# How to get super recall?



## CactusWren (Nov 4, 2018)

Jupiter is a mild-mannered dog for the most part, but one behavior is starting to cause problems: the chase and nip. 

Basically, there are certain dogs at the dog park who like to run and be chased. Sometimes Jupiter will accommodate them. The only problem is, at the end of the chase, he tends to nip their back, hard enough to get a yelp. He has done this probably three times in five months of regular dog park attendance. First, it's not nice, and second, people don't give him any benefit of the doubt because GSD. On two occasions, this has caused the dogs to be permanently afraid of him, and fearful in general. And that causes them to run from him, which is the thing that causes him to chase in the first place.

So what I'd like is the ability to call him back when he starts chasing. I don't have a problem being watchful, but once he's on the chase, sometimes he will ignore me. 

Is this a realistic desire? And if so, how would I do this?


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## Gaia (Jul 9, 2019)

I'm sure more experienced trainers will answer, but I would say first of all start on a leash.
I know the point of going to a dog park is to let them run free but it will be much easier to correct him for chasing if he's tethered to you. If he starts to chase, hold him back, get him to look at you (that might take practice), and reward him when he is not focused on trying to chase another dog.

That would be for training him out of the chase, not necessarily for good recall.
But for good recall you want to start away from the park. Inside even. I can't think of any good videos off the top of my head but there are tons of great resources for training a good recall! It's all about getting the dog to trust you and enjoy coming back when you call him.

POSITIVE reinforcement! Don't make the dog come back to you out of fear. He's more likely to want to return to you if he knows he'll get something good out of it. Use a Strong, Specific whistle to signify "come back right now!"
I cant make whistle noises with my mouth so I use a blow whistle with my dogs. It's louder and more effective than just calling their name.


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## Gaia (Jul 9, 2019)

Also what is your level of experience in training?

Because I realize that helps a lot for someone giving advice! That way we wont be too broad or too basic.


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## CactusWren (Nov 4, 2018)

Gaia, thanks for your reply. I have taken Jupiter to Puppy Obedience, Obedience I, and Obedience II, at all4paws training, which is a reputable place here in Tempe, and I train him every day with his kibble. He is excellent in class and in the kitchen, but unfortunately, I have not done a good job of extending that outside the house, where he only listens to me if there's nothing else going on. He is an independent-minded (stubborn) dog and is very food-oriented. 

Lately, I have been making an extra effort to keep drilling recall, and have started interspersing "come" during walks and randomly throughout the day, but the dog park is a whole other level of stimulation. Once in a while, he's broken off pursuit at my call, but other times, he has ignored me.


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## Gaia (Jul 9, 2019)

Ah okay, excellent! It sounds like he has a really good foundation.

I'm going to leave it up to a more experienced trainer to give you specific advice, but I can give a couple tips!
I know it's good to introduce distractions at each level of training (i.e. teach recall in 1 room and then introduce distraction, teach recall in the yard then introduce distraction, teach recall on walk then.. etc, etc)

But like you said, the dog park is a whole other level!
I saw your other post in the aggression forum about him, and I think I would agree it might be time for him to keep away from the dog park. At least while you're trying to train a new behavior. Because any progress that he makes in dealing with distractions is going to be undone if he can get away with disobeying while he's at the park.


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## ausdland (Oct 21, 2015)

Lots of rewarding recalls, rinse and repeat, proof with an E collar or keep him on a long line. Chasing and playing with other dogs at the dog park, good luck with a young dog.


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## dogma13 (Mar 8, 2014)

What ausland said ^^^^.The chase and nip thing is very possibly a herding behavior.My Samson will try to do this whenever we have a summer gathering/BBQ.He doesn't nip but he will chase and circle any humans or dogs that want to break off from the loosely arranged group.He's sure he knows best how to keep a group organizedI either keep him next to me or indoors if I'm otherwise occupied.
Your Jupiter may always feel he needs to control those other dogs so practice,practice,practice until it's ingrained that recalling is not optional.


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## Katsugsd (Jul 7, 2018)

I know a dog that has done this. Once he got there, it's a rough nip then he circles barking. He tore skin on a dog enough for stitches which his owner paid for.

I think the real trick for this would be to catch him before he does it as well as having a solid recall or maybe an emergency down. There is more than likely a subtle queue he's giving off before he gives chase that you don't quite recognize. Practice at home, in your yard, then in increasingly distracting environments before the dog park.

However...for liability reasons, I would try to find an alternate way to entertain and exercise your pup. Since adding a third, I take mine to an open field and play with them - flirt pole, fetch/Frisbee or let them chase each other. I know it might not be realistic for some people, but it's a better alternative than your dog being labelled an aggressive/dangerous dog.


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## CactusWren (Nov 4, 2018)

Unfortunately, Jupiter has already been labeled by the kind denizens of the dog park. It seems to be coming to a head. A lady who I thought was a friend joked that he needed a muzzle--this because he's nipped three dogs in approximately four months. Meanwhile I overhear someone outside the park saying, "it's that black one I'm worried about," apparently speaking loud enough to be heard twenty feet ahead. And one of the guys whose dog got nipped, whose dog is an aggressive-playing terrier, told someone else that he was afraid of Jupiter because he hadn't been neutered yet.

Meanwhile, a husky is circling around like a madman, nipping multiple dogs and rolling them in the dirt, and no one seems to think it out of the ordinary. A weimeraner that attacked Jupiter unprovoked once and has drawn blood on other dogs gets little criticism. A fluffy white mutt that continually attacks a Dane that had heart surgery and barks and snaps at everyone gets a pass. And the Dane himself had chased and nipped the dog before Jupiter did it, but no one holds it accountable.

Yeah, I'm thinking this is a GSD thing!


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## Gaia (Jul 9, 2019)

I definitely understand the frustration of being unpopular at the dog park ?

For a time I lived in an apartment that had a private dog park right outside my front door. It was the best and most convenient way for me to exercise the dogs. But a lot of the other dog owners had smaller breeds or breeds with smaller teeth, and there was only 1 fence, no separate space for smaller dogs! And they didnt seem to understand that the chase and nip is a herding behavior, not an aggressive behavior.

It got to where I would only take them out when no one else was in the park.

Now I live in another city and I go to the DP here every once in a while. There seems to be a close knit community of regulars. But for some reason they think it's okay to bring all of their little tiny dogs into the big dog enclosure! There are two fences! Their little dogs were getting scared of my giant dogs and the owners were acting like it was my dogs' (or somehow my own) fault!! Take them to the small dog fence, they're separated for a reason!! ?

Anyway! You cant expect everyone at a dog park to understand dog behavior and body language (I wish you could, but this just isnt the case!)
Work on his recall and on minimizing the chase behavior and maybe find a few good friends for him and schedule play dates with them! And if he's going to continue going to a dog park he really needs to be neutered. It's just a fight waiting to happen if he isnt. (Another thing that bothered me about the apt I lived at! So many intact dogs and no regard for the rules!)


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## ausdland (Oct 21, 2015)

CactusWren said:


> Unfortunately, Jupiter has already been labeled by the kind denizens of the dog park. It seems to be coming to a head. A lady who I thought was a friend joked that he needed a muzzle--this because he's nipped three dogs in approximately four months. Meanwhile I overhear someone outside the park saying, "it's that black one I'm worried about," apparently speaking loud enough to be heard twenty feet ahead. And one of the guys whose dog got nipped, whose dog is an aggressive-playing terrier, told someone else that he was afraid of Jupiter because he hadn't been neutered yet.
> 
> Meanwhile, a husky is circling around like a madman, nipping multiple dogs and rolling them in the dirt, and no one seems to think it out of the ordinary. A weimeraner that attacked Jupiter unprovoked once and has drawn blood on other dogs gets little criticism. A fluffy white mutt that continually attacks a Dane that had heart surgery and barks and snaps at everyone gets a pass. And the Dane himself had chased and nipped the dog before Jupiter did it, but no one holds it accountable.
> 
> Yeah, I'm thinking this is a GSD thing!


Doesn't sound like a good place to take your dog to :wink2:


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## mycobraracr (Dec 4, 2011)

Gaia said:


> I'm sure more experienced trainers will answer, but I would say first of all start on a leash.
> I know the point of going to a dog park is to let them run free but it will be much easier to correct him for chasing if he's tethered to you. If he starts to chase, hold him back, get him to look at you (that might take practice), and reward him when he is not focused on trying to chase another dog.
> 
> That would be for training him out of the chase, not necessarily for good recall.
> ...



1) Dog parks are the worst things on the planet and no one should ever subject their poor innocent fluffies to those cesspools of bad behavior and disease. 

2) There are three rules to creating a reliable recall. #1 Never call the dog unless you can enforce it. Leash, long line, e-collar are some ways to enforce it. #2 Never call the dog to punish it. Dogs think in the moment, so you're actually punishing the dog for coming to you. #3 Never call the dog away from fun. If you're always calling away from fun, then your dog starts to think that every time it comes to you, the fun stops. 

Start in low distraction areas and build from there. Playing a fun game like two ball is also a great way to teach a recall.


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

I start recall training pretty basic on older pups. I use a long line and I start from just a few feet away, so lots of slack. I wait for the dog to pause or sniff and they I say Dog, Come! and run backwards a few feet. Reward heavy for compliance and then immediately give a release word so the dog can carry on exploring. I repeat this every few minutes and over a course of days increase the distance and decrease the amount I move. 
I use the line so that if need be I can encourage the dog to follow through, and if the dog is clearly very distracted I wait. Don't repeat the command and make sure that you don't start allowing fly-bys. The dog needs to come to you, not just fly past you.
So far the only downside I have found is that some of my dogs come in so fast that they use me to stop.


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## CactusWren (Nov 4, 2018)

Sabis mom said:


> So far the only downside I have found is that some of my dogs come in so fast that they use me to stop.


Ha! Thanks, I will use that method (not the stopping part, the other part).


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## LRP (May 8, 2019)

Why the hate on Dog Parks?? GSD's don't have to be unsocial dogs, they can love there people and love other dogs to. We take our puppies to 1 dog park that we love.... good people, good dogs. We stay close to our dogs though, very involved with who they are interacting with and both our dogs have good recall. Our male loves to run around with the other dogs (big or small) but our female tends to hang with the humans, sits with the ladies like she is a housewife  lol


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

Sabis mom said:


> I start recall training pretty basic on older pups. I use a long line and I start from just a few feet away, so lots of slack. I wait for the dog to pause or sniff and they I say Dog, Come! and run backwards a few feet. Reward heavy for compliance and then immediately give a release word so the dog can carry on exploring. I repeat this every few minutes and over a course of days increase the distance and decrease the amount I move.
> I use the line so that if need be I can encourage the dog to follow through,* and if the dog is clearly very distracted I wait.* Don't repeat the command and make sure that you don't start allowing fly-bys. The dog needs to come to you, not just fly past you.
> So far the only downside I have found is that some of my dogs come in so fast that they use me to stop.


Wait to give the command is what I meant, not wait for the dog to respond. 
You want the dog conditioned to believe that Come means right here, right now, as fast as furry feet can move. I start when they are mildly distracted and move up. 
By running away you feed the desire to chase, which makes voluntary compliance much more likely. Over time you fade your movement as you would fade treats, but the result is that the dog has learned to immediately "chase " to get to you. Other behaviors you need like an automatic sit or return to front are easily added as you progress.


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

Restrained recalls can help, they can also speed it up.


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## Katsugsd (Jul 7, 2018)

LRP said:


> Why the hate on Dog Parks?? GSD's don't have to be unsocial dogs, they can love there people and love other dogs to. We take our puppies to 1 dog park that we love.... good people, good dogs. We stay close to our dogs though, very involved with who they are interacting with and both our dogs have good recall. Our male loves to run around with the other dogs (big or small) but our female tends to hang with the humans, sits with the ladies like she is a housewife  lol


No hate from me, I just know that my big pointy eared shepherd is going to be blamed for anything that happens where they are involved. People don't pay attention or can't read dog signals and fights happen. My dogs are able to co-exist with other dogs. They can ignore them in public, which is what I want. They can play in a small get group, which is what I want. Blackthorn just had a party a few weeks ago with some of her puppy buyers. I think there were at least 30 dogs there including my three. Not a single fight. 


I know my male can be considered too much for some people and their dogs, so I don't put him in that situation. My shiba and female GSD are much more fluid with their energy and don't come off as intense. I took them to the park in the past, but I can fulfil their desire for fun on my own. It's better for my relationship with them. Different strokes for different folks, I say.


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## Jchrest (Jun 5, 2019)

Dog parks are a super no thanks for me.

Lyka actually does great at them, until an annoying dog gets up in her face and won’t leave her alone. I’ve shouted to the owner who was on their phone and not paying attention to their dog at all (looked like a chow mix of some sort). Again, I yelled out for him to come get his dog, it was harassing mine. He got up slowly, started walking towards us, and said “it’s no big deal, I don’t know what you’re so worked up about.” At almost that precise moment, Lyka had had ENOUGH and mouthed the dog. Didn’t apply any pressure, not punctures, just slobbering fur on the other dog. The owner starts freaking out that my dog attacked his. Sigh. 

Crios does great, but he isn’t neutered, so it can case problems with larger males instigating fights with him.

Now we go to the dog park but stay on the outside of the perimeter or the park and use it to train with distractions on a long lead line. Awesome place for training outside the fence, horrible place to to let the dogs play inside the fence. 

If there is no one there, I’ll let them in and let them run around with each other, but as soon as I see someone coming, on the short leash they go, and out the gate we go.

It’s a liability thing, and we have enough to handle with these breeds without adding to the panic when our GSD’s finally have enough of being pestered and snap or bite another dog. Just my 2 cents. 

As for recall, I use a dog whistle. I can’t project my voice enough over a long distance, and they come straight back as soon as they hear that whistle going off. Even if they are mid chase of a rabbit, bird, or squirrel. 

If it’s just at home, I say “far enough” and they come right back to me. I wish I could tell you how I did it, but I don’t have any special tricks. It was literally just repetition, and high value treats when they came. 

Before the dog whistle, they didn’t have a recall at all if they were far from me, so they always had a long lead. My neighbor (elderly vet with a Shilo Shep, so gorgeous I wanted him all for myself) gave me his whistle when I took over walking his dog for him. He had him for PTSD, but it was an apartment complex, and he was too much dog for my neighbor to walk. He would pull too hard and drag my neighbor down. Inside, he was a perfect fit, outside, he was just too big and too strong. So his shilo was trained to recall on the whistle, because my neighbor had a very slow shuffle and a hard time holding the leash. When Riley took off on him, the only thing that would bring him back was that whistle.


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## Gaia (Jul 9, 2019)

Katsugsd said:


> People don't pay attention or can't read dog signals and fights happen.


^This, so much.
One of my dogs has occasional issues with other males. He's neutered but he presumably spent 2 years as a street dog so he's still got that mindset. He looks at another dog, starts posturing dominance, if they take it as a threat, the two fight. If they dont get scared or if they want to challenge him through play instead of teeth, theres no fight.

But my dog will get labeled as aggressive, even tho what really happened could be more likened to.. a gentlemens' agreement to a showdown. You cant really untrain dominance.

Granted, of course, I'm responsible for not letting it turn into a fight. But I've experienced so many people like "aww, they're saying hi " and I'm like "do you not see their ears, their tails, their faces??"

Safe to say I stay away from dog parks these days, we built a fence in our backyard so now they dont need it.


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## LRP (May 8, 2019)

Katsugsd said:


> No hate from me, I just know that my big pointy eared shepherd is going to be blamed for anything that happens where they are involved. People don't pay attention or can't read dog signals and fights happen. My dogs are able to co-exist with other dogs. They can ignore them in public, which is what I want. They can play in a small get group, which is what I want. Blackthorn just had a party a few weeks ago with some of her puppy buyers. I think there were at least 30 dogs there including my three. Not a single fight.
> 
> 
> I know my male can be considered too much for some people and their dogs, so I don't put him in that situation. My shiba and female GSD are much more fluid with their energy and don't come off as intense. I took them to the park in the past, but I can fulfil their desire for fun on my own. It's better for my relationship with them. Different strokes for different folks, I say.


I hear you, lucky for us most of the dogs at our park are big dogs, currently bigger then our puppies. There is 1 older male shepherd that is vocal but he does well with the other dogs, I can see what you mean though. When he does get vocal everyone watches more but we do have a good group of people who understand dogs are dogs... If the puppies got to the point where they just didn't want to be around other dogs, we would stop taking them. We hope to not have that happen though.


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## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

LRP said:


> Why the hate on Dog Parks?? GSD's don't have to be unsocial dogs, they can love there people and love other dogs to. We take our puppies to 1 dog park that we love.... good people, good dogs. We stay close to our dogs though, very involved with who they are interacting with and both our dogs have good recall. Our male loves to run around with the other dogs (big or small) but our female tends to hang with the humans, sits with the ladies like she is a housewife  lol


I know there are dogs that have that type of dog park temperament, but whether my dog does or not, I own dogs for me. My time with them is mainly for me and them. We're each others entertainment.


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## Saco (Oct 23, 2018)

Yup, Steve says it like it is- my dogs are for me to do stuff with. They aren't furry babies to take to play dates. Not my dogs, anyway! 

As for rock solid recall. 

I use here for urgent, immediate recall. 

I also use "no" as a marker for unwanted attention or behavior.

No means something to the dog as I follow up with correction. No means stop what you are doing and pay attention to me. If you say "no" when the dog is just thinking about chasing, you are in their head and that is the best time to redirect or call the dog. 

So - I see dog fixated on, say, a deer. I say "no". Dog stops and looks at me- if he doesn't, I correct him. Then I say "(dogs name) here" Dog comes running to me. If dog does not immediately come I mark with "no" and correct.

That's just how I do it. Works for chasing, but you need to be able to have a dog who understands the "no" marker, and correct immediately and in a meaningful way- I use e-collar. Hard to deal with chasing behavior in a high drive, prey driven dog without one. 

I correct my dogs very rarely once they are proofed and trained. The description sounds like corrections are common, they are not. I do reward, but infrequently, with treat or toy. Their reward is to run with me off leash in beautiful, wild places. I couldn't do this if they did not have a solid recall. 

You don't have to mark "no" prior to recall, but I often do when it is a wildlife or chasing issue, it just seems to work best for me and my dogs. It's basically a "stop and listen" type command.


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## Chuck94! (Feb 8, 2018)

Using/proofing with the e-collar has worked for me! Rollo coming when I call "Here" is something I can count on 100% which relieves a lot of stress. Keep working on it and don't give up!


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## PatrickBW (Aug 16, 2013)

Not a big fan of dog parks. GSDs are a working bred and can have (and supposed to have) higher prey and civil drive. This often does get them into trouble, with the chasing of other dogs (when they start to run) and when the dogs stop running there can be nipping (which equates to the GSD taking the prey). A sold recall can be trained; as mentioned before best through positive re-enforcement and don't get angry at the dog when he will not recall while on the chase. The dog's focus is on the prey and not anything else, so training is necessary to get the dog's mind to focus upon you and not distraction around. Training a sold focus and recall is best done with a very good trainer that knows GSDs. I would not recommend it on your own, unless you are very versed on it, it will take time and effort!!!

Recalling off prey is done a short distances with a long line to communicate the desire for the dog to recall and rewarding the recall with a very high value reward (meat). Then increasing the distance where the recall is applied, until the dog does recall at a distance where you are comfortable with him. Then there is maintenance, the training goes away after time, so maintenance training is needed to keep the dog sharp. 

Back to dog parks, I don't use them because of the free-for-all nature, chance of very aggressive dogs being there, deceases, and the main reason is that it maybe fun to watch fido and fluffy run with the pack and be a dog; but usually that isn't what people want. They want a dog that is focused on them, mannered, good in varying environments, and a companion. Being at the dog park doesn't help people achieve any of those goals.


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## 4K9Mom (Jun 19, 2019)

Couple things about a recall.

A dog should never be off leash if his recall isn’t reliable. I know, but it’s a fact. I have acreage and right now, two of my dogs are always on long lines. It’s inconvenient as heck, but if they don’t come when I call them, I can’t enforce the recall cue. If they run the other way, I’ve trained them “come” means “ignore my human.” It’s basic training. 

Recall is the most important thing I train my dogs. I start training it the day I get them, whether puppy or adult. It’s what will keep a dog alive. We can’t undermine our own critically important training.

A longline at an offleash dog park sounds like a recipe for injuries, human and canine. To be blunt, don’t do it. Train your dog elsewhere. 

GSDs play in a way that most breeds don’t. As one of my old trainers used to say, “the body slamming, the nipping and that big paw on shoulders, it pisses other dogs off.” Some offleash parks are fine. Some aren’t. But our dogs don’t play like most breeds. Some dogs adapt to it. Many don’t. In my GSD pup’s puppy class, he and another GSD play happily together. They tend to freak other pups out. And the way the labs play, with no regard for personal space, that kind of bothers them. So I find it’s best to find other shepherds or dogs that live with/play with GSDs to socialize with. 

As for recalls, throughout your day, all day long, you should be practicing your recall. Just telling him to wait in his crate then calling him across the room, calling him to dinner, calling him to bedtime, etc, make recalls part of your routine. Reinforce those recalls with praise, petting, play and treats. 

The dog should come instantly & enthusiastically to you, front and center, with no fly-bys. If he consistently isn’t doing so, you may have burned your recall word (let him ignore it so often that it means nothing) or you may have poisoned the cue (called him but you were angry or then did something he didn’t like). Pick another word. If you use “come,” you might use “here” or “front.” 

If you have kids, a partner or roommate that calls him without follow up, don’t tell them the new word. Burned and poisoned cues are more deleterious to training than many people realize.

If you call the dog once and he doesn't come, go get him. Take his collar (using a tab is even better) Don’t touch him. Don’t make a big fuss (attention and touch are reinforcing), just get him. Obviously, you don’t want to have to chase him (being chased is fun!) that’s why he needs to be on a leash or long line until his recall is reliable. 

He’ll quickly learn that ignoring you doesn’t do him any good. Complying with a cue gets happy cheering, play and treats. Ignoring gets a boring escort to where you wanted him to go. 

Meanwhile, keep working actively on your recalls. I don’t use correction (other than an “ehhh” or a soft “nuh-uh” as a nonresponse marker). The instructions above are generally good otherwise.

One more note, if you have a dog that has excellent handling skills, particularly if he’ll drop to a down instantly for you, work on that. Increase your distance. Get your dog trained so that he will down from anywhere. Work on a rock solid down and a rock solid wait. 

I have a beagle and a Samoyed/GSD mix (Samoyeds and beagles are both known as runners). Both of them I can call their name and hold up my hand, they stop and wait. If I drop my hand, that means down, right there regardless where they are .

If I squat down, they run to me. Or I go get them.

With the Samoyed mix, the deer &elk on our property compelled her to chase. At first, I couldn’t proof a rock solid recall as I was working against her genetic instincts. But I could get her to stop moving after the deer. Once she stopped, I had her attention to call her to me. 

I was able to convert that into an actual recall over the course of about a 6 months. 

There are times when we want a dog to just stop anyhow, like if he has run across a busy street. We don’t want him running back to us.

Anyhow, that’s an approach for a dog that’s super focused and needs a break in focus before being recalled. It’s easier for a dog to stop and wait then recall. You just have to hold the dog in the wait. If he dashes off when you approach, he must be on a leash. 

But I don’t see that that particular dog park is the right venue for him, at least not in the near future. Remember, positive training is fun and works his brain. You probably don’t need the dog park. 

Good luck. 


4K9Mom
Formerly 3K9Mom


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## Derivs (Sep 10, 2017)

No matter how stupid and irresponsible the other owner is, it will always be your fault because you have that dog in all the photos with the Nazis or in the video pulling someone out of a car and eating their face. You can not win. These people are not joking, they are trying to politely tell you to stop bringing your dog to the park. 

I took my GSD to the park 1 time when she was a pup. She chased every dog, and briefly, I recognized that I was the only person left in the park. She is exceptionally obedient, perfectly trained and I would trust her with my life around infants (she just ignores people as she doesn't see them as threats, I guess), but around small dogs, I do not trust her. Now at 9 1/2, she befriends some, although others she still wants to eat, and until her hair goes up on her back I can not tell which way that is going to go. Small white dogs she will always go after. I believe she thinks they are ducks.

My advice. Realize that your GSD doesn't really care about playing all that much with other dogs anyway. They want to be with you. Dog parks are a major no for me. Like I said in the beginning. No matter how irresponsible the other owner is. It will be your fault and everyone will look at you. Every Saturday I walk on the lake near my home. Saturday nights are filled with people not from my 'hood. Not the people I pass every other night of the week that know my dog. These people bring little dogs on long leashes and for some reason think it's cute to let their Lil 3kg pup walk right under my dog's nose. This is my time to turn the table and play off their fears. Look at the with fire from my eyes, tell them they are irresponsible morons, and lucky to still have a dog. Then walk away indignant.

Did I mention that no matter whose fault it is, it will always 100% of the time be yours?


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## CactusWren (Nov 4, 2018)

Found this old post I started and wanted to follow up. 

Soon after this post, I stopped going to the dog park. I may have not even gone back after these incidents. As I stated above, it was getting "hot," and it wasn't even just the social pressure, it was just obvious that Jupiter's instincts and behavior were not a good match for a dog park.

He has become a calm, friendly, and happy dog with family and, surprisingly to me, people in general. I have done a lot of socializing, in the sense of showing him around and taking him everywhere, and it seems to have paid off along with a relatively gentle temperament. 

On the weekends, I go to the elementary school with a 100' line and play fetch, which is still his favorite activity. There are other dogs off leash there, but it's a big space and they generally stay on the other side of the large grounds. The dogs do come up when we're leaving, but Jupiter does fine with them (except when there's a puppy, I can tell he doesn't like them so I keep him away).

Unfortunately, I got a little lazy about training so I am currently getting back to that, building up the repetitions in the house and yard for now.


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