Herb, with all those distractions you may be pushing to fast.
Are you on a short lead in the front yard?
With the level of distractions there I wouldn't think of trying any distance now.
If you can't get his attention while he's on a short lead then putting him on a log lead will only teach him that obeying can be a random behavior.
EVERY TIME he doesn't obey a command he's learning he doesn't have to.

 Quote: Bob Scott

Herb, with all those distractions you may be pushing to fast.
Are you on a short lead in the front yard?
With the level of distractions there I wouldn't think of trying any distance now.
If you can't get his attention while he's on a short lead then putting him on a log lead will only teach him that obeying can be a random behavior.
EVERY TIME he doesn't obey a command he's learning he doesn't have to.

I don't think so but it is something to consider and periodically re-evaluate.

Typically the "front" is like a LIGHT SWITCH for Trooper, so if I am getting results at 5' then I am getting them at 25' too.

Yes, I have him on a 50' line (sometimes halved and I don't always pay it all out) almost every time he is out front.

(I do play the "get in the car" trick when we are taking him for a drive so that he can go out without the line and my safety is letting him get in if necessary. Got one good recall yesterday that way when we took him for a ride.)

Trooper is a sweet, eager to please dog AND in public he is just literally hopping with enthusiasm so it is tricky to find or set up that "gradual" or intermediate area but we are doing better since now we have SOME CONTACT in public.

(At one point when we needed to board him anyway due to a trip we took, we enrolled him in a highly recommended, 2 week, live in training, told the instructor that we only cared about two things:

1) Attention/contact with him in public, and

2) Recall.

I made it clear if we got #1, we could probably get #2 ourselves since the issue was the CONTACT and COMMUNICATION. Wasted money.)

 Quote: Herb Martin

Well, we still have a LOT of work to do in the front yard when NO ONE is around.

Trooper can barely focus (at the moment) when there is no person or animal withing sight for two blocks in either direction.

Of course dogs are so scent dependent that likely he is "visualizing" every creature that visited our yard for the last couple of days.

We definitely get deer, probably coyotes, maybe raccoons, and certainly cats, dogs, people, and any number of small animals and birds.

My presumption is that this is the immediate and major difference between the front and back yard.

The backyard probably has birds, squirrels, cats and other small creatures visit mostly and likely in fewer numbers since we are fenced.

The front yard has so many other TYPES and such a higher QUANTITY of animals and associated smells.

Of course is somebody, especially with a dog walks by while he is out then he turns into a KANGAROO hopping (literally) with excitement.

Based on this, I think part of the issue here is "crittering". What you are describing is a distracted dog. You will need to nip that in the bud, which will require more desensitizing.

Just curious... you discounted Bob's advice about adding distance gradually, but at the beginning of this post, you make it clear that "Trooper can barely focus." What you're describing here is definitely a dog who is distracted from training AND FROM YOU by his environment. Have you taken any steps toward training in a new area that has fewer distractions (which has been suggested since this thread began)? Have you done any proofing?

FWIW, tricking or bribing a dog with a different behavior to achieve a desired result may come back to bite you in the arse. Were I you, I'd back up, reevaluate my past training and what I plan to do next, and redo some of the foundation.

ETA: Personally, if this were my situation, I wouldn't be worried about taking this dog anywhere until he complied with my training. If I did take him out, training and desensitizing would be constant throughout the outing. NILIF. He wouldn't go anywhere until he had earned the privelege by proving that he will do what is asked. JMO

Edited by Duane Hull (05/07/2014 03:59 PM)
Edit reason: eta

"Trooper can barely focus (at the moment) when there is no person or animal withing sight for two blocks in either direction."


He needs to be where he CAN focus.

This is highly individual. If he can focus only on an enclosed back porch, start there. If you need to start alone with him in a boring indoor room, start there.

I don't try for engagement in an area where the dog can't focus ... I move to more distracting places only as the dog is ready.

Focus on you in public is gradual, not sink-or-swim.

JMO!

NEVER add distance, distraction or time at the same time. They all need to be added & proofed individually & gradually.

Overfacing a dog does no good at all except to back slide his overall training.

Training is not a race to the finish. Slow down. It takes time & patience to achieve a solidly trained dog.