after class tonight, but long and short of it: if he's stressed and not listening, put *less* pressure on him, not more. Get the puppy inside, give him some time to destress before asking him for anything.

I don't think you necessarily need a brand-new recall. It's always a good one to practice, but when they're sufficiently stressed, the best-trained dog in the world will still not be *able* to listen.

[Shalista]

yeah thats what i figured, he was just wayyyyy to stressed. i dont think he was being malicious or pig headed or anything. still i thought id read somewhere that if he ignores your recall (or in this case, is to stressed to hear it) it 'ruins' the recall and you need to start over with a new word because now he knows the recall is optional.