# Recall Help...again...



## VChurch (Jun 14, 2010)

I started recall training with Sobacca yesterday. I have a 30 foot lead for it. And during the training sessions he's perfect, comes every single time when called -- no more selective hearing; even from 25-30 feet away. And I've noticed his focus inside the house is getting a lot better, and his focus after a training session is amazing.

My problem now is, how am I supposed to get him distracted so we can work on it. I've actually been getting he and Minna to run around the back yard (while he's still on the lead) and they'll sort of start playing, and as soon as I say "come" he stops playing and comes straight to me.

I know this seems weird because I'm supposed to want his focus totally on me....and I'm not complaining about it (I'm actually loving it)! BUT I need some way to actually get him distracted from me so I can work on the recall that way.
I know he isn't ready for off-leash yet, but I was considering taking him back in the orange groves (because he's really good about staying within eye-sight of me) and working on recall back there off-leash because I'm pretty sure he would actually be distracted a little more.

I don't know. I just need some help with this......
Thanks


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## Zoeys mom (Jan 23, 2010)

Do you have a park nearby where people will be, or even a shopping center? I love training Zoe around congested areas once I know she has something down because these real life areas provide all the distraction they'll ever need to listen


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

Your local pet store like Petsmart or Petco works great too & it's much cooler!


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## VChurch (Jun 14, 2010)

Yeah, thought about the park...think I'll have to try that. And maybe the beach.

Although I'm going tonight to check out a Shutzhund Training group and taking both dogs....so I think I may work with him there a little bit to see how his recall is.


Thanks for the tips!


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## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

I had another person help me- we'd stand a pretty good distance from each other and call the puppy back and forth. As soon as he reached one person the other would call him so he was running back and forth at a pretty good pace. It kept him interested and kind of excited, like a big game. We were using treats. We did this off leash because as you say, he was perfect on the leash.


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## VChurch (Jun 14, 2010)

Yeah, me and my mom were doing that yesterday with him on-leash and he was doing a great job of it. He caught on too quickly and would grab his treat and know who was going to call him next, so we had to start distracting him and then call him. And he still was doing a great job of this (more so when I would call him then when my mom would call him).


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## Caledon (Nov 10, 2008)

Someone posted a great video of his dog doing recall exercises. It was very impressive.

It did involve another person to distract.


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## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

When I'm by myself, I throw a treat, toy or something then call him back. I've even done it in the house when it's too hot outside. You can always hide in the house then call him- my pups LOVE that game.


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## Ucdcrush (Mar 22, 2004)

In my opinion the biggest test would be when a cat is running and the dog starts chasing it. Maybe just walk around the neighborhood with him on a long lead, and hope some cats get wind and move quickly (a lot of the ones I see tend to just stay still).

A dog park is another idea, with new dogs, mid-chase. I tried that a couple weekends ago, and at first Tuki blew me off whilst chasing another dog, till I gave her the corrective tugs back to where I called her. Then she was hesitating to venture out, but did, and recalls after that were fine 

Cats or other small fast moving critters would be the serious top test for us, but they aren't exactly easy to come by for structured training.


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## VChurch (Jun 14, 2010)

That's exactly what I need: a small animal that he sees and then work on recall. I plan to take him somewhere that's high-traffic (people, animals, etc.) to see how he does with recall. I'm also starting to work on his focus on me while walking next to me -- he's doing okay with this, he's used to walking and looking at everything else, so I just have to teach him to look at me more.

He's still doing really well with the recall; I took him out this morning and he actually was getting more distracted with the orange groves (and with Minna barking at us) and I called him and he came almost every single time; I think I had to give him a correction once (but I had also thrown a treat so he was busy sniffing for that). But otherwise, he's doing really good with this.


Thank you so much for all the help and all the ideas!


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I agree with the above suggestions.

Dogs tend to be 'perfect' at home, throw those distractions in outside the home is where the true testing comes in


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## VChurch (Jun 14, 2010)

There was a dog next door and I went near his yard and Sobacca was pretty perfect; I had to make one correction and then he listened. I wish the dog was a little more reactive to us being near the yard because that would be a perfect distraction for us to work near....Maybe we'll work at the beach tomorrow.

Two dogs certainly are tiring since I'm training/walking them separately now. But it'll be worth it in the end.


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