Recall and loss of

[HermanBarkington]

Herman is a 10 month old LH Weimaraner. Up to now his recall has been good anywhere we go - he is an utter mummys boy and didn't use to let me get out of sight on a walk.

In fact, his recall IS still pretty good - as long as there's no other dogs about. If a dog tells him no, he tries again and again and again..... If a dog runs then, as Hermans most favouritest game EVER is chase (he and the cat play it - it's quite a sight to see a big gangly puppy get chased by a furry Norwegian kitten ) he thinks its game on - whether the other dog thinks its running for its life or not.

He seems to go deaf as soon as he spots another dog - it doesn't matter what noise I make, what I shout at him, what treat I have, whether I turn and walk the opposite way, nothing - he doesn't even acknowledge me.

To be fair, everyone has been fine with him - it is playing, there is no aggression - but 1. it's no fun seeing a big gangly dog come bounding up to you, blatently ignoring its owner, 2. Not all dogs are fine with it, one day he will get bitten. 3. It's dangerous having the complete lack of attention! and 4. It's just plain rude - I would be really cross if I had my dog out and this huge hairy thing came and started leaping about, especially if my dog was on a lead.

He isn't food or toy orientated in the slightest and he plays out with his friends 4 or 5 times a week. We go to puppy training weekly (I got told this selective deafness was a Weimy thing ), he comes to work with me (a pet shop) and sees and either plays with or ignores other dogs there.

I feel tomorrows offlead walk should be done on the lead if I can't trust him to recall, but he won't understand why he's on the lead when he's normally off, will he? Dogs (or boys, or boy dogs) don't do logical, sadly.

What to do, what to do?

[Emma&Tess]

You shouldn't let him off if there is other dogs around if he won't come back. As he gets older and more mature he will start listening to you. But it is still important to make sure he is socialised. Try getting together with some other people and there dogs in a fenced area. So that your puppy can play with other dogs. Also try sit, wait and then come on a long line. Another thing that works great is a whistle. Get one of the silent dog ones.

[emmabeth]

Ooooooooooooh Norty Barkington!

You know you cant let him do this so I don't need to bang on about that - get the boy a harness, one of the ones that doesnt 'do' anything is just a harness, not one of the 'gadget' ones.. and a lunge line.

Walkies as normal but instead of being allowed off the short lead and then being free, you unclip the shortlead but hes STILL on the long line (yes you need to be deft with your knitting).

Tis important to do it this way so he doesnt get wise to 'lead unclipped = pee off at speed', so normal lead on collar, long line on harness and roll the long line up and walk him off the normal lead/collar (much like only using the snaffle rein on a double bridle and having the curb rein there if required).

Make a habit of being interesting on walks - again, think back to the ponio - do not just trundle along thinking about whats for tea, communicate with him, be interesting, ask questions of him (and not 'whats for tea?') and have plenty of (and varied) rewards... so hes got lots of reasons to pay attention to you, no matter how far or close he is. You have the long line to back this up if need be but ideally dont ask him if you think he wont respond first time, instead just 'do something else'. So if you want him back and hes 30ft away, looking at another dog in the distance, DONT recall him, instead change direction and say something else (doesnt matter what). If you think he will respond, then use the command.

When you get to the stage where hes starting to check back to you when he gets some distance away, then you can start letting the lead trail on the ground, playing hide and seek (or as i call it 'quick lets lose the dog') - the aim being that you make it HIS job to see where you are and stick by you, because you are tricksy and might vanish.

When he recalls nicely on the long line when its either in your hand or trailing on the ground, and he is altogether much more switched on to where you are and what you are doing, you can start adding in distractions and asking him to recall from those. Start off easy! If in doubt, 'do something else' rather than weaken your recall command by using it where it will be ignored.

When you see other dogs around, try and get him close to you and then ask (shout) to other owners to ask if he can play Practice with dogs he already knows, calling him out of play for a treat (you mighyt have to get them to call their dogs out of a game too) and then let him go back to the game (might be one for the indoor school if you can or a big garden). This way he learns that being called out of a game does not mean end of fun.

[Nettle]

Just to add that this is nothing to do with being a Wei and everything to do with being a normal puppy of that age work with him as Emms has said and your little angel will be back one day - but not for a while. Puppies are very challenging! We all go through it with each one.

[HermanBarkington]

Thank you everyone

Long line? Dog? I am so going to end up on my ***.

When you say harness... He has a Dogmatic headcollar. Assuming this is no good for Norty Dogs? He only wears it on the lead as otherwise he tends to go everywhere on his head which is good for comedy value right up until he runs into a tree (I didn't laugh. Much).

I shall start taking toys on walks - I do play hide and seek with him and (should I admit this?) crouch down on the floor, call him and jump and run as he comes back - I look an utter sight on walks and I really hope no one sees me when I'm bounding about with him.

Switched on? Herman? Ems, you have to come and see this dog. Infact, one day I'm going to bring him to you and your motley crew can teach him manners. The dog is the very epitomy of brain being a long way from paws.

I think I'm finding it frustrating as he KNOWS all this, we've done it all, it's just it seems he's going through his teenage-puppy phase. However, we will be out on walks again tomorrow, armed with a lunge line, toys, enough food to feed him for a week and a cushion for my bum for when I end up on it.

(Thank you all, a lot, I know I sound ungrateful, I'm really not, I promise! And I will get my polite puppy back. Eventually.)

[Mattie]

To be fair, everyone has been fine with him - it is playing, there is no aggression - but 1. it's no fun seeing a big gangly dog come bounding up to you, blatently ignoring its owner, 2. Not all dogs are fine with it, one day he will get bitten. 3. It's dangerous having the complete lack of attention! and 4. It's just plain rude - I would be really cross if I had my dog out and this huge hairy thing came and started leaping about, especially if my dog was on a lead.

At last an owner who recognises this, thankyouthankyouthankyou, I wish there were lots more like you. I have a dog that is so terrified of dogs racing up to him, especially Weimaraners as 2 attacked him one day when he was sitting with his back to them, that he now has panic attacks when he sees a strange dog, this often leads to a seizure later in the day.

As Em says, a lunge line clipped to a harness, if you want to extend this you can add another lunge line, I sometimes have 2 or 3 on my dogs to give extra distance while teaching them recall.

Playing hide and seek will help as well, just don't make it too hard for him to find you at first, as he gets better at it you can really hide in the bushes etc.

[HermanBarkington]

At last an owner who recognises this, thankyouthankyouthankyou, I wish there were lots more like you. I have a dog that is so terrified of dogs racing up to him, especially Weimaraners as 2 attacked him one day when he was sitting with his back to them, that he now has panic attacks when he sees a strange dog, this often leads to a seizure later in the day.

Oh, poor, poor boy