The most common complaint I heard at last week's Dog Behaviour Clinic was 'My dog won't come back when I call him/her.'
It is mightily frustrating when you must get to work and your dog boogies off into the bushes and refuses any attempt at recall. It's not an excuse any employer is likely to tolerate more than once.
Most of the owners I see are intelligent logical people. They would consider it mad to allow their son or daughter to drive the family car on a fast moving expressway after one driving lesson. They certainly wouldn't ask granddad to leave his walking frame behind while he fixed the satellite dish on the roof. That would be crazy.
So why do they expect a dog that is not totally obedient around their feet to instantly obey when trotting around the park? Why would a dog that can't control his excitement in the house calmly ignore another dog flying around an open field?
It doesn't make sense. If your dog will not sit, stay, lie down and walk quietly to heel without a lead in your immediate presence why would he come back to you instantly on command when he is chasing after a rabbit or sniffing in the woods?
It's not going to happen is it? So... when you take your lead off you are playing Russian Roulette: he may (eventually) come back and he may not. If he gets attacked by another dog you will have an even bigger problem to solve and heaven forbid he runs into the road.
In order to have a good recall you need to have a respectful and reliable working relationship. You don't do that in the park or forest, that comes later. You do it in training and your everyday routine.
Once you know how it isn't difficult. It's something we teach in class every week. If you need help just got to my website www.vicbarlow.com or email me at [email protected] for class details.
