5 month old lab pup won't come back on lead

[cansleepanywhere]

Hello,

My girl is now 5 months and up until now has had perfect recall (as long as I've got treats).

Over the past couple of weeks she's started realising when we're coming to the end of our morning walk (and so back on the lead) and stays just out of arms length from me so I can't get her. She's not interested in treats, even premium ones!! I've tried toys instead, she's not interested.

It's now come to the point where the only way I can get her back on the lead is to sit down and wait for her to jump on me. She's 25kgs now and built like a brick shithouse

Any advice really. I call her back throughout our walk and treat her, sometimes taking her collar and letting her go back and play, sometimes I put her lead on and then take it straight back off again. I try and walk a different way every morning but she still seems to 'know' when we're getting ready to go home.

I'd like to get this sorted before the dark mornings come in and I have to walk her at a more sensible hour when there's likely to be more dogs around. At the moment we're in the woods/park/fields at 5.30am!!

She's passed her puppy classes, was top dog in obedience (beginners) and we're now starting intermediate this eve. So she's a good girl really, just a crafty minx.

[thegriffon]

Labs really love their walks
Mine was around that age when he began to sit and refuse to move as soon as he realised we were on our way home. I could put his lead on OK but it was still impossible to shift him. Very embarrassing if people were around, he looked so pathetic and I'd get remarks like "Poor dog, he's tired and you're making him go for a walk."
What worked in the end was giving him something to look forward to when we got home. I started giving him a stuffed kong after the walk, and found I just needed to say "come on time for your kong" and he'd be up and moving straight away.

[WhereBeThatBlackbirdTo]

My Springer x does this - I had a trainer come out on a walk with us and she suggested these things -

first of all, use a long line on a harness, our is 30ft long and I can either hold it or stand on it if pup is pratting about

feed the dog mainly on walks, at least 90% of his food. She said he wouldn't come back for treats if he knew his tea was waiting for him at home. Click and treat regularly when he is nearby - play 'follow me' where I treat him every time he follows me, changing direction constantly so he has to concentrate; get him to nose touch your hand then click and treat - eventually I had to hold his collar then click and treat then release him

make sure I am the most interesting thing on the walk - lots of 'wossis!!' noises, energetic leaping about (you soon loose all inhibitions!)

not to call him by name, because he had learnt to ignore that, so he gets 'wossis' and things like that to get his attention

I was really sceptical about the clicker (well, mainly my clicking ability) but it really works. He is a changed dog, much happier and relaxed. The trainer said it would take up to 6 months for his recall to be solid.

There were many more tips but these are what I can remember off the top of my head.

We are two months into the suggestions and I'm starting to think about leaving the long line off. Well, I was until he started pratting about again today.

Sorry this is so long and garbled - I hope it helps.

[littlewhitebag]

I trained my lab pup to come back to a whistle. It takes a bit of training and needs excellent treats but seems to work most of the time except when chasing rabbits

[PeanutPatty]

Also regularly call your dog back to you mid walk and so on, click treat and set free then change where the end of the walk is.

[mycatoscar]

My 10 month old collie cross lab does this occasionally. I turn my back and walk off, saying bye bye Molly and hey presto she's by my side, not wanting to be left behind lol she is so predictable!

[LesserSpottedNeckSnake]

I have to rapidly change direction, and then do it again when he comes close. He gets closer and closer trying to work out where I'm going next, and then I can heap the praise on and give him a 'jackpot' of treats. He doesn't sod about every time now (he's 2), but he still sometimes decides he'd rather not finish his walk now, please. I also leap about like a children's tv presenter using a high, babyish voice to get his undivided attention. Recall is hard, and I have come to the conclusion that you have to keep up the theatrics to guarantee it.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

25kg at 5months. Most female labs are 25kg at full adult body weight.
As someone who weighs labs day in day out I would be concerned about this.

[Floralnomad]

My dog has a dodgy recall but an absolute 'down' , so I just shout 'down' and he waits for me to go to him . It also works for stopping him chasing stuff or going near dogs on leads . Treats don't work with mine as I've yet to find something he prefers to a ball although I'm going to try the squeezy cheese tube that somebody recommended on a different thread .