Recall treat advice

[ChickensHaveNoLips]

Jasper is now in to that adolescent phase, and his recall has become a tad patchy. He is just not interested in any of his treats which work in the house, and today even completely ignored the pepperami and cheese I was waving at him (I've been randomly calling him and treating him when he recalls to try and build a good association). He will do anything for a tennis ball, and adores fetch games. But I think that's the problem. He will bring me the ball, but drop it at a certain distance, so that as I step forward to get it, he backs up and just keeps out of arms reach (thus preventing me from attaching the lead). We end up doing this shuffling dance, until I am able to reach him. But I want him to come to me happily, and right now he just sees that I'm going to stop the game. So how do I encourage him to see coming back to me and being attached to the lead as a good thing?

I'd been having similar problems to you the other week - our dogs always sound very similar. I make sure I don't recall him at the end of the walk, just wait till he's nearby, treat and put the lead on while he practises 'leave it' with the treat. But if treats aren't working for you, that's probably no help. Mine are really boring bits of popcorn that he still loves. I've been hanging around near puddles or water too when I want to end the walk, as I know he'll come to them eventually. I'm also holding his attention a lot more throughout the walk with games, but it sounds like you're doing that too. I've been putting the lead on before the tempting rabbit warrens if I know I don't have time to hang around too long.

What happens if you pick the ball up and then call him to you - does he come closer then?

My springer did this for a while (and I'm sure he will do it again). No amount of expensive treats worked, even the best chicken or smelliest cheese.

I ended up with him wearing a harness with a trailing 15 foot lead on it (a Clix one, I think - got no loop on the end and its designed just to trail behind him). When he came back then danced away laughing I could put my foot on the lead, praising him for coming back, making a ridiculous amount of fuss for him even deigning to come near me, then attaching the lead. It meant I was more relaxed about the walk and I'm sure he sensed this. As Mimimuu has suggested to many people I didn't recall him at the end of the walk just sort of got round him with enthusiasm, if that makes sense!

The only downside is that he tended to wind it round everyone else in the field and I spent a lot of my time explaining what it was.

We did this for several weeks and now I'm brave enough to take him out without it but as he's only 6 months I'm sure we'll need it again!

Ahhh the "I'm nearly back.... BUT can't catch meeeeeeeee you slow two legged human!!" dance around. Really embarrassing but my pup did this at training the other day, we were doing sit stays and formal recall stuff, going along perfectly when he just shot off in a big loop of the field! Called him back and he did exactly the same as Jasper. The trainer told me to tell him to 'down' and I stepped on the lead. Trouble is it is his new party trick. I've been taking the red squeaky ball of enormous fun out and calling him back then sort of luring him really really close to the crotch area (lovely!) Whilst stepping backward, then clipping the lead on. Have no idea if this is right but he is ball obsessed and then is allowed I carry it home.

For really good treats tiny bits of tuna, or popcorn seems to tickle his fancy.

He looks at me in a 'I'm not that stupid' way and stays just out of reach, minimuu He's good off lead, in that he doesn't run up to other dogs or people, and stays completely focused on the tennis ball. If I call him, he does return to me, but just stays at a slight distance. I think in his bouncy spaniel brain, he's just decided that being off lead is waaaaay better than having to walk next to the slow coach human. I'm reluctant to keep him on lead all the time, because he so adores running, and I think he needs it. I'm lucky in that there are a few places I can take him which are reasonably enclosed, so he can't just leg it over the hills and far away. Should I maybe try attaching him, treating, and then unattaching him again for a few more throws? Would that make him see that the game doesn't have to end, or would it confuse him?

You could teach him to give the ball into your hand. I did this with my fetch obsessed dog because I couldn't be arsed to bend down to pick it up all the time

I taught it at home, in the garden, because there was less distraction for her and I could sit on the step and throw the ball...I wouldn't move from my spot so she had to come to me with the ball for the game to continue. I added the word' give' to differentiate from 'drop' which she already knew as the cue to drop the ball on the ground. Once she was doing it reliably in the garden we started to introduce it when out and about. If the ball isn't delivered to my hand, the game is over. She caught on pretty quickly.