[sophiedb]

We're getting on well with Disco who has just turned 9 months old. Generally good recall but loses his head when he sees other dogs and just wants to play, chase, zoom around regardless of how up for it they are! any tips on what training is needed to work on this? we can often get him back once he's rocketed off but not 100% and can sometimes take a few minutes, and the whole thing can be stressful for everyone, also dangerous if the other dog is aggressive

is it a long lead? i find them so annoying to use but worth it if we can crack this!

thanks!

 

[texasred]

I feel for you. Heifer thinks every dog must be played with, whether they want to or not. I’ve worked her with some dogs, that I know won’t hurt her. We work on the leave it command, while she runs with them. Anytime she starts to get closer to them. I call out Leave It, and over lay the command with her ecollar. She already knows the command. She just didn’t care to listen, when it applied to new dogs. It’s coming along, but I wouldn’t say she totally has it down. I’m sure you could do the same thing with a long lead.

 

[TrumpetBlast]

We come across many different dogs in the park, and not all are friendly. I have trained Shofe to wait until she is released to go play. That way, when we see a friend from way off, she has to wait until I give the okay and then it's game on.

 

[gunnr]

Sophiedb
Yes, go back to the check cord, or long line. He will be on and off a check cord for the next year. I know that isn’t what you wanted to hear, but it’s normal.
The check cord is not to “ control” your boy. It is an extension of the leash. In practice, he should never get to the end of it, but,,,,,
You are imprinting on him that you can, and will, enforce a command at any distance.
At 9 months old he’s just excited. Over the next 10-12 months it will be hormones. Putting him back on the long lead is not a step backward. It’s the first step forward. Everybody hates it, but it’s for the dog’s safety and security, that we need to do it.
Add a shotgun, thick cover, game birds, and you’ll cuss that check cord a blue streak. I’ve probably untangled my dogs a thousand times through the years.
Good luck. It’s just a process.

 

[Duffeljaiket]

Fergus is nearly two now and playing with other dogs has always been a problem. When he was younger if he saw dogs down the beach he would zoom off to play with them, and would quite happily go off with them. I would end up trailing after them, and it was worse if the folk were walking away and didn't stop.
These days he is much better, we can, meet dogs on the trail, they play, then I just say let's go, and he generally comes along. He can be tempted by dogs far off, but using the whistle and recalling him for a treat, usually he stays. But there are dogs he still goes to, but now I keep going and he satisfies his need to go play, then rushes back to me. Not ideal, but so much better than before.
Our latest problem is when he knows we've almost reached the car, he won't come to get his lead on, instead he will even run past me to find another dog to play with before we go. I've had to start putting the lead on well before reaching the car park.
It is a process I suppose, Fergus is so much better, but still not there yet.

 

[Dan_A]

Guess by your flag that e-collar is not an option?

 

[Mike D]

Just had the same experience yesterday. I had reinstated the long line a few weeks back after a recall incident, and he's been improving a lot - even when other dogs were around, he'd normally come back after zooming off to play with them. Particularly in a wooded area. But yesterday, after we left the woods, he spotted (ahead of me, of course) a group of dogs and ran towards them. One of the dogs was very small and my 10-month old scared him. But of course the more squealing (from the dog and its owner) and the more jumping and running around, the more excited he got. Even kept jumping up on the lady when she eventually picked up the small dog. All very embarrassing and annoying for everyone involved. Back to the long line.