# Another terrible walk!!!!!!!!



## Lisa21487 (Aug 26, 2013)

Just came back from yet another terrible on lead/off lead walk with bear! We have tried stop start, turnaround, harness slip lead, being firm giving him praise but nothing seems to work he stills pulls! He is just as bad for me as he is my husband! We have a field behind us where we normally go for shorter walks, it was just myself and bear he was off his lead chasing his ball and loving it, then he spotted another dog at the top of the field with his owner and bear was off as quick as lightening, i was shouting for his attention but its like he is only focused on the dog and doesnt hear a single word from me! Bear is friendly with other dogs and very well socialised from day care but thinks every dog wants to play so was barking and trying to get at the dog, the other owner had a stick and was seperating bear from his dog, which didnt help really but thats not the point, ( the other dog was on a lead) even as i reached them bear would not listen running further away and around me the closer i got to him, when i finally got him to realise that i had a treat for him he came to me, so then i didnt give him a row for running off because i wasnt sure if i should be praising him for finally coming back?????? I was mortified apologised to the dog owner who just walked offf Put bear back on his lead and came straight home!!!! Now i am scared to let him off the lead without my husband there, even though i still think bear would of done the same with the two of us there!! His recall is great with no distractions!!!!! Will he grow out of this...does anyone have any advise please xx


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## theaccessman (Mar 12, 2012)

Xxxxxxxxxxxx


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## Lisa21487 (Aug 26, 2013)

Thank you this helps alot!! Will defiantly try the handful of treats. Bear is 6months now so is he too old for puppy classes? Always something i wish i had done from the start! 


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## Grove (Oct 17, 2012)

Always praise for him coming back, no matter what he's been doing because you are praising the current action - that he is responding to you. If you do anything other than praise, eg tell him off, he will think you are unhappy that he has come back and it will put him off the next time

Reserve highest value treats for recall. 

Perhaps ask a friend with a dog to come and play in your garden and you can practise recall with a dog distraction in a safe environment? 

some puppy classes only take puppies before 18 weeks but have a look around as I'm sure there will be something for you


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## Grove (Oct 17, 2012)

Ps I believe recall can get a bit sketchy at this age as bear will be entering the adolescent phase. I think consistency, praise and treats are the best way to go. 

I'm sure some more tips will be on the way soon


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## Tinman (Apr 23, 2013)

Lisa21487 said:


> Thank you this helps alot!! Will defiantly try the handful of treats. Bear is 6months now so is he too old for puppy classes? Always something i wish i had done from the start!
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Your not too old for puppy class, my class did up to 12 months.
Have a look at what is near you, I'm sure you And bear would be more welcome x


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

At his age I would suggest getting a long line to use on walks for a while whilst you are working on recall, I got a 50ft line from e-bay for about £10, (just look up dog training line), it is long enough so that they can still have a good run without being able to ignore you as you can pull them back to re-enforce your command, the downside is that they can get wrapped around things so best to use in a large open space, I did let Dudley off lead to play with other dogs or they just get tangled but I was in control of whether he got to play (which he always did providing they were friendly), the downside of them in this weather is they can get covered in mud but I just kept it in an old backpack and dunked it in a bucket of water when it got too bad, they are a loose line not a retractor, you can let go of it and just grab the end to stop them going to far, I called Dudley back frequently giving lots of treats and he rarely got to the end of it anyway. I still use it occasionally if we are walking somewhere new or if we go across farm fields where there could be sheep in the next field.
Dudley loves to play with other dogs and still does, when he charges over to say hello to another dog I never call him back as I know it would be teaching him to ignore me, as he has got older he doesn't always bother if they are over the other side of the field (he would have done when younger), he likes to say hello but will come back to me much sooner now and is also more aware of other dogs body language and is showing a bit more respect (most of the time!) but it is constant training really, he still gets lots of treats throughout our walks, funny as other owners in our park do the same, and treat each others if we know them well enough and now the dogs take turns sitting at the feet of each owner looking like they are in an obedience class!


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## theaccessman (Mar 12, 2012)

Lucia was two when she came to us
Started a once a week training class for ten weeks
They taught my wife and I the proper methods to make Lucia behave on Lead, sit-stay, recall, etc
This information combined with practice and patience resulted in one happy family


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## RangerC (Jan 23, 2013)

You can practice recall every day - make a game of it in the house, playing hide and seek. Go to a room and call him, as he gets used to finding you, go further afield but always treat and fuss him when he finds you. We always do at least one sit and stay on our walks and if we are in the woods and barney goes out of sight, I stop and do a recall there. He belts back at top speed and is in such a hurry he always overshoots and then does a quick backtrack. It's so funny and I sometimes think he is going to career into me but he doesn't of course.


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## fairlie (Sep 7, 2013)

My best tips

Training classes are a must, doesn't matter if they are puppy or otherwise.

Deliberately hiding on him a few times (in a safe place with no distractions, just long enough to scare him) is another must in my book. Just turning my back on him will get Rufus to follow me now.

Our very first lesson at puppy school many years ago was with a timer. She showed us what one full minute of full on loving praise for a good come felt like. Hold the collar when he comes, praise one full minute then always release to go back to play. Never call back for anything but praise and treats. When you need to leave the park tell him it is time to go and walk to him to attach his lead.

Good luck!


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

Always give him lots of praise when he finally comes to you even if you feel like strangling him! 
Mine are very good at recall now but both went through a very naughty stage at Bears age. I took fried chicken livers (chopped then frozen) in my pocket on walks. They could smell them and were a great incentive to come to me when I called. You need a really special treat to bring them back to you especially if they are having fun away from you. After a while he will come to you on his own. Good luck!


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## Yogi bear (Feb 25, 2013)

I can't agree more with what's already been said just a few more tips:
-use high value treats for recall and change it up, keep a toy that he LOvES in your pocket and as soon as he runs back towards you show him the toy and play and praise excessively!!
-puppy classes are a must as you can practice things with distractions in a safe environment, the owners are generally the ones that need the training!
-hide behind a tree or something when he's off lead- he will panic when he cant see you, then reappear! he should be worried when YOU are off lead and not the other way around
-try running away from him in a REaLLY excited way when he doesn't come, he will think 'hmmm mum looks like she's doing something fun, I am going to go to her and see what fun she's having' then praise praise praise when he comes
-NEVER shout his name in an angry voice he will think 'when she says bear, bad things happen, why should I come to her when I can have more fun playing with another dog?'

Good luck, be patient, it will get better x


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## Madmum2015 (Nov 7, 2015)

My Poppy is just 5 months old and is my first Cockapoo, having had German Shepherds for a good number of years. As I'm getting older I thought it wise to downsize my dog so that I could cope better?! Am finding Poppy a real nightmare at times. She pulls terribly on the lead, and I daren't let her off the lead as her recall is atrocious. She won't even come in from the garden willingly when I call so I would have no hope outside. Even with handy treats on offer she will not respond. Am full of despair that she will always be the same, but it is reassuring to know that I am not the only one having such problems.


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

Madmum (cool name) it does get better - but...
I was thinking about your post as I was walking today in the forest. My father bred GSDs and for the first 13 and a half years of our married life I had two wonderful GSDs who walked beside me. I absolutely love them as a breed - their steadiness, that strength, gentleness and aloofness and their utter loyal dedication to you. I was enormously lucky with my girls, one of whom was a rescue, in that they were fantastic examples of the breed. When I had to have my Cheka put to sleep I could not replace her- no other GSD was her. Since those days I have had a series of other dogs - jack russell, rottie cross and my current three. 
I have loved all of my dogs - but my crazy Dot is a revelation and a delight - her joyful exuberance and her enthusiastic love lighten my heart and my day: she is not a GSD - but she is utterly and wonderfully Dot.
I would say that there is no way you will ever have a happy cockapoo if you do not crack the off lead exercise thing. They delight in doodle dashing in mad happy circles, they are incredibly social and love the opportunity to play with other dogs and greet other people, there is nothing better than ferreting through the undergrowth after wonderful smells and swimming in open water, some even have hippopotamus tendencies when it comes to mud - fortunately not mine 
My expectations of behaviour are the same for all of my dogs - my Dad had a basic minimum - come when called, go and lie down when told and walk nicely on a lead.
Dot can do all of the above, but it is constant training still and although she can not pull when she is excited she bounces - she should have been called yoyo.
Dot was off lead as soon as she was allowed out and her recall is just fine - she loves her ball more than anything else so stays close to me because that way I might throw her ball for her.
I advise you go for walks with Poppy with friends with well trained dogs in a dog safe area - I don't know where you live, but somewhere away from roads and livestock - the woods, beach, open arable fields with footpaths around - walk purposefully and happily for her half hour - letting her race and chase with her doggy friends. Call all of the dogs in together, reward and send off again, several times. Get into the habit of making walks a happy time of free running - these poos run way more than my GSDs ever did! They are busy active dogs.
Do training classes with Poppy - Dot is a star and she specializes in speedy recalls and she has fantastic focus. She honestly loves to please - but she is high energy and she needs plenty of opportunities for active fun. 
Apparently they settle down


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

I have two dogs currently - Molly cockapoo and Chance who is a collie/labrador cross. Chance probably has an outlook more like your GSD's of old - if I ask both dogs to do something Chance will do it because I have asked, Molly will weigh up her options 

I got Molly as a 17 month old who had never been off the lead and was totally untrained. When out and about she wanted to chase birds as (I think) this had been her only outlet for her energy in her first home. I had to make coming to me more rewarding than chasing birds. Initially she was on a long line and I took top value treats and heavily rewarded her every time she paid me any attention at all, she learned that coming to me on walks was good and I was able to build a strong recall. 

A mistake we sometimes make with calling in from the garden is the garden is fun - and then we call them in, shut the door and fun is over. So make coming in fun too, when she does come in reward her, play with her, praise her and make her feel it was the best decision ever.

Don't call if bad stuff is going to happen, so for bath time I go and fetch Molly and similar for anything else she may not be keen on. 

Training classes are also an excellent idea. Molly loves to learn, clicker training works really well for her and she is very smart and learns quickly, but she has to want to do it.


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

Kiki is like Molly and I think that is the poodle brain, Dot is much more spaniel like, a bit of a brainless bird, once she understands what you want it is fine, but her powers of concentration aren't great. In this way she reminds me of Inzi who was quickly bored of repetition, it has to be fun and she has to get it and if her legs haven't had adequate exercise her brain cannot function


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