I would like some advice on how to better handle a recall problem I am having.

I have been using an e-collar on my dog for a couple months now and it has worked wonders for off leash control. Most of my dog’s training was done with a prong collar and cookies, but I decided to get an e-collar because he will ignore an off leash recall under high distraction. High distraction for my dog involves chasing things that are really exciting. I have a Dogtra collar and I have figured out that he has a low level that works for minor distractions, like trying to eat dog poop and dead animals he finds, and a higher level I use when he is chasing things. Up until recently, all I’ve had to do is hit the nick button once or twice or the constant button until he turns to me, and he has always stopped running and come back to me.

Recently, we were having play time where he was chasing his dog friends and doing a good job of wearing himself out. He and two other dogs were running wide circles around their owners. Another dog showed up that has behaved aggressively towards my dog in the past so I called my dog with the intent to leave. He ignored my command so I nicked him. He ignored the nick so I hit the constant button for a few seconds. He ignored that so I turned up the collar and used a higher setting. He started yelping and slowed down a little, but still ignored me. I started walking towards him and then he decided to come. He learned early on that if he ignores me I will go and catch him and I think this is why he finally decided to come. I don’t feel it is necessary or safe to “count to 3” with my dog. 90% of the time he listens perfectly, but all it takes is one time and my dog is dead or damaged. I want him reliable under high distraction.

My question is: How could I have better handled his refusal to come, and how can I work on proofing this?

I would "proof" it with a long line (30') and a controlled situation. Maybe go to a dog park and remain on the outside of the fenced area. Assuming he's interested in the dogs, you can let him be by the fence while you recall him. If he doesn't respond after the second call(with stim) I would start reeling him in with the long line on the third recall with stim. Then of course alot of praise.
I would do alot more tapping of the nick button over constant stim.

Amber Morris wrote: My question is: How could I have better handled his refusal to come, and how can I work on proofing this?

Stacey it sounds as if you're one of those folks who use the Ecollar in place of a leash to deliver corrections at a distance when the dog doesn't perform. There's nothing wrong with this, lots of people do it, but it's limiting and, as you've found, can cause confusion to the dog.

My method of using the Ecollar, where the dog is taught new (and old) behaviors with it as well, puts the dog in control of when the stim starts and when it stops. He clearly understands that it means that he doing something wrong, when the stim starts and that when it stops, he's done the right thing. It allows for very clear communication with the dog and it eliminates any confusion or conflict that may be present.

Take a look at "Teaching the Recall" in the Articles section of my website.

I also trained the recall the way Lou describes. NOT as a correction for not listening. But instead as that the dog knows 100% the command I just gave, and 100% why the collar stimulation started and what they have to do to turn it off.

It sounds like your dog has learned the e-collar can be ignored until you walk towards him? THEN you mean it? As in all those people who say Fido 'sit', 'sit', FIDO 'sit', FIDO I MEAN SIT!!!! And teach their dog's that 'sit' is a command that can be ignored until Mom REALLY means it.

I would also read up and retrain with a long line. Come means come THE FIRST TIME. My dogs so know this that they turn to 'come' when I say their names so they 'beat' the collar and rarely if ever get the collars activated.

Sometimes it helps to read the same information by another person, so another site to read up on this is the TriTronics site. http://www.tritronics.com/traint_06.asp?PSId=63

Thank you for all your suggestions. I’ve gotten a pretty good idea of where I need to improve my training and where I need to work on my dogs. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />