Quote: wendy lefebvre

Hey Betty,

although it's hard to do, try to NOT call the dog to you and then do something negative.
You said you call the dog then leash her and leave the park, right?

Only call use your recall word (not sure if it's here, or come etc etc) for extra good things and positive things. And i agree with the long line. She needs to go back on one.

Great advice. Also, Betty, don't deprive yourself of the recent recall threads that are loaded with hints and suggestions. There's no way to reproduce it all in one thread.


Use RECALL for the search term, use "all forums," and expand the date range to a year or two.

For me, the recall is a lot of fun to teach. I'd start with great rewards in a no-distraction zone with a long line but starting so close that you won't even need it, and I'd also use the recall all day long, too, every time something good is about to happen. The recall should become firmly associated in her mind with "Ooo! Good stuff!" You want her to hear you call her and immediately know that it's in her best interests to fly to you..... and also that there's no option anyway. You never call when you have doubt about compliance unless you have reinforcement (long line), because every time she blows it off, you have taught that it's optional.

Wendy; your right, she is blowing me off at the dog park
which is my fault for leashing her up and leaving. She figured
that out real quick. This weekend I will try the good food
and scratches and happy praise when she comes to me and I will
not leash her up and go home but will do a few "you come, get
treats and get to play some more." Many walks, dog obedience class(Rally), playing ball, just not enough exercise for her
thats why I take her to the DP She has energy to spare.

Connie: Thanks for the advise, I will use the search term and
check out the information.

E Collar fixed my recall problems almost instantaneously. pager function is great for recall after you get it all worked out

I take my dog to the dog park as well and have a great recall w/ him there. I have always called him to me and then let him return to playing so I haven't had the problem your having but one thing that worked for me when we were working on it is doing a little obedience before going into the park so he knows I have treats. Cicero has always been one to check in or just swing by randomly while playing and on the days I take treats I use this opportunity to give him a treat as a good job checking in. Now he's to the point that 9 times out of 10 I can call him to me out of whatever he is doing. Hope that helps!

Dennis: I'm a little clueless on using the E collar for a recall.
Will do as Connie suggested and check that out on the search tool. My E Collar doesn't have a pager function so once again
Clueless. But I'm learning. Who says you can't teach an old dog
new tricks? (I'm the old dog I'm referring to).
Juliana: A dog park person!! Nice to meet you. I'm planning on
bringing really good treats to the DP this weekend and will see
how it goes. If not well, its long line time and more work to do.
Thanks everybody.

My dog loves obedience work....the rewards & praise are what he LIVES for! So if I were you, I would stand right outside of the dog park and do a 5 min. high level obedience session with rewards, get your dog interested and excited about YOU. Then work your way in to the park, continuing commands and rewards, then slowly space out your commands in between his playing.

So I'd put him in a sit/stay, then release, wait 2-3 minutes while he sniffs around, call him back, reward, then release, wait 5-10 minutes, call him back, reward, then release, wait 15-20 minutes, call him back, reward, then release. See what I mean?

After obedience sessions with my dog, he is constantly looking at me for commands even while he's just relaxing. If this doesn't work, then I would do what others suggest with the long line re-call work at home and once he's trained better, head back to the DP.

 Quote: betty reavis

I'm planning on bringing really good treats to the DP this weekend and will see
how it goes. If not well, its long line time and more work to do.
Thanks everybody.

I'm neutral to dog parks but I would not suggest entering the park with a high value reward (really good treats, his/her favorite toy etc.) if your intention is having Luna play with the other dogs. It has been my experience that what is high value to your dog will become high value to the others as well and if the other dogs are not under control and come running for a treat, Luna or any of the dogs could take offense and you're looking at a dog fight.

If you stay on the outskirts away from the others to work on the recall; you'll have a better chance of avoiding a scuffle. Even then I'd be cautious.

Something which has been effective for me in ending an outing and have my dog be cooperative and actually happy about leaving with me is to reserve the same excited, animated attitude about going home as going out.

For instance right before I'm ready to go out with Thor; I'll ask him in a very excited voice "you wanna go out?" "wanna go for a ride?" YES!! YAY! And we are on our way.

I do the same when it is time to go home.(People probably think I'm a weirdo) I'll use the same voice with the same animation and ask "you want to go home?" "you want to go see the kids(Dad, ball, drink)?" whatever he likes that is going to be there when we arrive. And then I'll say ready on your mark get set go and start running, all the way home if we walked or to the car if we drove.

And when we get home I make a big deal out of that too, lets go see the kids or get a drink or have a treat etc. I guess this is probably my informal recall; I don't call him but he always ends up waiting to be leashed so we can do the ready on your mark etc.

After reading this I wonder why I just don't work on his recall....lol, he actually has a really good recall but what kind of dog owner would I be if I wasn't making a fool of myself?

 Quote: Sheila Buckley

I would not suggest entering the park with a high value reward ...

And may I add that even if I thought highly of dog parks (I do not), this is waaaaaay too soon in your new recall-training process for that level of distraction.

 Quote: Wendy Lefebvre

... i do agree about the dog park, until the recall is down under distractions I wouldn't take her there .... .

The recall is a combo of beginning foundation and proofing for distraction, and the proofing is gradual. Dog parks are a level 10 distraction.

Not yet!

But regardless, I couldn't agree more that taking food rewards into a dog park is a bad plan.

Didn't get to go to the DP this weekend, rally class was running
late and It's getting dark here by 5p.m. Sunday to much to do
around the house and meeting kids and grandkids for lunch. Here is my biggest concern. Remember, Luna is high, high energy she
was and on occasion will revert to tail chasing, spinning, grabbing etc. When she gets lots of exercise she is no problem.
I need the dog park environment for her to run and play and
ware herself out. I'm 62, running or biking for me is out. I
know I have to solve this issue of her not wanting to come to
me to go home. I agree that high value treats could impose a
problem at the DP, however I will as I always do walk the
perimiter of the park with Luna following me. Plan to stop and give Luna a high vaule treat, pet and praise hold on to collar
let go and repeat a few times than leash up and go home. I
can't get to overly excited with her as this causes the problems
mention above. You guys have been great and I really appreciate
your advise.