# not to chase deer



## smileydog (Jun 11, 2010)

Does anyone live in deer country? Magnum loves to chase deer, doesn't catch them, and stops after about 500yrds but can't call him once he is in the chase zone. Its only an issue in winter, we don't see them in spring or summer. Thinking e-collar is only solution, training using "off" command works when no distactions, but not when deer pop out of the bush. Anyone have experience with this?


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## crisp (Jun 23, 2010)

Work on your recall. I have a forest preserve behind my house. We hike there often off leash. Usually come across deer or coyotes and Clark always start to chase. Responds on first command and comes right back. I learned the hard way and lost her once when she was younger to chasing deer. Caught up to her after a few minutes but she nealry gave me a heart attack. After that incident there was no more off lead time until we cemented the recall.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

If you use an ecollar for this I would use Lou Castles *low stim* technique for crittering and also for the recall. I had a demon in one of my dogs and it worked very well.

A friend just got a goat on her farm and it helped desensitize the dogs. Apparently very similar in many regards.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

your dog running 500 yrds. away without recall isn't good
or safe. i think you should keep the dog leashed untill he's
trained not to chase the deer.


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## wyominggrandma (Jan 2, 2011)

Here in Wyoming if a dog is seen chasing deer, its shot. End of story. I would not let my dog off leash is he will run 10 yards away and not come back when you call.If he is running that far and not listening to you, he is not ready to be off leash.


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## shannonrae (Sep 9, 2010)

Likewise here in Maine, a deer chasing dog is a dead dog! Some the hunters I know will shoot a dog just for being in deer area (no chasing needed) off leash, if the owner is not in sight (this is illegal, if the dog is not in the act). I would be wary, and as others said work on recall. I would not give off leash time until recall is solid!


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## smileydog (Jun 11, 2010)

*back to doggie kindergaten*

Thanks everyone for replies, yes I realize that it is very bad thing to chase the deer, one neighbour called the MNR and I got a warning, the Conservation Officer has authority to shoot, but the neighbours can't I believe. I don't think the punishment fits the crime but that is the law. He has been on lockdown since, and back to being on leash at all times, which sucks when it is first thing in the morning for his potty. What do use for praticing recall, a long 30ft leash? He is good at coming when nothing esle is around, so I need him to see a deer and have control of him from a bit of a distance, any suggestions for this?

Thanx Julie


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## psdontario (Feb 2, 2011)

Smiley, is the response the same to more common large animals such as cows, horses etc.? Or is this contextual... meaning, single deer, in a field at a distance creating a focal point which the dog locks in on? What I am getting at is, in order to improve a response, the context in which you train should be very much the same. The only thing that will be different is management and your timing. I would build the recall first, without any distraction, so that the response is neck breaking (I do this using reward-based training). I then begin to add small amounts of distance (I start with dog being rewarded for responding 2 feet away, then 4... then 2 again, then 6 and so on) so that the dog never knows when it will be called, creating a varying schedule with regard to distance... young dogs usually really start to fall off around 10-12 feet so be careful not to allow him to fail too often and manage with a long line. Then, when you feel you have excellent response rebuild it with distraction, but not too close, perhaps 100 feet away from the distraction and begin building the recall again (2 feet, 4feet, 10 feet, 3 feet ,etc). Make the exercise the focal point, not the deer, cow, horse etc.
Have done this before with many of my Rott people who have horses or cattle (one had an obsession with running lawnmowers). MANAGEMENT IS KEY, DO NOT LET THE BEHAVIOR PLAY OUT AS IT IS OBVIOUSLY SATISFYING TO YOUR DOG. Use a long line and manage it.

Cheers,

Mike


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## smileydog (Jun 11, 2010)

*thanks*

Thanks for your advice psdonario, the thing is that the deer are in my yard and neighbours (they feed them) and across the narrows (i'm on a lake) so I see them alot in winter they surprise us by poping out of the bush. Magnum is only a year old, so he is a bit of a bone head, hoping he will calm down, but youre right I can let the chase become a habit, so we will be working on recall alot, because it is dangerous especailly this time of year when the ice is breaking up. I'll let you know if we get some progress, thanks again.

Julie


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## smileydog (Jun 11, 2010)

Just another thing I would like to add is that I can take him around horses that are in their yard, and I can get him to sit, he whines a little, kind to like he wants to get closer but not to attack just curious. I think that its the running that triggers him, because he also has been wanting to chase cars when walking. I had him trained when younger to sit when car went by but lately he has forgotten all. Today when walking a deer came running out of the bush behind us, he already could smell it, and he almost pulled me over wanting to go after it, I'm scared if I had a long line that he would have a running start and rip my arm off. Just hoping spring will arrive soon.

Julie


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## smileydog (Jun 11, 2010)

Well some progess today he went after some geese on the ice, he went about 30ft and I called him "off" and then "come" and he did!! Right now he is watching the deer outside on the next property and he is being quiet and I am treating him with cheese. I think the deer are harrassing him now, LOL.

Julie


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## crisp (Jun 23, 2010)

A long training lead or an e-collar should be fine for training. If she has some recall training, work on other things that get her going before moving on to the deer. I started with smaller prey that my dog would chase squirrels, birds, rabbits, etc. If the dog has no recall training start with a ball you throw.


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