Hello everyone!

Just an update on Finn before I ask my questions. Sorry I haven't been on here much. I started classes this fall again and have been working with Finn in the off time along with potty training my daughters and Finn. lol.

Finn is doing wonderful! He's pretty low keyed most of the time. No more issues with ignoring hubby, not pulling as much (need to ask a few questions on that) when on leash, and the TEETHING IS OVER! He is now 26 lbs and just about 5 months old. I will get some new pictures on here as soon as I have time to take them.

OK, so now with the subject of this post. Finn is trained on the long line or is tied to myself or hubby as of late. We have been letting him roam while we are with him in the kitchen and family room (same room) and he hasn't had any accidents in about 1 month. Woohoo! So now we are working with him outside on the Come command.

I think we have gotten him to used to having either a leash or drag line attached. We ultimately want him to be able to be off leash and come to us. Shouldn't be to much to ask. (Have to say when I see dogs Come to their owners I turn slightly green around the gills and then remind myself he's a puppy yet and we will get there sooner or later. He's still a puppy!)

So scenario, playing fetch with a retrieving bouy. On drag line or long line he brings to hand (he goes around and stops between your legs facing the same direction you are facing) and drops on command. Wonderful soft mouth, still working on breaking the habit of jumping up before we throw the toy again but its a work in progress.

Now if we take that same scenario and he is off leash. Its "Ha mom come and get me! I wanna play tag!". This is definitly not fun.. I know he is a puppy let him be a puppy.. but when we were out at some public hunting grounds and he got out to quickly to put a leash on him it took me ten minutes to finally get him to come near enough so I could catch him. Literally grabed his leg (gently mind you) and he settled right down. Side note: he will come with no leash or drag line in the house not a problem.

Now we had him on a martingale collar. Took it off tonight because we found that it had rubbed his neck hair off. It wasn't to tight, I even asked our vet, but I didn't want to take the chance of having the collar pinch his skin and make it bleed.

He is now on a 1/2 in leather collar. I am planning on getting a day-glo collar for him from cabelas.com.

So my questions are. Where do I start with getting him to come with no leash. Should I work with him in a gated area while I do this (deserted dog park.. only when deserted) or should I take him out to the field right away. Now I do have an e-collar.

But I have NOT put it on him yet he is still to young and I have no idea how to use on with training and if I screw it up I am sunk. I have yet to look into the training info on e-collars and desensitizing of him around other dogs (very annoying habit).

So I will end this here, and yes I do appologize for the mulitiple questions I have.

Mary McKeever

First of all your expecting a lot from him still, as you mentioned. Come should be re-enforced with treats and markers mainly. Put the e-collar on him now to get him used to wearing it, but do not use it or turn it on until you've been properly trained on how and why to use it, he should be at least a year old and know his commands 110%. I recommend getting a cinch it collar for the e-collar and Eds video on E-collar training. One thing I found for pups to trick them a little is to switch the long line for some good 550 military cord, the pups forget its on them because its so lite weight and you can give them 50 plus feet of leash. Come training is a long step by step process Eds video on basic dog OB covers most of the steps. It sounds to me you need to go back to the basics with this boy when it comes to the COME command. Correct me if I'm wrong but he seems to not wanna come. What are you offering him when he does? Ask yourself what is the value to him for listening to you? Come can be trained through compulsion but works better if the foundation is laid with treats and markers.

When teaching the come(recall) I always make sure the long line is with in reach before giving the command. Using the light line is an idea I really like. When the dog comes to you fast with distractions he may be ready. Best to test him in a fenced area. If the dog does not come every time I go back to step 1. I always make it fun for the dog,and use high value treats...Just what I do

I taught the come command to my Malinois by using the methods described in the Leerburg videos. (Basic obediance, and the streaming videos on recalls). By the time he was one year old, I could let him run with my neigbour's dogs, without a leash on, and he would come to me each time I would call him. (even under the distraction of 4 other dogs).It took about 3 months of work to get to that point. It is easy work. It just takes time and many small sessions.
Good luck.

Sounds good. We have been kind of at a stand still of a bit in training. Not introducing anything new. Haven't really used "Come" except in the house. He knows to bring a toy to us to be thrown but beyond that we havent put a word to it. I will grab my basic OB video and take a look at it with a notebook in hand! lol.

Thanks everyone! I will also look into that really light weight stuff. Sounds like we could use it in the "yard" area that we have at our apartment complex.

Mary

" It sounds to me you need to go back to the basics with this boy when it comes to the COME command."

Yes.

http://leerburg.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/253020/page/0/fpart/1

Check out the fourth post down as well as the whole thread.



Also, http://leerburg.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Board=134&Number=217515&Searchpage=5&Main=21490&Words=recall&topic=0&Search=true#Post217515

If your recall word is tainted, I'd recommend changing it. You'll read about that in the
links.

Yeah,
Hubby and I had a looonngg converstation. We are starting with the puppy basics from scratch. We have decided not to trial him so I can teach this little fart so many more things were I was limited before. Like the word SIT! Down and Crate he has down to a T, also the phrase "Go Get It" when he retrieve something. Otherwise he waits till he is given the ok from us.

Thanks Connie. I have class early this morning but when I get home I am totally pouring over the dvds and taking notes again. I can't wait to start training him, now that I am not restricted I am totally psyched about training. If he turns out to be just a great dog for the house and not a trialer like I was told to do from the breeders who really cares.

Thanks everyone so very much. You have no idea how nice it is to be back, and actually be able to follow the advice to a T not just use what parts we were "allowed" to use.

Mary McKeever

This 'trial' thing sounds counterproductive to training your dog...just sayin'! This board is full of experts (not me) who 'trial' their dogs and succeed. So I initially think that whatever 'trialing' training you are talking about might be old-fashioned and/or misguided. I sure don't want to be critical since I'm no expert, but I think that training for trialing should be more than good enough for training for being a good dog!

I guess I'm saying that I can't imagine any good training practice being bad for any 'trial' or sport.

i'm sorry for double-posting but I have to ask why is training the come an obstacle? For instance, I trained my dog that when I yell Come or his name, it's in his best interest to come racing to me as fast as he can. I had to correct him Zero times to get this result. Try a new training philosophy maybe?

Because a dog which is going to be judged must perform the behaviors in a very specific way. An example might be the come would have to finish with a tight sit up against the front of the handler's body; that is not how most homeowners train a recall for around the house or yard. The down would have to be square on all four legs with belly flat on the floor, where you may not care how your dog lays as long as he is down. Does that help?