Please help me with recall training a 5mth old Rottie pup

[Thisisthelaststraw]

We have a new Rottie pup. He’s 5mths old and is brutal on recall. I’ve worked on sit, stay, down and come in the house, the garden and on walks. All but the ‘come’ is great.

If I have food (chicken or liver bits) he’ll nearly do the Macarena but when he’s the far side of the garden and doesn’t know I have something he looks at me as if to say “yeah, you’ll be lucky. Get your running shoes on fucker!” I end up playing chasing around our —jungle— garden with the neighbours probably having a right laugh and I’m not petite or fast.

I know the nighttime crate is not to be used as punishment but I have just wrangled him in from the garden and put him in it as I was soaked to the skin and he’s still not house trained.

We have to get this right as our garden is not fenced. Our last girl sadly died but she was a dream. Very obedient and no hint of brat! This boy is trying my patience.

He’s out of the crate now btw, only 10mins in.

Any advice appreciated and TIA

[RIPWalter]

Pay for a one to one training session with a dog trainer, for you and the dog. I did this for recall training and it was money will spent.

You need to repeat the recall command/action literally thousands of times to get it to become second nature. You also need to do refresher training with your dog periodically even when they've "got it".

[Thisisthelaststraw]

I think it might have to be done. I’ve never needed outside help but this boy is way more stubborn than any of our other dogs.

[billybagpuss]

Have you tried using a long line so he doesn't have the opportunity to ignore you? Plenty of treats when he does come. You also need to make yourself more exciting than whatever else he's focused on.

Try playing focus games with him, so being near you is the best place to be.

I have a couple of threads on here recall related the 6 - 12 months are really challenging we are just starting to get better now at 13 months.

[OverFedStanley]

He is not stubborn you need to up his reward

ALWAYS give him food when he recalls then he will not look at you and wonder if it is worth returning to you.

Loads of games to play to build on recall

Also is it not a concern that your garden is not fenced?

Never ever chase him - that is the best game ever, he will never ever recall if the alternative is a game of chase.

If your garden is unfenced and his recall is unreliable he needs to be on a harness and long line

[missyB1]

The only way I managed to teach this with my very stubborn schnauzer was by using the Pippa Mathison (think that’s spelt right) book called “Total Recall”. It’s on Amazon. It’s literally a step by step guide and helps you hammer the message into their brain. I honestly don’t think we would have succeeded without this method. Our stubborn little miss now has fantastic recall!

[MrsMozartMkII]

1-2-1 training sessions.

I have two very nearly two year old Rotties. One had good recall no matter what, though he's not the quickest and we're still working on making me the one he wants to obey; the other is grand unless there's another dog within 50 feet, then he just wants to go play. They're the first dogs I've had to get a trainer for. Perfectly friendly and as soft as butter, but recall without stopping to sniff the flowers...

[Thisisthelaststraw]

Sorry I’m only getting back now, got sidetracked.

Thanks for all your advice. We’re going to work with food every time he’s called and throw in plenty of praise and enthusiasm. Also going to do the one to one because I feel I need it with this boy. We only have him a couple of weeks so I haven’t had long to work with him and he was an older pup so feel at a slight disadvantage there too.

He’s never allowed out alone and has been very good with learning the boundary which is walled on three sides and does have a fence at the front but it’s ranch fencing so not secure if that makes sense.

We have a large run for when they need to be secured.

Thanks again for all the helpful advice