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Dp let the puppy off the lead for the first time

17 replies

slushy06 · 24/12/2009 19:53

He was in a field and the dog was good for about 5 mins and then bolted cue dp falling head over heels in the snow and a Kind stranger holding the dog till dp could right himself and go get him .

Just wish I had been there so sad I missed it .

OP posts:
midori1999 · 26/12/2009 10:25

We always let our puppies off the lead from their first walk, which is usually somewhere 'low risk' (eg. unused beach) at around 8/9 weeks old.

I have always found that they are far too nervous to go anywhere, and if you recall them every couple of minutes, treat and let them go again, it means you end up with a really, really good recall. Out of our dogs, the one with the worst recall was the one we were terrified to let off the lead. (partly as we had nowhere safe to do it)

I've also traine dpuppies we have bred and home dotpeople like this, if we have ever kept them longer than 8 weeks for the owners for whatever reason, and encouraged the new owners to do the same, and they also have a great recall.

Sherbert37 · 26/12/2009 18:58

I did the same as midori. Let pup off from the first walk in an enclosed field. Took chicken and called her back every few minutes. We were with a friend's dog and they stayed together. Could not bear the thought of a dog not being able to be off lead on a walk. She is great and comes back readily.

slushy06 · 26/12/2009 19:27

He has only been able to walk a week and we only just found a suitable place for him to be left off. So we have been letting him off farely soon. He is actually great with me he listens every time I recall but he does not quite respect dp authority yet hence dp falling in the snow .

OP posts:
socute · 26/12/2009 19:34

My dog is 7 months old and still doesn't come when I call him and thats when he is on the lead!

He also hunts for food at every opportunity so if I were brave enough to let him off the lead in a secure area, I would need to check for anything he is likely to eat laying around.

midori1999 · 26/12/2009 20:48

socute have you tried good training classes? Dogs tha re like this (eg, very food motivated) are very easy to train, it's just a case of finding the correct way of shaping their behaviour.

Usually the dogs that the average owner finds a nightmare (eg. steal food/clothes/anything they can, chew things, jump up, get excited etc) are a trainers dream.

socute · 26/12/2009 22:54

He hasn't been to any training classes, we tought him basic skills at home. He knows to sit, give paw, plus knows down (when he jumps up at people), bed, dinner, walkies, and he also walks well on the lead. Its just he does like to gobble anything he sees, including leaves and stones.

He also eats hsi food very quickly. The vet recommended to just keep putting food down until he makes himself sick. He said it would teach him to notice when he is full. I'm not sure about that tbh.

How would I find good training classes? I am sure they all say they are good. Is 7 months still ok for a pup to start training classes or is it a bit old/late?

midori1999 · 27/12/2009 00:35

You have done well with him if you have done it by yourself.

Have a look on the APDT website. All the trainers on there should use positive methods to help you train your dog. If any mention 'dominance' or 'pack leader' run a mile. Bad classes are worse than none at all. They might not take him in a puppy class, but you can attend training classes at any age.

When we got our first dog, years ago, I remember her breeder telling us not to listen to our vet, as they know nothing about dogs. I can remember thinking she was insane, and that they don't go to veterinary college for nothing. However, as time has gone on, and I have begun to learn more about dogs, I have begun to realise that it is impossible for vets to know it all, and some do have funny ideas... dogs don't tend to eat until they are 'full' they are opportunistic feeders and scavengers by nature, so they will eat what is available usually.

My friend has a very greedy dog. He once broke into the utility room, managed to eat a whole 15KG sack of food, plus the sack, and still wasn't sick... (luckily she works ina vets and he was ok) so you might not make him sick, and personally I don't think it's a good idea anyway. Are you worried about him getting bloat? How many times is he fed a day? you could try increasing his number of meals, but giving the same amount of food, soaking his food prior to giving him it, o rputting a large rock (too big for him to swallow!) in his food bowl so he has to eat around it.

Hope this has helped.

WynkenBlynkenandNod · 27/12/2009 01:22

Slushy, your poor DH ! I go heavily armed with tasty treats for recall then call back frequently, sometimes giving a treat then releasing her off to play again, sometimes back on lead for a bit so she doesn't associate the lead with the end of the walk. It was all going really well until yesterday when she decided to pretty much ignore me the whole walk. I made a long line this afternoon and she is on that tomorrow until she remembers I am she who must be obeyed and that ignoring me isn't an option.

Socute, my dog is nearly 7 months old and we are off to training classes after Christmas. We did some then she had kennel cough so had to drop out. They are well worth going to as they help the dog learn to focus on you whilst surrounded by other dogs which is hugely helpful.

socute · 27/12/2009 13:23

I've not heard much about bloat, will have a read now so I am aware of the signs. He was being fed twice a day, but I over the past week, I have spread it out over 3 times a day. Forgot to say, he also eats his own poo. Vet said its perfectly normal for a dog, he has been wormed last week and he said not to tell the dog off if he does eat the poo. One good thing is, he only eats his own and is really quick at it I should add.

midori1999 · 27/12/2009 13:55

Bloast isn't that common, and would mainly be a problem in dogs bolting one large meal per day, and in certain breeds (weimeraners are one) so do look it up, but don't worry too much.

And yes, dogs eating poo is perfectly normal behaviour to dogs, they would/could gain valuble nutrients from it. It can be a sign of something lacking in the diet, but if he's on a good quality complete that's not likely. Whether you decide to 'tell him off' for it is up to you. One of mine will eat poo given the chance, and natural to dogs or not, I am not keen on the idea, mainly as her breath then stinks of poo when she comes for a cuddle.... If I see her doing it, a 'no' suffices, but obviously that doesn't stop her doing it when I am not there. Picking up the poos in the garden regularly does stop it, she rarely poos then immediately eats... Yuck...

socute · 27/12/2009 23:45

I caught him trying to eat some tonight. I pointed at it and said NO. He was so desperate bless him, he even laid down as close as he could while I fumbled for a bag to pick it up.

Any more luck with letting your dog off the lead slushy06? I wish I was as brave. My dog has to make do with an extending lead.

BellasSparklyBaubles · 28/12/2009 08:16

?socute? - coprophagia (poo eating) isn't normal at all for dogs. It often has an underlying medical or nutritional reason and only if those have been ruled out should you treat it as a behavioural issue. I would get him checked over by your vet before attempting to train him out of it
HTH

UndomesticHousewife · 28/12/2009 08:32

My dh took our puppy (she's now 5) out to the park in the middle of the night (well almost) to practice recall off the lead, she was so bouncy and friendly she'd go mad running after every person or dog she saw and she'd head towards the road so it was a nightmare, she'd be so excited at all the interesting things around her she wouldn't listen to anything not even for a treat and she's incredibly greedy.

That worked really well, she now can be off the lead anywhere and comes as soon as we call her, even if she's in mid chase of a squirrel.

He also taught her to walk to heel off the lead at the same time of day as there weren't any cars around, now she walks better off lead than on.

Not sure if it's actually a good way to train! But it worked for us and as there were no distractions it was very relaxed for us and the dog.

socute · 28/12/2009 08:51

The vet is happy that there is nothing wrong with him so we are told to treat it as a behaviour issue.

slushy06 · 28/12/2009 14:58

Puppy is great with me comes back when I call but he is still no better with dp. I am hoping that as dp has a week off if dp does the walks our puppy will get used to him and by the time he is back in work we should have the recall sorted.

He is a bit better with dp now but it is still only 50/50. Thanks for all the replies I am sure we will get it sorted. I am driving dp mad at the moment because I just find the puppy's mischievous antics highly amusing.

OP posts:
BellasSparklyBaubles · 28/12/2009 16:52

Sounds like you gave a good approach, Slushy. IME our OH's are often not quite so adept at making themselves look like loons to help recall a dog: I think mad female dog owners do the hyper-exciting person thing much better
I have just been practising recalls with distraction with dh and my dogs. Dogs (incl puppy) were ace: dh's performance somewhat poor, tbh

BellasSparklyBaubles · 28/12/2009 16:54

Have a good approach - pesky phone

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